![]() Four hours later, everyone had caught their share of fish, and two novice fishermen had found a new pursuit.įreedom Alliance organized an expedition one day to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in nearby Cody, a multiplex of five museums dedicated to America’s West. But Frank, at the stables, gave him and another new rider his undivided attention and they embarked on their first trail ride ever.įriends of the ranch manager volunteered their time, equipment, and boats so that the veterans could try out fly fishing on the Shoshone River. One veteran admitted that he’d never been close enough to touch a horse. The Marines enjoyed exploring the ranch on ATVs, as well as in the saddle. The least we could was reunite them with their brothers. These 10 men experienced hell on earth … and survived. ![]() There were others, they all said, who were more heroic, who sacrificed more.Īnd yet, when one reads their combat records, you see the wounds, the multiple deployments, the outstanding service. Some hadn’t seen each other in years, and, despite horrific shared memories of combat, the laughter and storytelling started up right away.Īt various points throughout the trip, each guest said he did not deserve this kind of treat. From Chicago and Baton Rouge, as well as the states of California, Texas, Florida and more, these Marines from all parts of the country had a common bond…įallujah-the bloodiest engagement of the war. The 10 men we selected for this getaway seemed to immediately relax and settle into the beauty surrounding the Double E Ranch. Ranch owners Erik and Stacy and their family acted as welcome committee, hospitality executives, and new best friends. Ranch manager Troy arranged and guided daytime activities for the Marines. The Double E’s “horse whisperer” Frank provided breathtaking trail rides and one-on-one instruction. Head chef Coletta and her kitchen staff prepared fantastic meals. The two months during which this campaign was fought are considered the most intense of the Iraqi War.įast forward twelve years, and some wonderful folks in Wyoming, the owners and staff of the Double E Ranch, invited Freedom Alliance to use their property to provide a vacation for Marine Corps veterans of Operation Phantom Fury and Fallujah.Īctually, not only did they donate the ranch and its resources for this purpose, but they volunteered themselves, as well. Interviews in Eyewitness to War span a wide spectrum of participants, from commanders and senior non-commissioned officers at platoon, company, and battalion levels, to combat and combat service support personnel on the battlefield, and to one journalist who witnessed the battle firsthand.Operation Phantom Fury, also called the Second Battle of Fallujah, was a 2004 joint offensive of American, Iraqi, and British forces, led by the United States Marine Corps. Using the firepower and mobility of the Army's heavy armor and mechanized units to full effect, the Marine Regimental Combat Teams were successful in destroying the enemy and securing Fallujah in ten days. Under the overall command of the 1st Marine Division, four Marine infantry and two US Army battalions, Task Forces 2-2 Infantry and 2-7 Cavalry, were committed to the streets of Fallujah while the Army's 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division formed a cordon to hold and isolate the insurgents in the city. The second battle for Fallujah in November 2004 was a brutal and bloody fight so characteristic of urban terrain. This study is a derivative of the CSI Operational Leadership Experience (OLE) project, a program that collects and archives first-person experiences from the Global War on Terror. Matthews (Editor) Eyewitness to War: A US Army Oral History of Operation AL FAJR, is a unique publication. Army Command and General Staff College, Combat Studies Institute Staff (Contribution by) Matt M. Eyewitness to War: the US Army in Operation Al Fajr Volume I by Kendall D.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |