FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 27, 2006
SR# 112806

By Sgt. Serena Hayden
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

BALAD RUZ, Iraq (Nov. 28, 2006) -- What started as a leaders' reconnaissance mission turned into a 96-hour operation Nov. 12-16 in Turki Village, Iraq, near Balad Ruz.

After moving from Forward Operating Base Warhorse to FOB Caldwell, commanders from the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division conducted an over watch flight to become familiar with their new area of operation.

While flying over the Turki Village area, the leadership identified a truck along side a canal that was concealed in thick brush -- a significant sign that showed it was meant to be hidden from aircraft, said 1st Sgt. Tim Metheny, Troop A, 5-73 Cav. first sergeant.

Although the truck was suspicious, it wasn't until a senior NCO with the group noticed a hole on top of a dike that the 5-73 Cav. commander, Lt. Col. Andrew Poppas, decided to land and get a closer look at the area, Metheny said.

"We went with hand grenades and rifles prepared to clear the area," he said. "We had eight guys on the ground."

The leaders were fortunate and did not come into contact with enemy forces; however, their suspicions became reality when they discovered both the truck and the hole contained weapons caches.

The hole was covered with a lid leading to a buried container filled from the floor to the ceiling with weapons and ammunition, Metheny said.

Shortly after, Poppas called for forces and the operation began with Soldiers from 5-73 Cav. and their counterparts from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division.

As part of Alpha Troop's mission, Metheny's Soldiers were responsible for securing the southern route and providing base fire for the western portion of the area, he said.

The teams also continuously maneuvered around the area to assist other units who were involved in small-arms fire attacks, fighting an enemy prepared and willing to fight to the death, Metheny added.

"They chose to fight to the death instead of surrender," Metheny said. "This isn't your standard enemy. They had training -- you could tell they weren't the average farmer that picked up a gun."

One 5-73 paratrooper and his team quickly realized the enemy was not your "average farmer."

Staff Sgt. Clint Keely, a Troop A section sergeant, said he was driving in a convoy responding to an attack on Charlie Troop when the lead vehicle spotted two men hiding in a cement dike.

As the vehicle approached the area and stopped, the men put their hands in the air to show they were friendly, Keely said as he explained the situation.

His crew dismounted and began walking toward the men, fully prepared to engage if necessary, he said.

"We just thought they were farmers over there," Keely said.

Unfortunately, the men were not farmers, and as Keely's team was within approximately 25 meters, a third individual appeared and began firing an AK-47. One of the original two men dropped his hands, grabbed a weapon and also began to fire, he said.

"By the time I was in shouting distance of them, they opened up with AKs," Keely explained. "By the grace of God, they missed."

Keely and his team returned fire, taking cover behind the vehicles, he said. Moments later, the third individual threw a grenade by the trucks.

The world was now silent -- both of Keely's eardrums were damaged and he temporarily lost all hearing, he said. Keely also suffered a minor concussion.

Although he wasn't able to hear, Keely said he and his Soldiers continued to suppress fire, allowing Sgt. 1st Class Mitchell Gonzales to approach the enemy with a grenade.

The two terrorists attacking the Soldiers were killed. The man who did not fire was detained, said Metheny.

"Their fire held [the enemy] in the trench while the grenade went off," said Metheny. "The only reason [the Soldiers] are still alive right now is because they were able to lay down a base of fire."

"I felt betrayed because as I was walking up, they both had their hands up and we thought they were surrendering," Keely said as he looked back on lessons learned.

"Until you know the local national is not a threat, don't assume they are friendly until you know they are," he said.

"Keep your gloves up until the bell sounds," Metheny added.

After the bell sounded in Turki Village, Metheny said his heroes are his platoon and section sergeants.

"If I had to pick heroes, they'd be Staff Sgt. Keely, Sgt. 1st Class Shane Bates and Sgt. 1st Class Mitch Gonzalez," Metheny said. "Those guys are the ones on the ground. Those guys make decisions every day that affect the outcome of the conflict."

The Turki Village conflict was very successful and the numbers speak for themselves, Methany said. Over 70 terrorists were killed, about 15 detained, and more than five caches were discovered.

Metheny credited the mission's success to the rigorous training the unit received before deployment, he said.

"They are integrated -- well trained across the battle systems," he said. "Nobody is spectacular by themselves, but you put them all together and they make a very effective team."



Staff Sgt. Clint Keely (left), and 1st Sgt. Tim Metheny, both members of Troop A, 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, contributed to the disruption of violence in Turki Village, an area near Balad Ruz, Iraq, during a 96-hour operation beginning Nov. 12. Keely suffered a mild concussion and temporarily lost all hearing when a grenade was thrown near his vehicle. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Serena Hayden, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division)



During operations which began Nov. 12 in Turki Village near Balad Ruz, Iraq, Soldiers from the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, discovered over five weapons caches. (U.S. Army photo by the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division)



While conducting a familiarization flight, leadership from the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, discovered a camouflaged vehicle containing weapons. The discovery of the vehicle and an underground cache led to a 96-hour joint operation to rid the Turki Village, Iraq area of anti-Iraqi forces, Nov. 12-16. (U.S. Army photo by the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division)