| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq |
| U.S. Marines battle for al-Azimiyah palace |
| 2003-04-10 |
| Edited for length: Marines in Baghdad were hunkering down for an expected tense night Thursday at the al-Azimiyah palace compound following fierce fighting earlier in the day against Iraqi soldiers and other gunmen. The fighting began before dawn as the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, rolled down highways and streets in east Baghdad toward the 17-acre compound. One Marine was killed and 35 others were wounded in street battles against Iraqis firing automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades from bridges, roof tops, balconies and alleyways near the palace on the east bank of the Tigris River. The attackers appeared to be a mixed bag of forces -- men in army green, others wearing all black and some in civilian clothes. Marine intelligence sources told United Press International about a half dozen Syrians, Jordanians and Algerians had been detained Wednesday and were suspected of heading to Iraq to fight. Tag 'um and bag 'um. The presidential palace, built for the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, is an ornate two-story structure that had been badly damaged by coalition airstrikes and was deserted. But as the Marines entered the 17-acre compound they came under fire from Iraqi gunmen. As the Marines reached the palace, rocket propelled grenades began to rain down on their convoy. Three Marines were wounded when a grenade struck their armored vehicle, while they were firing at Iraqi forces. Another grenade struck the company's command vehicle but no one was injured.While the more seriously injured Marines were evacuated, Marines not seriously wounded rejoined the fight around the high-walled compound. "This is the lousiest birthday, I've ever had," said Capt. Shawn Basco, from Cleveland, an F-18 pilot attached to Bravo Company as a forward air controller. Captain Shawn Basco braved enemy fire throughout the day and coordinated miracle evacuation flights while carrying the wounded to a grassy area near the compound's river-side swimming pool. Only after the fighting died down did Basco notice the blood on his pants leg and the pain from a shrapnel wound. Basco was not evacuated. There is a citation for a medal if I ever heard one. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 Makes you wonder why they fought so hard for a compound with a "badly damaged" palace, especially since Saddam had so many! I'd check the place out with a fine-tooth comb after the shooting's over. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-04-10 11:43:11 |