Those pictures of the child and the church represent the opposite ends of the spectrum of the American experience in Iraq, captured now between covers by the one American not in uniform who was there long enough and who traveled far enough to see them both. SGT Daniel Lama, who is as much respected as he is liked, was pulling security in an air guard position of his Stryker, when a bullet flew straight at his neck, striking him. as 2nd Platoon Alpha Company arrives But the shots and the propane fiasco also had brought the terrorist back to life, so Prosser quickly reholstered his pistol and subdued him by smashing his face into the concrete. Although not well-known, Kurilla the highest ranking soldier from the Fort Lewis-based Stryker Brigade to be seriously wounded in battle has a dedicated following on the Internet. The images along with Yons narrative are posted on his Web site: http://michaelyon.blogspot.com. While looking at the photos, Bowman said, Mike, its simple. The 1-17th will relieve the 1-24th soon, so Triscari has been conducting operations with Deuce Four. Not knowing how many men they were fighting, they wanted backup. We were searching the area for the source of that automatic weapons fire when Kurilla spotted three men in a black Opel and his sixth sense kicked. The sole glitch occurred when a Stryker hit an IED, but since nobody was hurt, we just continued the mission. Andrea Notter/U.S. and our surgeons operated on both at the same time. Do I look stressed? The Iraqis who seethe over the shooting of Kurilla know that the cunning fury of Jihadists is congenite. Yesterday, he declined to release the status of his condition. Bullets were kicking up the dust, and we got a radio call that troops were in contact at Yarmook Traffic Circle. commander still kept giving orders, even telling Munoz But he said No. (Thank God; running in front of the shop might have proved fatal.). Just checking. But secretly, every time he asks, I feel a notch better. He passed by Bap bap bap! Leading three soldiers, Kurilla ran through a maze of shops and alleys. It was not moving. Prosser is always professional, always direct: Sergeant Lamas been shot. Please enable JavaScript if you would like to comment on this blog. According to American officers, solid cases are 2019 2022: Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps. Meanwhile, How a New Greatest Generation of American Soldiers is Turning Defeat and Disaster into Victory and Hope. The card inside had a picture of an American flag for its cover. Prosser had beaten the terrorist in the head three times [6] [7] Biography young soldiers, "Throw a grenade in there!" bullet strikes the wall beside 2nd lieutenant's head But someone gave the Commander a cell phone, and From what I hear about the news back home. Chaplain Wilson came out from the hospital smiling and explained that Daniel (Sergeant Lama) was fine. was, after all, still fighting. In my book, After spending some time with the Commander, CSM Prosser and I drove back to the unit. A shooter inside was also having problems with his pistol, but there was no time to reload. One bullet smashed through his femur, snapping his leg. Three bullets reach flesh: One snaps his thigh bone in half. Jan. 7, 2022 WASHINGTON President Biden has nominated Lt. Gen. Michael E. Kurilla to be the next head of the military's marquee combatant operations command responsible for prosecuting the wars. Prosser shot the man at least four times with his M4 rifle. posted by Michael Yon @ 1:09 AM | Permanent Link, AP's Antonio Castaneda Features Walt Gaya, A tribute for service members and families, Update: Iraq Constitutional Referendum Dispatch, First in a series of five posts about Michael\'s travels with Command Sargeant Major Jeffrey Mellinger, the top enlisted solider in Iraq, whose mission is to observe and report on conditions at the front. Interfacing with shop owners. He walks with LTC Doug Crissman into the headquarters of General Hamid, an Iraqi police chief who had rid his Anbar Province town of al Qaeda elements but subsequently faced accusations (from his fellow Iraqis) of corruption and brutality himself. Yet Yons dispatches are not a non-stop action movie full of guns, guts and glory. Several times I nearly LTC Kurilla likes to call before the Army gets a chance, to tell parents and loved ones the true circumstances. 24th Infantry, which has spent the past year battling insurgents in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul. After spending some time with the suspects tried to wrestle a weapon from a soldier before Attack!" It was afternoon when LTC Kurilla started his rounds in Mosul. In a war where the situation changes depending on what you read, Yon is a man with credibility he has more time embedded with combat units than any other journalist. His 700-soldier battalion experienced some of the fiercest fighting of the war. Interfacing with shop owners. It will not be a victory for the Republican Party. When I returned to base, I was actually "ordered" not to write When you enter a room full of armed men, shoot the first person who makes a move, hostile or otherwise. Like the card in the mailroom, the circumstances behind their capture were more germane to the events about to unfold than anyone might have guessed at the time. Kurilla immediately rejoined the intense and close-quarter fight that The truest test of leadership happens when the Commander is no longer there. Bowman would listen with an open mind. might understand," the passage registered in my mind. room in about five seconds. and was nearly diving to stop Flynn from shooting, thinking the new lieutenant had lost his mind and was shooting a man just for running from Coalition forces. the shop, where he started firing at men inside. Kurilla was running when he was hit - in three places, including his femur, which was shattered. They also admitted that the terrorist who was shot down was their cell leader, who had been training them for three months. That day, Kurilla sensed wrong and told his soldiers to check the three men. stuff." (Thank God; running in front of the shop Proponents of a more explosive conclusion might be disappointed with that result. ordering people to put out security, and directing Although the situation in Mosul is better, our troops still fight here every day. my eyes. Moments later, SSG Will Shockley relayed word to us that an American soldier was dead. Michael Yon is America's most experienced combat correspondent. Kurilla is direct, but at least people know they are getting an accurate account. Prosser ran around the corner, passed the two young soldiers who were crouched low, then by me and right to the shop, where he started firing at men inside. leader that Americans admire and Iraqis respect. Not knowing how many men they Advanced Home Care Aide Specialist Training Pilot; Health Home Program; Nursing Services boxing up his photos of his wife and children, and his of the Iraqi people, they must make direct contact. middle of a street, under fire, and dragged a detainee into cover. The most wonderful thing to see was how hard the Muslim neighbors worked to get the church reopened. #DeuceFour But it was when they understood that these great-hearted warriors, who so enjoyed killing the enemy, are even happier building a school or making a neighborhood safe that we really got their attention., And Yon isnt shy about pointing out American mistakes in Iraq, or explaining why after five years in the country soldiers are still charging down alleys with guns blazing, or why schools remain unbuilt. Its important to interact and take the pulse of a city in a war where there is no behind the lines, no safe areas. recovering from the earlier gunshot wound to the neck. Update: Mike Yon just let me know that he just got off of the phone with the Lieutenant Colonel and that he is doing well. They have been fighting for two nations, one of which didnt seem to notice. But these were not the right guys. Wrote one: Ultimately the courage to do the harder right rather than the easier wrong is easiest to find when we are reminded regularly of the immense sacrifices and miraculous bravery of people like Erik Kurilla.. We stopped at an Iraqi Army base, where American Marines live and work with Iraqis. Michael Yon was there and witnessed this: The operation has begun. Fox News Media . Someone you should know: five men earned the Medal of Honor on May 8, Robert "Concrete Bob" Miller - Someone You Should've Known, Arthur J. Jackson - someone you should know, "No Survivors" - The Eagle Flight Anniversary, Casey Sheehan - A Palm Sunday Someone You Should Know, National Airborne Day: The Best Photo of a Paratrooper by an AP Photographer, Daily Beast: Wounded Warrior Project Fights - to Get Rich. While we knew of Iraq in our corner of the battlespace, he could move throughout the country and did so. "What's wrong with you!?" When Kurilla woke in recovery a few hours after surgery, he called CSM Prosser and asked for a Bible and the book: Gates of Fire. The best of those stories are in the book, but theyve been expanded with the passage of time and military details too sensitive to use immediately, and told in the same gripping style that can now truly be called page turning. This is a follow up to Deuce Four Commander Wounded which follows the exploits and wounding of LTC Erik Kurilla via Michael Yon's blog. December, the same day a large bomb exploded in the He was shot in the leg and arm but continued shooting and issuing orders until other soldiers arrived and took an insurgent prisoner. This biographical article related to the United States Army is a stub. Yon wrote this about Erik Kurilla's sense of duty and his courage just a few days ago: Bullets are snapping, and I'm crouched Bowman asked LTC Kurilla to lie down. Amazingly, despite being hit by four M4s from multiple directions, the man still lived a few minutes. Crissman jokingly pointed to Hamids MP5 and said, If I go to lunch with you, do I need to bring my machine gun too?. Prosser threw down his bleed. Of course I feel okay Chaplain Wilson! The terrorist who shot Kurilla, and who was now a eunuch in a nearby bed, might well have been the same terrorist who, after being released, shot Lama and Thompson and others. But Americans learn from their mistakes. Im going to block the back door on the north side!. A pain beyond all previous now seized me. He while Kurilla was also yelling at them to get in there, Strykers are fast, but Opels are faster. The combat drama was ended, so I started snapping photos Mosul, Iraq. on my door. Reaching around the corner, I fired three shots into the shop. But all Kurilla saw was LT Flynn stepping off the ramp, and then there was a lot of shooting. I had a camera. The other Deuce Four soldiers would have killed every man in that room in about five seconds. citizens in their homes. Combat Support Hospital CSM Robert Prosser goes "black." Folks who havent done much urban fighting might take issue with the wild chases, and they might say that people should always stack up and do things this or that way, but men in Delta Force, SEALs and the like, all know that when chasing wild men into the labyrinth, soldiers enter the land of confusion. He did a crazy. I saw only Prossers bloody leg lying still, just inside the darkened doorway, because most of his body was hidden behind a stack of sheet metal. But Kurilla was Last steps. Im shot three times!. Liberals who claim Yon is biased will be surprise to know that the journalists confrontations with the US Army over the Farah photo and criticism of leadership nearly prevented his return to Iraq. [8] After graduating from West Point, he was commissioned into the U.S. Army as an infantry officer in 1988. Only after seeing that Hamid was about to stage some sort of operation had Crissman decided he would have to arrest Hamid.. An until a medic gave him morphine and the men took him away. When the bullet hit that canister, Prosserwho I thought might be dead because of all the blood on his legwas actually fighting hand-to-hand on the ground. The young 2nd lieutenant and specialist were the only If Kurilla gets shot, I'm definitely going to get him. his left, because the terroristwho turned out to be a men, while others blamed the terrorists, although blame battle-hardened bravery that makes him the kind of Though I have the photo, I do not remember the moment It was just a flesh wound. But they were not attacking. The White House on Wednesday nominated Army Lt. Gen. Erik Kurilla, who currently leads the XVIII Airborne Corps, for a fourth star. (Prosser wears his had given me a copy and told me to read it. And I was afraid to run Someone you should know: five men earned the Medal of Honor on May 8, Robert "Concrete Bob" Miller - Someone You Should've Known, Arthur J. Jackson - someone you should know, "No Survivors" - The Eagle Flight Anniversary, Casey Sheehan - A Palm Sunday Someone You Should Know, National Airborne Day: The Best Photo of a Paratrooper by an AP Photographer, Daily Beast: Wounded Warrior Project Fights - to Get Rich. And then LTC Kurilla was shot. In the four months theyd been doing joint operations, Crissman couldnt recall ever seeing Hamid carrying a rifle, yet there he was outside the police station with an MP5 machine pistol. And now Kurilla lay shot and in surgery in the same operating room with one of the catch-and-release-terrorists he and other soldiers had been warning everyone about. Whats wrong with you! But these two soldiers didnt have the combat experience to grasp the power of momentum. Despite their sworn confessions, Kurilla was left with a young radio operator with little trigger-time. The brigades rear detachment commander, Maj. Nicholas Mullen, The only mission Ive seen unfold close to what was planned was a B Company raid a few months back. When an Army marksman in a helicopter disabled the car, the men inside fled, and opened fire. It sounds like he'll be okay. That was in December. Some Strykers were scouting for the shooters, while others were working details at Yarmook Traffic Circle. This will be a long journey. of doing something useful--and I feel marginally guilty about this, but This was happening in seconds. Also in the Stryker was AH, the interpreter, whose courage under fire I had seen before. But these were not the right guys. Your email address will not be published. I had a camera. When a soldier is killed or wounded, the Department of Army calls the loved ones, and despite their attempts to be sympathetic, the nature of the calls has a way of shocking the families. Even and especially in places like Drinking tea with Iraqi But times are busy, and, apart from it going nearly perfectly according to plan, it just seemed like any other old raid. of Deuce Four, LTC Erik Kurilla, was shot three times in combat But its men like Kurilla who can make this work. livid. The terrorist turned out to be one Khalid Jasim Nohe, who had first been captured by US forces (2-8 FA) on 21 December, the same day a large bomb exploded in the dining facility on this base and killed 22 people. I had only moonlight, so I nearly broke my leg keeping up. As the chase continued, the Kiowa pilot said, Its going about 105 mph.. The Alpha Company soldiers ran through the propane and dust cloud and swarmed the shop. Prosser had nearly strangled the guy, but my shots made In one recent dispatch, Yon described how Kurilla walked out into the It wasn't long Kurilla I looked back at the two soldiers who were with me LTC Kurilla likes to call before the Army gets a chance, to tell parents and loved ones the true circumstances. Iraqi Army and Police officers see many Americans as too soft, especially when it comes to dealing with terrorists. There is just no easy way to say, Your son got shot today. And so, according to men here, the calls sound something like this: We are sorry to inform you that your son has been shot in Mosul. unwavering conviction that, in the end, we will win. This story has been shared 685,759 times. What are you doing? Then Prossers M4 went black (no more bullets). . Find free and low cost clinics, by county, to see if they provide TB tests. more trouble. [7] In 2022, he deployed to Germany to oversee U.S. troop deployments in response to the 20212022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis.[12]. half. help arrived in the form of one man: CSM Prosser. Alpha Company had deployed during the early hours and was conducting operations around Yarmook Traffic Circle. Yes Chaplain Wilson! Why does he always ask that? 2018 2019: Chief of Staff of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). They were on a recon of American forces when Kurilla sensed their intent. And when they do, we nail them. Did you fire that weapon? Your gifts ensure that you will continue to get unfiltered reports of whats happening on the front lines of this fight for freedom. The general said they were heading into Hit to have lunch and invited Crissman to join them. Attack! When Recon platoon showed up about a minute later, SFC [2][3][4][5] He previously served as the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps and before that as the chief of staff of United States Central Command. (left). He is one hell of a senior officer in my opinion! My trauma team with the 228th CSH, in Mosul, Iraq cared for (then) LTC Kurilla and his CSM after sustaining serious combat related injuries. catch-and-release-terrorists he and other soldiers had I wanted my name on that flag. I yelled above the shooting. They know true warriors bleed. I shouted. Were rolling in ten minutes, he said. When the bullet hit that canister, Prosserwho I thought to miss a stride; he did a crazy judo roll and came up The combat portion of the Surge amounted to a sophisticated area ambush that would unfold over the period of about one week. CSM Prosser flex cuffs Khalid Jasim Nohe The town was a powder keg of resentment and fear. Kurillas men were taking down and boxing up his photos of his wife and children, and his Minnesota Vikings flag, when they decided to keep the flag so everyone could autograph it.