MOSUL 23FEB09

I finally found some time to type out another journal entry. We are in the midst of extensive clearing operations as part of Operation New Hope and Blue Platoon is getting pretty worn down. I myself have slept for an aggregate 6 of the last 72 hours. I can't believe I'm even coherent. Maybe I'm not. I'll look back on this and pass final judgment. The commander has had me clearing during the day and placing barriers at night. The problem is, it's just me. I'm tasked to go with the other patrols during barrier emplacement, even though another platoon is doing the actual work. So Blue Platoon is getting some sleep. I'm not. Today is now three days long, and I've been chasing smurfs and leprechauns across Mosul for the last twelve hours. We'll get them. Damn smurfs.

SSG Lark is asking if I'm being punished for something. Nothing that I know of. Maybe the commander just hasn't realized that he's sending me out for days at a time? Maybe he's just failed to connect the dots? I doubt it. If I am being punished, the stubborn part of me has resolved not to even let on that I'm exhausted. I won't complain to him. Bring it on, buddy. My sleep-deprived leprechaun hallucinations give me strength.

Regardless, we've had the Devil's Own Luck for the past few days. SGT Mountain nearly got shot in the face a few days ago... he kept the bullet that impacted the sniper shield on his Bradley. Our attacker got away. PFC Devil got a scare when an insurgent sprayed his door with an AK-47 this morning. He was a little shaken up by it. Our attacker got away. I managed to cash in one of my lives today with an unexploded grenade. Thank God the guy forgot to pull the second safety. Two safeties, people. You don't just sweep and throw. There are steps. Don't teach this guy, though. I was out of range enough that I would have just taken a good pile of shrapnel. Nothing lethal, most likely. But I would have definitely increased the iron content in my blood. My commander would have gone down for sure, though. I was on the other side of the road when we took contact, and after I got the guys ready to move on the enemy (and called them off as there was already a chaotic death-blossom of National Police firing wildly in the air and moving in the general direction of the attacker), I glanced over and saw the grenade roll under a truck maybe 30 meters from my position. I'm pretty sure that's out of the lethal blast radius. I'll have to check. But then I see the commander, standing there, getting some men together for a possible pursuit.

"Bulldog 6, this is Blue 1."
"Blue 1, Bulldog 6."
"Well, you see, there's this grenade under the truck beside you. I recommend you consider moving."
"Aha. (longer and more drawn out understanding:) Aaaaahhhhaaaa. (He slowly steps into his HMMWV:) Bulldog 6 out."

The major points go to the Iraqi National Policeman who, after a minute without explosion, ran into the truck the grenade rolled under and drove it away. We didn't know what was wrong with that grenade. Maybe the pin was partially in and just required a good jostle to blow. Maybe it was just waiting for the stars to align. Or maybe, joy of joys, the idiot who threw it forgot to pull the second safety. That was still an impressive act of courage, as I see it. You should have seen his eyes when he willed himself to do it. I couldn't even stop him. I didn't believe he was doing it until he dove into the truck.


Anyway, to make a long story short, we've been very busy and very, very lucky. The next stage of the operation remains classified, of course, but more will follow once we've finished the missions. I'm going to hit a brief now and see if I'm about to enjoy day five, night four without sleep. Bring it on. The smurfs and I can handle anything.