Michael Yon : Online Magazine: Gates of Fire.
Combat comes unexpectedly, even in war.
On Monday, while conducting operations in west Mosul, a voice came over the radio saying troops from our brother unit, the 3-21, were fighting with the enemy in east Mosul on the opposite side of the Tigris River. Moments later, SSG Will Shockley relayed word to us that an American soldier was dead. We began searching for the shooters near one of the bridges on our side of the Tigris, but they got away. Jose L. Ruiz was killed in action.
Although the situation in Mosul is better, our troops still fight here every day. This may not be the war some folks had in mind a few years ago. But once the shooting starts, a plan is just a guess in a party dress.
It’s the best war reporting going, period.
I’d like to think I’d do the same as this ‘writer’ (he doesn’t think he’s a journalist) when things go bad, and hopefully I’ll never know.
Hopefully you never will, either.
grunt doc, I was riveted. Absolutely riveted. I’ve sent something to support his online journal – he absolutely deserves it. There is something very powerful about a first hand account, ‘just the facts ma’am.” I suppose that is why I am so addicted to blogs – I want the raw data. Sent him money too, he deserves it.
Oh, man, that was garbled and repetitive. Ugh. Am totally beat today from work (yes, pathologists can sometimes be tired from work….)
I was going to suggest readers flip him some cash (I did ), and thank you for doing the same.
And, your response isn’t garbled at all. Thanks for reading!