Back from Iraq

[thedrifter]

Article ran : 05/31/2003
Back from Iraq
By ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF
When the cheering suddenly stopped, it was time to be careful.

That's what U.S. troops faced on April 10, the day after Saddam Hussein fell and Marines from Camp Lejeune rolled into Baghdad.

Many of those leathernecks and sailors - about 600 from Camp Lejeune's 2nd Tank Battalion and the reserve 8th Tank Battalion - returned from Iraq late Thursday night and Friday morning.

Handfuls of family and friends were there. Among them were two Marines wounded in Baghdad on April 10.

Lance Cpl. Justin Elner, 22, from Newport, Ark., was with Alpha Company, 2nd Tank Battalion. Elner was in charge of loading the 120mm main gun and a pair of mounted machine gun, as well as monitoring the radio for 1st Platoon commander 1st Lt. Keith Montgomery, 29, from Lake Arrow, Calif.

Elner and Montgomery were headed south on Highway 2 into northern Baghdad, riding in the lead tank traveling between three- and four-story buildings in alleys with only a foot of clearance on either side.

"The day we rolled into Baghdad five (rocket-propelled grenades) hit us and one penetrated our turret," Elner said. "The 50-caliber machine gun was hit with the first RPG and we couldn't traverse the turret."

After the first attack they had to move the tank to aim their weapons. Soon they found themselves in the middle of a shooting gallery and they were the target.

"It's hard to describe but impossible to forget," said Elner about the sound of a rocket-propelled grenade. "There's a distinct 'shhhht-boom'. The fourth one blew the pack so we didn't have an engine and the fifth one hit the front of the turret."

"It took out our weapons system," Montgomery said. "The one that came in set off the fire extinguishers in the tank."

"There's halon in there and it sucked out all the oxygen," Elner said. "It was thick with smoke and you couldn't see. There's nothing you can practice about what to do. We cracked our hatches and tried to get it to clear out."

Elner was wounded in the upper legs but didn't notice right away.

"It felt like someone hit you in the side of the leg," Elner said.

Montgomery was hit in the arm and rib cage.

"I noticed the lieutenant's arm and then decided to look at mine," Elner said.

But they didn't get out right away because there was too much enemy fire. They sat, treated their wounds and contemplated their futures for five or six hours.

"I was thinking about what I needed to do to better my odds of survival," Elner said. "It didn't look good for awhile, but after the infantry came it wasn't 10 minutes and we were out of there."

That is when Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, arrived.

"Then the infantry secured the area and we were sure glad to see them," Montgomery said. "They towed us a couple of miles back to the Tigris River."

That is where they first treated Elner's wounds and sent him down the medical evacuation line toward Kuwait for more surgery on April 14-15.

Elner and Montgomery are healing and were glad to wait for their friends Friday.

They stood near Aseneth Aguilera, wife of Gunnery Sgt. Sam Aguilera. Nearby stood Aguilera's children, 11-year-old Samantha, 10-year-old Sam Jr. and 6-year-old Stephen. They were all wearing shirts depicting their dad in dress.

Aseneth reflected on the challenges she has faced while her husband has been away.

"It's especially hard on the children," Aseneth said. "I miss him, too, but to see them going to bed crying is really hard."

Elsewhere on the base another 250 people, primarily sailors from 2nd Medical Battalion, also returned from Iraq Friday.

Contact Eric Steinkopff at esteinkopff@jdnews.com or 353-1171, Ext. 236.



Sempers,
Roger