AJC.com > Iraq coverage > Blog > Archives > 2005 > June > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSharpshooting, diplomacy skills serve Georgia units well in desert
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Curtis Compton/AJC
Capt. Mike Cannon of Newberry, S.C., tries to build goodwill at patrol stop.
Baghdad, Iraq — It was a little after 5 on a sweltering June afternoon when the white Chevrolet Suburban approached Checkpoint 34, an isolated American outpost known as Hotel California on a key highway overpass.
About a dozen American soldiers, most from a Lawrence-ville-based unit of the 48th Brigade Combat Team, were outside their armored vehicles in the shade of the overpass.
The soldiers watched with growing concern as the SUV drove toward them. In Iraq, almost any vehicle is a potential car bomb.
The realities of life and death have been brought home quickly to these soldiers, who have been on the job patrolling areas south of Baghdad for just a few days.
In that time they have been attacked by car bombs and roadside bombs, asked to assist in the removal of a dead body and acted as both law enforcement and diplomats in this largely lawless region.
Here, even the ordinary can suddenly become ominous and deadly.
As the soldiers watched the SUV approach, it accelerated without warning.
Pfc. Justin T. Hair raised his M-16 rifle. There was no time for a warning shot. He fired twice into the windshield of the oncoming Suburban.
‘Well-aimed shots’
The Suburban, crammed with explosives and driven by someone apparently intent on killing himself and any Americans or Iraqi soldiers in the area, exploded in a ball of fire and smoke, the concussion rippling across the desert.
“They were well-aimed shots,” said Capt. Mike Cannon, commander of Alpha Company of the 121st Infantry Regiment’s 1st Battalion. “They killed or incapacitated the driver and caused him to detonate early.”
The blast ripped the SUV into twisted shreds, the largest pieces no bigger than a large cardboard box, and hurled the driver’s mangled and burned torso on top of the overpass 30 feet above.
The soldiers believed the driver was on a suicide mission to kill Americans, destroy the overpass and block the road, Route Tampa, one of the main military supply corridors in Baghdad.
Hair, slightly wounded by the blast, was treated and quickly returned to duty. He was credited with saving fellow soldiers and the overpass. But he was shaken by the incident and asked that information about his age and hometown not be released.
For his actions, Hair has been nominated for a Bronze Star medal with “V” device, signifying valor in combat.
Keep traffic moving
For the soldiers of Alpha Company, the suicide bomber was a rude welcome and a sobering object lesson on their first full day in charge of the restive, predominantly Sunni area these Gwinnett County soldiers expect to patrol for the next 11 months.
Their primary mission is to keep traffic moving on their portion of Route Tampa. At first glance, it seems a simple enough assignment.
But after a few days in the field, Cannon said it would take detective work, political skills, investments in community water and electrical projects — as well as a constant military presence — to succeed here.
And, Cannon said, the diplomacy can’t be carried out from the relative safety of a 25-ton Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
It requires face-to-face meetings with Iraqi religious and political leaders, at least some of whom are violently opposed to the American presence.
On one of his first days as the de facto sheriff in the mostly rural, crushingly poor area, Cannon sought out a shop owner he suspected of having insurgent ties.
The man runs a tiny store in a wooden shack near the highway where he sells gasoline in 5-gallon containers as well as fruit, vegetables, soft drinks and other supplies.
The nearby highway was littered with bombs aimed at military vehicles in previous days, and Cannon, 31, a married father of two who works as a civilian Army contractor, figured the store owner knew who was planting them.
Two of Alpha Company’s Bradleys lurched to a stop in front of the store, one ripping the soft asphalt with its heavy tread as it made a tight turn.
Talking tomatoes
Cannon, a calm, bespectacled officer who seldom raises his voice, approached the store owner with a stern demeanor. Through an Iraqi interpreter, he asked about the roadside bombs, known in military parlance as “improvised explosive devices,” or IEDs.
“We want to stop the IEDs so the Iraqi people don’t get hurt and my soldiers don’t get hurt,” Cannon pleaded with the store owner. “I want to be a friend. But in order to be a friend, you have to cooperate.”
The owner, a middle-aged man with a salt-and-pepper beard who gave his name as Najib Achmed Zubeyd, didn’t seem impressed.
“What can I do to stop the bombs? I want you to stop the bombs,” he said defensively. “I don’t have tanks like you. You should stop the bombs so that we can be safe here.”
Cannon did not like the answer and became more confrontational.
“Do you know most of the people who come to your store?” he asked, an edge in his voice. “You’re out here all the time. How can you not know who you see on this road?”
The store owner started to reply, but the Iraqi translator, known only as “Tom” to hide his identity and protect himself and his family, stepped in and pulled the man aside.
Tom later said he told the store owner he was making a mistake by being difficult. The man could play games with the Americans, Tom said, but he couldn’t fool a fellow Iraqi like himself.
When they spoke again a few minutes later, Cannon and the store owner seemed more conciliatory. Cannon bought soft drinks for his soldiers, three for a dollar, from several boys who worked at the store. The dark-haired boys smiled and gave thumbs-up signs.
Cannon asked where the produce came from, and the store owner answered that he grew the vegetables himself.
“I have a garden at home, too,” the captain said. “My tomatoes get about this big,” he said, making a circle by touching his thumbs and middle fingers together.
Both men smiled and laughed, a difficult moment broken by a common love of the soil.
The two men talked a bit more, and just as the meeting was about to break up, several Iraqi police officers arrived in two Chevy pickups.
The police told Cannon they had discovered the tortured and executed body of a young man on a rural road a few miles away. They wanted the Americans to secure the area while they picked up the corpse.
When Cannon and his men arrived, they found a smooth-skinned, 20-something Iraqi man with a stylish haircut, red polo shirt, tan corduroys and two bullet holes in the back of his head.
‘Like the Wild West’
The ground beneath his head was saturated with blood.
His hands were bound tightly behind his back and his fingers were broken and twisted. Cigarette burns dotted his forearms, and welts were evident on his back. It was obvious he had been tortured before being killed.
His belt was cinched tight, but his pants were flung open in front — a final affront in a society in which modesty, even among men, is the norm.
The Iraqis borrowed a body bag and two pairs of plastic gloves from the Americans. Cannon, who doesn’t smoke at home, puffed on a Marlboro Light to mask the stench of the decomposing body on the 115-degree afternoon.
Cannon asked the Iraqis to deliver the body to a hospital in nearby Mahmudiyah, thanked them for their work and handed out bottles of cold water from a cooler in back of one of the Bradleys. After shaking hands with each of the police, Cannon, the new sheriff in town, surveyed the area for which he is now responsible.
The body had been found near a ranch that once belonged to late Uday Hussein, one of Saddam’s sons. The bombed-out remains of what had been a grand home was the nearest structure, and only one wall still stood.
“This place is like the Wild West,” Cannon said.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By cathy g
June 23, 2005 08:26 AM | Link to this
I cannot imagine the horror of seeing death as an every day thing, nor can I understand an ideology that not only allows, but sanctions meaningless death, suicide, and the destruction of one’s own country. I continue to pray for a resolution to this war, while I honor and praise the men and women from all our nations who make this enormous sacrifice, in the name of peace, for the world at large. God grant them sucess in their endeavers.
By Angela Walsh
June 23, 2005 08:57 AM | Link to this
My brother is a 2nd Lt. and Justin is in his platoon. Justin did not want his name released. I do appreciate the reporting you do, but not if it is at the expense of the soldiers. They are risking their lives and it would be nice if you would respect their wishes!!
By Robert Hobbs
June 23, 2005 09:30 AM | Link to this
PFC Justin definitely did some sharp shooting that no doubt saved his and fellow soldiers lives. A good job! You just can’t be too careful.
By Trevor
June 23, 2005 11:31 AM | Link to this
Thanks for this blog. It provides an important source of information about what is going on with Georgia troops in Iraq.
By Debora Everett-Walston
June 23, 2005 12:26 PM | Link to this
Thank you for this information on the REAL happenings of daily life for our American soldiers, whom are making our country proud…..thank you for EVERYTHING…we will support you NOW and when you RETURN…..stay safe, our PRAYERS are with you! Keep your chin up and mind on the mission for our great country…we’ll keep the home fires burning!…love you one and all
By Dr. K
June 23, 2005 12:26 PM | Link to this
We are all concerned for our soldiers’ safety and sometimes react in ways that we may regret later. To expect and demand that the accomodations while camping in the wilderness should be the same as when staying in a big city is kind of silly. I know that what we are really reacting to is fear for our soldiers’ safety, which is not in the least silly. The problem is, when we react in a public forum, our statements become a permanent record that we cannot take back when we calm down. We do not want what we say to become a source of embarrassment for our soldiers. The odd thing is, many of the soldiers in the city envy the soldiers in the FOBs. Before reacting to something we read, it might be wise to talk it over with someone and wait a day. I understand your pain. Try not to misdirect it. We stand together.
By Jan Swallows
June 23, 2005 01:17 PM | Link to this
I am truly amazed at some of the many bad things that these soldiers are seeing. Thank God for Justin and his bravery in saving his friends and fellow soldiers. Keep up the good work and all of you come home soon and safely. God bless you all, Jan Swallows
By dj
June 23, 2005 01:29 PM | Link to this
Report yes…but not to this detail. Families and friends of these soldiers do not need to read about these details - lifeis hard enough without jour soldiers home. We know the dangers they face, its not necessary to be so vivid.
By Joanne Clark
June 23, 2005 03:42 PM | Link to this
I am Justin Hair’s grandmother living here in Fla. I read your column daily to keep up with the 48th. I know the many prayers going up daily for Justin helped him to be able to save his own life and that of his fellow soldiers. I thank God for him and all of the brave guys fighting in Iraq but will never stop worrying until they are all home safely.
By LKFoster
June 23, 2005 04:36 PM | Link to this
A message of prayer, love and encouragement to MSG Bruce Johnson. We love you and are praying constantly for your safe return to your family. TRY TO GET IN SOME OF THE PICTURES. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING LIKE THESE DAYS.
Thanks AJC for your diligence — may you too be protected and blessed.
By m
June 23, 2005 05:16 PM | Link to this
i agree with dj’s comment. i want to know, but don’t want to know in such great detail, things my brother might be exposed to. i have a pretty good idea of the atrocities over there, but it really hits the heart and worries the mind to read about it in this way.
i vowed to not watch the news or read anything involving the war until my brother’s year-long deployment is exhausted. your blog has been great so far, breaking up the normal news i didn’t want to watch. please keep your entries as your previous ones have been.
thanks and a very big thank you for all of your work. :)
By Ron Buice
June 23, 2005 06:13 PM | Link to this
If you would like to show your support for Capt. Cannon and the men of his unit, please visit the website listed below which is dedicated to them.
www.gwinnettguard.us
By Wendy
June 23, 2005 06:17 PM | Link to this
I have always looked to this blog as a place to find out what is going on with the 48th and my soldier. I was horrified by what I read today. Many children read this blog as a way to keep up with their parent who is deployed. The details in this report were much to graphic.
By Teresa
June 23, 2005 06:55 PM | Link to this
I have a love one over there and I do want to know it will help when they return. We can be more compasionate and aware of what life was like there. I say a big THANK YOU to all the reporters that are too risking life to tell us the whole story. And If a someone wishes their name not be used it should be granted. But I was not there nor anyone and do not know if the Hero Justin wished his name not be used if he did then IT SHOULD NOT be posted. If he didn’t then again HURAH to Justin.
By Gennifer
June 23, 2005 07:29 PM | Link to this
I think all of our men and women are doing a GREAT job over there! Keep up the great work guys and Dave: keep these BLOGS coming! I’m addicted to reading these articles to feel closer to the half of my heart that is half a world away. It’s scary to read about what really goes on but it’s better than most of what I imagine. I find the details strangely comforting, especially knowing there are people like those in this article fighting with such courage and integrity with not only weapons but also their minds. I love you Jon! <3
By Will Carter
June 23, 2005 09:15 PM | Link to this
Good shooting! From a Vietnam vet who has been there and done that. Most of the other comments obviously came from people who have never experienced war.
Wake up folks! We are in a war and it is not anything like a Sunday School picnic.
By Evenfire
June 23, 2005 10:24 PM | Link to this
Excellent reporting. I don’t see anything wrong with the detail. If you don’t want to read about the reality of the war then don’t.
By Army Mom
June 23, 2005 11:42 PM | Link to this
Sorry, dj, but it IS necessary for the press to be this “vivid.” The American people need to know what our soldiers are up against. Our guys need thier fellow citizens to know that the enemy there are not “regular people” who happen to disagree with us politically. They’re maniacal killers whose only function is to bring indiscriminate death and destruction in order to break our solidarity. Please don’t let them succeed. If you don’t care to know the details, look away and be grateful there are brave soldiers willing to do this hard work on behalf of the good people of Iraq. But please, don’t ask the press or the soldiers to pretend this isn’t war. Try not to worry too much- our guys are AMERICANS; they’re the best in the world! They’ve got your back. :) —An Army Mom
By Todd
June 24, 2005 08:39 AM | Link to this
I disagree with some of the other posts. I think it is absolutely necessary and good that what happens over there is described in vivid detail, the Good AND the Bad. The soldiers deserve to have their stories told, and we as Americans, deserve to know what we are sending our spouses, children, parents, friends and coworkers to do. Most of the news that comes out of Iraq is just headlines about car bombs and death tolls. It is important to remember that the soldieors over there are real people trying to survive, fight boredom, and carryout a difficult task. For the readers who don’t want to know the details, don’t READ them. For the rest of us you are performing valuable service. Thank You.
By Jeff
June 24, 2005 08:47 AM | Link to this
Go troops, go!
You’re doing good work over there, keep going, keep your eyes open, do your jobs. We thank you for serving your country and for serving the State of Georgia.
By Lori McDonnough
June 24, 2005 10:38 AM | Link to this
I’m so thankful for this reporting. I don’t think this reporting is too vivid. As a parent of a soldier from Illinois Co C TF2/130 attached with the 48th, a group out on the steets every day, I want to know exactly what they and all of our troops are up against. It allows me to know exactly how to pray in a specific manner for these brave soldiers. The soldiers deserve to have their stories told. This is reality. Sometimes the truth hurts.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this reporting. Good job!
By Melinda Faulkner
June 24, 2005 11:37 AM | Link to this
I would like to send my thanks to The Atlanta Journal Constitution for this website.My husband is CPL. Stephen Faulkner 1-108th armor.We are from Kentucky and this website keeps me informed about the 48th even though I’m so far away.God bless and keep our troops.
By Joshua Gravett
June 24, 2005 11:56 AM | Link to this
Hello. My name is Spc Joshua Gravett from Marietta GA.Im currently in Kandahar Afghanistan and my brother is in Mosul Iraq.I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July.We appreciate everyones support.
By Phyllis Kassum
June 24, 2005 04:15 PM | Link to this
Thank you for the information that you are reporting. I do not think the blog is too realistic,, this is the reality that our loved ones are dealing with daily and we need to know what it so that we can be supportive. Thank you so much for being our “eyes”.
By Steve Fortuna
June 24, 2005 04:21 PM | Link to this
Everyone, civilian or military, deserves protection of their names and other personal information, but as a concerned taxpayer I implore you to keep this reporting coming - the good, the bad and the indifferent. The networks and news weeklies offer mainly sound bytes and body counts. Your personal journals help me understand the daily lives of these young people we send in harms way and the families they leave behind. Despite the horror, danger and hardships or war, their stories of bravery, compassion, ingenuity, and humanity illuminate their character like a beacon. If our elected officials could demonstrate these qualities; America would truly be as great and deserving as the people who sacrifice so much in its service.
With thanks and best wishes for a speedy return,
Steve Fortuna Lawrenceville
By Anna Royal
June 24, 2005 05:06 PM | Link to this
Is this body mentioned in your article the one of the Iraqis that the Iraqi police were supposed to detain and interrogate but ended up killing him with their interrogation tactics? Hmmm. I wonder.
By Valerie
June 24, 2005 07:13 PM | Link to this
I find it necessary to remind the general public that just because you are a taxpayer, you do not have the “right” to read detailed information, or any information regarding any US military operation. To quote a poem, “it is the soldier that gives the reporter the right to free press”. As for the reporting, it is only a VERY small piece of what is going on over there. Mr Hirschman is reporting about the 108th unit. There are thousands of men and women in the 48th BCT that are no where near him, nor are they by any means living in the Four Seasons Hotel, as he compared living conditions to in a previous article. My husband is there and I for one do NOT want to know the horror. I will be living with the nightmares he could potentially have for the rest of our lives. Family members of the 48th are already living with calls from the AJC staff trying to pry into our lives whenever they hear anything about any type of casualty. As with any reporting or statistic, it can be skewed to meet the agenda the reporter or paper is trying to project.
The AJC is a resource. Use it as such. Keep things in perspective. But know that this is not all our soldiers are doing. They do more than shop for tv’s and Playstations. I take personal offense to the degradation of the other members of the BCT. My husband is an Infantryman—not a ice cream eating Playstation playing man in a camouflaged uniform.
By Terr Barton
June 24, 2005 07:28 PM | Link to this
My son is at one of the FOBs that has almost nothing. We hear from him sporadically.
Reading this story really saddened me - and I felt sad that PFC Hair had to do his duty - and glad that he did it well.
Between Dave Hirschman’s diligence in reporting and the stories my son chooses to tell, I have a much clearer idea of the reality our soldiers face. I wouldn’t choose for my son to be there, but I am very proud of him and all our soldiers for serving.
I really appreciate it when Dave tells it just like he sees it. Please keep it up.
Terry Barton, Marietta GA
By Uncle Terry
June 24, 2005 08:01 PM | Link to this
I am PFC Justin Hair’s uncle. JT did not want his name mentioned because that is the type of person he is! He is a team player in everything he has attempted. When he played basketball in school, I have seen him pass the ball when he could have taken an easy shot. He has always wanted his teammates to take the glory.
Thank you for the excellent article about my nephew. Though it is hard for our family to read, I do believe that it will help us to prepare for the adjustments when he does come home. Our prayers are with the 48th and all of our American (and Coalition) troops in Iraq and around the Globe. God Speed to all of our heroes!
By Lee Oxford
June 24, 2005 11:19 PM | Link to this
Thank you again for your balanced reporting. One reporter and one photographer can only do so much with over 5,000 troops of the 48th BCT spread out over so much territory. Not all of them are infantry and therefore you are doing a good job of coverage of many aspects of the life of the soldiers. Yes support troops get to swim and play games while some others (my son included) are out in very small “undisclosed” primitive locations. That is war. Your story on Cpl. Hair’s quick reaction and two shots through the windshield was not too vivid. It did not describe in detail the human carnage. War will change many of these men. I know some of you don’t want to know what is happening. That is OK but remember when they return and are staring off in space or angry and you ask, “What’s the matter baby? Why won’t you talk to me about it?” Only those who have experienced it can truly relate. Don’t stick your head in the sand now. While you don’t need to see, smell or hear the gory things, you will need to have some idea of the difficult situations to be able to be really supportive and understanding. They need our prayers now and will need us and each other when they come home. May God continue to bless them and us and help us to bring peace and democracy to a troubled land.
By SFC Brown,
June 26, 2005 09:57 AM | Link to this
Good job A-Co 1-121 and Cpt. Cannon I am constantly keeping you guys and the 48th Bde in my prayers.
SFC Brown, Wayne
By Bill
June 26, 2005 10:48 AM | Link to this
Is there a way to get a name of a soldier from the Suwanee/Duluth area, ideally with family/kids? I know all the troops need our support but it would mean a lot to my family and kids to be able to connect to someone locally.
By LINDA
June 26, 2005 04:47 PM | Link to this
HI BILL, I HAVE A BROTHER IN IRAQ HE IS NOT FROM SUWANEE OR DULUTH BUT WINDER. I WORK IN SUWANEE ON NORTHBROOK PARKWAY.MY BROTHER IS IN THE 48TH- 1/121ST. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONNECT WITH OUR FAMILY YOU ARE WELCOME MY BROTHERS NAME IS CHRIS HE HAS 2 CHILDREN A SON 14 AND A DAUGHTER 8. MY NUMBER AT WORK IS 678-990-8902 EXT 17.MY NAME IS LINDA AND GOD BLESS YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN. THIS IS A VERY HARD TIME FOR ME AND MY FAMILY ESPECIALLY MY 81 YEAR OLD MOTHER. MAY GOD FORVER BLESS YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN.
By W.R.
June 26, 2005 07:24 PM | Link to this
GOD Bless the Combat Support Teams! Otherwise, who would replenish the needs of the soldiers on the ‘front lines’? Don’t sell the combat support teams short they do a good job. They, too, are in harms way and don’t get to stay on safe ground. Even at ‘Iraq’s Four Seasons’ the troops are in danger from bombers and mortar attacks. The combat support teams travel the roads and are exposed to IEDs, too. Certainly not for entertainment either. How else would supplies reach the front? You go combat support. Anyone with an ounce of think power will see that you are doing a valuable job and praise you the same as they praise the infantry. Take extra care when you travel the roads and stay safe. Regardless of the job these soldiers are assigned each one is doing a great job. Thank you Soldiers. Folks over here who are really far away from the danger - instead of finding fault, being arm chair generals, and griping about what you can’t change - get real and send prayers, love and support to these brave soldiers. Be ready to understand them and help them adjust when they return. They will need it.