Story by Lance Cpl. Casey Jones
This
article details the experiences of five Marines that have previously
deployed to Ramadi and their first hand accounts of the city prior to
the changes and the rebirth the region is now undergoing during their
current combat deployment.
Ramadi, Iraq (July 4, 2008) -- Ramadi,
a mostly Sunni city with about 500,000 residents, was considered to be
one of the most violent cities in the world during the early part of
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Today,
locals are out shopping at the city’s bustling marketplace, known as
the souk. Children are playing soccer in fields, and students are
walking mostly worry-free to and from the province’s local college, al
Anbar University.
The
signs of war have steadily declined as the city has embraced peace and
the region is returning to normalcy, which is an unexpected but welcome
change for Marines with 1st Battalion,9th Marine Regiment, Regimental
Combat Team 1, returning to the region for consecutive tours.
“A
lot of the action happened in Ramadi,” said Cpl. Abdias Betancourth
Jr., a 23-year-old motor transportation operator from Toppenish, Wash.,
with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1. “We
had it all here—improvised explosive devices, small arms fire, rockets,
almost every type of attack.”
The
city of Ramadi endured some of the toughest fighting between 2004 and
2006, and the Marines expected intense combat while preparing for their
deployments to the region.
“We
had an idea of what we were going into just from all of the storylines
and news coverage,” said 1st Sgt. Patrick J. Dostal, the Headquarters
and Service Company first sergeant with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, who
was previously deployed to Ramadi in 2006. “But still you just don’t
know what to expect. We trained for (heavy combat), but its just one of
those things you don’t (fully comprehend) until you’re there.”
The Insurgency:
“We would just wait for something to go wrong”
The
relative calm in Ramadi, during the first few months of the invasion,
quickly turned toward a violent insurgency in 2004. The Marines often
encountered heavy small arms fire within seconds of leaving their base
of operations, and intense skirmishes were fought almost daily in the
city.
“It
was kind of strange,” said Sgt. Matthew Jee, an intelligence specialist
with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, currently on his second deployment to
Ramadi. “As soon as we left the wire, we would always get amped up and
ready for combat. We would just wait for something to go wrong. Not
knowing what was around the corner or what was going to happen didn’t
really bother me, it was just the waiting that bothered me.”
Dostal,
who was the Company K first sergeant with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines,
during his first deployment to Ramadi, did whatever it took to avoid
attacks on his Marines. They always remained alert and ready for an
attack, which would often occur. Over time, Dostal said he became used
to the feeling of uncertainty and always believed in his Marines’
abilities.
“I
just grew accustomed to it,” Dostal said in reference to always being
extremely watchful. “I always knew the Marines would do whatever they
needed to do. But, there’s not a great deal you can control if you hit
a big IED. So we tried to avoid any attack by always being aware of our
surroundings.”
During
the most severe fighting in the country, the average monthly number of
attacks on infrastructures, civilians, and Iraqi and Coalition forces
topped 5,000, according to the Department of Defense. For the Marines,
the nightly death totals reported on the local six o’clock evening news
wasn’t just a number. The report could have been their fellow Marine
brother or sister.
Devil
Dogs, as Marines often call each other, are a tight-knit brotherhood.
So the deaths of their counterparts, which every deployed battalion had
to cope with at the time, affected Marines everywhere.
“The
worst day for me was when I lost 3 Marines and a sailor on April 2,
2006,” Dostal said. “That was the first time I’ve ever lost a Marine or
sailor. That was ultimately the worst day during my first deployment to
Ramadi—the whole company was in shock. It happened only less than a
month after we arrived.”
During
that period of hardship, the Marines did what any individual would do
in their situation: they turned to each other for comfort.
“I
had a lot of good friends with me,” said Gunnery Sgt. Michael Meyer, a
motor transportation chief with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, currently
on his second deployment to Ramadi and his fourth to Iraq. “We kept
each other busy by staying occupied. Having good friends made the
circumstances a little better. We tried to keep our minds off of what
was going on around us.”
Though
the Marines found ways to keep their mind off the chaos surrounding
them, they could not always escape the thought of becoming the next
casualty.
“There
were many times when I feared my own life. I would be lying if I said I
didn’t,” Meyer said. “But, at the same time, I feared for my Marines’
lives more than I did mine.”
Although
the Marines were always surrounded by threats, they managed to complete
their assigned missions and stood firm while in the midst of adversity.
“There
were quite a few times when I just thought, “What in the heck am I
doing here?” said Betancourth, who also deployed to Ramadi in 2006.
“But, I volunteered to be a .50 caliber machine gunner and honestly
sometimes I regretted it, but that was my spot. That’s where I
belonged.”
Iraqis also seemed vary anxious, according to Jee.
“The
vast majority of Iraqis were nervous, they knew we had guns and the
willingness to use them to protect ourselves,” Jee said. “We weren’t
out to punish or oppress the people but we were a walking, physical
threat on their streets. They probably viewed the invasion as trading
one threat for another.”
The
professional conduct of the Marines, along with their operational
successes and several blunders by the insurgents, soon changed the
locals’ feelings toward Coalition forces.
The Awakening:
“If somebody would’ve told me back then that the city would be this calm I would’ve said you’re crazy”
The
sacrifices Marines and other Coalition Forces have made over the years
to better security in Iraq have paid off. In May of 2008, the monthly
total of deaths for Coalition Forces reached an all-time low of 19, the
lowest in the five year war. According to a recent military report,
roadside bombs in the country are down by nearly 90% from this time
last year.
“Ramadi
is quiet now,” Betancourth said. “If somebody would’ve told me back
then that the city would be this calm I would’ve said you’re crazy.”
One
of the major reasons behind the reduction in violence has been the
Sahawa al Anbar, or the Anbar Awakening. The awakening began in 2006
with the murder of a highly revered sheikh. The killers, al Qaeda in
Iraq, insulted and disrespected the sheikh’s family by hiding his body
for three days so he could not be buried according to Islamic
tradition. Their actions proved to be the breaking point for the
locals, who were furious over the terrorist organization’s lack of
respect for their culture and were exasperated with the endless
violence. The local tribal leaders, led by Sheik Sattar abu Risha,
declared themselves an enemy of al Qaeda and formed the Awakening
Council.
“Before
the Awakening, it was very kinetic,” said Maj. Jeff McCormack, the
operations officer with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, who was deployed to
the province during the awakening. “We had IED attacks and firefights
everyday. Within a week, we went from not being able to stand still for
five minutes without being shot at to not having any attacks in the
area.”
In
addition to the Awakening, the surge of 30,000 U.S. troops to the
region also proved to be pivotal in the turnaround. The surge allowed
the troops to leave their safe areas, the forward operating bases and
observation posts, and heavily engage locals who were now willing to
cooperate with Coalition Forces. As the Marines were able to make more
contact with the citizens, the people began to change their opinions
toward Coalition forces. They began to give the forces valuable
information and tips.
“At
the beginning of my deployment, we really didn’t have a whole lot of
contact with the locals,” Dostal said. “Toward the end of the
deployment, we began interacting with them more often and we noticed a
big change. The people started to help us more vice ignoring us.”
“There
were just a few Iraqi Policemen in 2006,” Dostal said. “As a matter of
fact, I was shocked when I went into the city recently. I heard the
city had changed, but I was still amazed to see the Iraqi Police and
people out and about. The Iraqi Policemen are definitely out there
controlling their city and they’re doing a heck of a job.”
The Rebuilding:
“The people have something to look forward to now”
Today
the region is being rebuilt, the people are enjoying peace, and the
concern of yesterday has been transformed into the anticipation of
tomorrow.
“The people have a feeling of hope,” Jee said. “They are not scared anymore. They have something to look forward to now.”
“The
people want some form of normalcy,” Dostal added. “You can see it from
the houses being rebuilt and the buildings being reconstructed—the city
is coming back.”
The
gains in Iraq did not come without a loss. Thousands of servicemen have
made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of democracy and many Iraqis
have given their lives in their fight for freedom. Without the selfless
devotion of both the Marines and Iraqis, the region would not be where
it is today.
“All
of the units that have come here and the Iraqis have made great
sacrifices,” Meyer said. “It’s sad to say that we’ve had to sacrifice
so much, but it’s helped to change this region.”