U.S. Army soldiers from Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment search a home during a raid on a suspected weapons cache site near the city of Sharqat, Iraq, April 3, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Brogand


U.S. Army Capt. Ivan Sugai from Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, speaks with an interpreter during a raid on a suspected weapons cache site near the city of Sharqat, Iraq, April 3, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Brogand


U.S. Army soldiers from Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, tie a poncho to the hatch of their vehicle while a storm approaches in the background. The soldiers were waiting for night fall in order to conduct raids in the city of Sharqat, Iraq, April 3.U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Brogand


U.S. Army soldiers from Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, search a room for weapons during a raid in the city of Sharqat, Iraq, April 3, 2007. The soldiers were conducting raids to locate anti-Iraqi forces and insurgents.U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Brogand


U.S. Army Capt. Michael Coombes and an interpreter speak with a local Mukhtar about the raids conducted that evening in the city of Sharqat, Iraq, April 3, 2007.U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Brogand




More photo essays at DefendAmerica

Labels: 5-82nd FA, Iraq, photos, Sharqat, US Army

Combined Presence
A Marine from Engineer Support Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) stands in front of a sunset at Combat Outpost Blackhawk in the Amariyah-Ferris region of Iraq, April 16, 2007. The Marines build these outposts to establish an American and Iraqi presence in this area of operations. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Wayne Edmiston

Labels: 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), 8th Engineer Support Battalion, Combat Outpost Blackhawk, photos, USMC

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Iraqi Insurgents Target Prince Harry
Al-Sadr: Bush Is 'Greatest Evil' for Not Pulling Troops (When you piss off Democrats and terrorists, you must be doing something right)
U.S. Military Raids Target Al Qaeda in Iraq
Saddam's birthday marked with unlit candles
U.S. jets destroy truck bomb in west Iraq: military
Military.com Podcast: Black Hawk Down Author on Iraq
Iraq Raid Nets Weapons From Iran
Military.com Def Tech: The War Isn't Lost

Operation Enduring Freedom
Airstrikes Kill 21 Taliban in Afghanistan
Karzai offers peace, Taliban free Frenchwoman

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Official: Militants Planned 9/11-Like Attack
Ex-CIA Chief: Al Qaeda Is in America (No S***! Why are we acting like this is a revelation? Remember that whole 9/11 thing?)
Purported al-Qaida leader in new video
Crude rises as Saudi foils oil field attack
Govt troops patrol Mogadishu, search for arms
Saudi says Qaeda threat not over despite arrests
Israeli soldiers kill 3 Hamas militants in Gaza
Flight 93 fundraising short of goal

Troops on Trial
Eleven U.S. Soldiers Arrested

Fallen Heroes
Dem Demands Pat Tillman Documents

Worldwide Wackos
Iran to filter "immoral" mobile messages
Israel denies Olmert comments on Iran missile raid
Top EU official urges U.S.-Iran talks
Bush & Abe push N. Korea to shut reactor

Homegrown Moonbats
PETA Asks AP to Refer to Animals as People

Politics / Government
'D.C. Madam' Scandal Claims Top U.S. Aid Official
Bush Gets Down
New York governor proposes legalizing gay marriage
McCain's future linked to outcome in Iraq

Illegal Immigration / Border Control
Bush: Congress must overhaul immigration

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
N.Y. State Trooper Killed by Friendly Fire?
Cops Nab Suspect in Mugging of Woman, 101 (Well done.)
Feds: $3.7 Million, 1,000 Kilos of Marijuana Seized in Tour Bus Drug Ring Bust
Report: No Proof in Duke Rape Case (What a surprise)
Police Search Holloway Suspect's Home
Va. Tech students get questionnaires
Va.Tech gunman's motives still a mystery
Judge to McGreeveys: Use 'common sense'
Ex-Tenn. legislator convicted of bribery
Boyfriend charged in killings of 2 boys

U.N. News
U.N. chief backs Gore on climate change

Science / Medicine / Technology
Docters Remove 2-Lb. Tumor From Newborn
Doohan remains to be launched into space
U.S. health agency stages bird flu war game
Cervical abnormalities common in HIV-infected girls
Ancient camel bones found in Arizona

Mother Nature
Scientist: Oceans Causing Global Warming (Right! That's it - the oceans need to go!)
Moderate Quake Shakes Southeast England
U.S. can't alter "dolphin-safe" tuna rules: court
Lightning starts fire at Okla. refinery

Oddities
Thief betrays himself to get free beer

Other News of Note
Did Musher Pound His Puppies?
VIDEO: Teacher Makes Pupil Urinate in Class (Aren't you glad we pay taxes for public education?)

Fox News
40 Tons of Trash Found on N.J. Beaches

Reuters: Top News
Turkish government slams army intervention threat
Mourning of Rostropovich watched over by Bach
France's Royal woos centrists in TV debate
New problems, few voters in Nigerian poll re-run
U.S. to unveil 5-year offshore drilling plan Monday
South Korean team cleared in cloned wolf probe
Design your own watch without leaving home
Flawless skin top priority in hunt for beauty: study
Video game aims to hook children on Shakespeare
Brando documentary examines the actor's actor
Pro wrestler Austin takes act to Hollywood's ring
For stocks, earnings may offset jobs - Video
Dollar sinks to record low vs euro
Dow ends at record on profits, but GDP weighs - Video
Microsoft shares rise after earnings report
Big U.S. engine nearing stall speed?
Price hit to growth a dilemma for Fed
Dodging the options bullet
ABN lawyer says RBS in talks to buy LaSalle
U.S. Treasury's Kimmitt declines dollar comment
AT&T CEO Whitacre to retire in June
FDA rejects Merck's Vioxx successor
GM CEO takes 25 pct pay cut to support turnaround
Countrywide CEO gets $43 mln pay, $79 mln gain

AP World News
Bulls take 3-0 series lead over Heat
Warriors stun Mavs for 2-1 series lead
Vonnegut's hometown honors late author
Bulls 1 win from sending Heat packing
Sabres take 2-0 series lead over Rangers
Kidd has 19 assists as Nets tame Raptors
Sosa moves within 5 of 600 career homers

Military.com
WF: Satellite Vulnerability Issues
Op-ed: Our Saudi Friends?
SpouseBUZZ: Live! Going to SD
Slideshow: Pacific Aces
Military.com Career Fair Coming to San Diego on May 2

CENTCOM: News Releases
WEAPONS CACHE FOUND
BAQUBAH: LOCAL'S TIPS LEAD TO SUCCESS
COMMANDOS, BAGHDAD EAGLES DETAIN SUSPECTED EXTREMISTS, FIND CACHES AND IEDs
17 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED IN IRAQ
FOUR SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED
MARINES DESTROY TRUCK BOMB NEAR KARMAH
TALIBAN KILLED, BUILDINGS DESTROYED IN EARLY MORNING FIREFIGHT
COALITION, AFGHAN FORCES DETAIN THREE SUSPECTED MILITANTS
IRAQI ARMY-LED MISSION NETS LARGE CACHE
DETAINEE DIES AT CAMP BUCCA
AIRPOWER SUMMARY FOR APRIL 26
ONE COALITION SERVICEMEMBER KILLED IN HERAT
FIVE SUSPECTED TALIBAN KILLED, FIVE DETAINED IN COALITION RAID
TWO SUSPECTS DETAINED BY AFGHAN, COALITION FORCES

USJFCOM
Noble Resolve 07 enhancing homeland defense
Liveblogging: Noble Resolve 2007
Learn more about Noble Resolve
Noble Resolve kicks offJoint integration vital for Atlantic Strike participants
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense meets with USJFCOM - podcast

DefenseLink
Bush to Veto War-Funding Bills with Iraq Provisos - Story
Defense Department Takes al Qaeda Leader - Story
Commander Lauds Support His Soldiers Provide - Story
Soldiers Earn Respect of Business Leaders - Story
Civilian Leaders Visit Marines in Bahrain - Story
Business Leaders Learn Roles of U.S. Navy in Gulf
Students Donate $20,000 to Pentagon Memorial - Story

More Headline News
Missions Rely on Languages, Cultural Awareness
Petraeus: Terrorists Reveal Iranian Influence
England: Defeat Extremism With Understanding
Official: Iraqi Police Becoming 'Very Capable'

Military News
Army Moves to Fix Wounded Warrior Care
Airmen Test Readiness With 'Mystery Package'
Officials ID Airmen Missing from Vietnam War

War on Terror
Coalition Forces Detain Suspects - Story
Coalition Forces Detain Seven
Earlier Casualties Identified
Coalition Forces Kill 7 Terrorists
Recent Casualties Identified

America Supports You
NBA Clothes a Slam Dunk - Story
Families Have Fun at Pentagon
Tour Brings Entertainment
Starbucks Employees Donate Coffee

Transformation
Edwards Readies for Testing - Story
Test Mission Helping Shape Future
New JKO Portal to Offer Training
Exercise To Test Crisis Response

Face of Defense
Cousins Reunite at Speicher PX - Story
Marine Applies Childhood Experiences to Military
Father Re-Enlists Son
Officer Improves Iraq Water

DefendAmerica
BLOGGERS' ROUNDTABLE with U.S. ARMY Brig. Gen. David Phillips
Iraqi Police Becoming 'Very Capable' at Law Enforcement, Official Says - Story
Transcript - Bio
Transcript: Roundtable (pdf)
Bloggers' Roundtable Web Site

ON THE GROUND
Military Celebrates Primary School Dedication - Story
Platoon Keeps Streets Safe in Salman Pak - Story
Operation Commando Dive Nets Suspects, Guns - Story
Army Engineers Add New Aid Station to Airfield - Story
Support Center Combines Personnel Services - Story

IN IRAQ
Army Mechanics Turn Ideas Into Reality in Iraq
Army Mobility Depends on Security Platoons
Seabees Build Command Outpost in Al Anbar
Marines Command, Control Skies Over Iraq
Troops Deliver Supplies to Pediatric Hospital
Iraqis Benefit from Army Engineers' Mission
Civil Affairs Soldiers Near End of Deployment

IN DJIBOUTI
Managing the Puzzle Pieces in the Horn of Africa
Army National Guard Unit Saves Lives in Africa

IN AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Government Helps Save Boy’s Life
Military, UN Group Meet to Discuss Afghan Issues
Conn. Guard Soldiers Reflect on Deployment
Coalition Forces Train Afghan National Police
Turkey Partners with U.S. in War on Terrorism

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Weekly Reconstruction Report (PDF)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut
An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Today in History
0357 - Emperor Constantius II visits Rome
0585 - War between Lydia & Media ended by solar eclipse
1202 - King Philip II throws out John without Country, from France
1253 - Utrecht destroyed by fire
1376 - English parliament demands supervision on royal outlay
1503 - Battle at Cerignalo Spanish army under G Córdoba beats France
1521 -Treaty of Worms Emperor Charles names his brother Ferdinand Arch duke of Netherlands-Austria
1550 - Powers of Dutch inquisition extends
1635 - Virginia Governor John Harvey accused of treason & removed from office
1655 - English Admiral Blake beats Tunen pirate fleet
1770 - Captain James Cook in Endeavor lands at Botany Bay in Australia
1788 - Maryland becomes the 7th state to ratify the constitution
1789 - Fletcher Christian leads Mutiny on HMS Bounty & Captain William Bligh
1796 - Cease fire of Cherasco
1804 - 31 English ships sail Suriname river demand transition colony
1818 - Monroe proclaims naval disarmament on Great Lakes & Lake Champlain
1847 - George B. Vashon becomes 1st Black to enter New York State Bar
1848 - Free last slaves in French colonies
1855 - 1st veterinary college in US incorporated in Boston
1910 - 1st night air flight (Claude Grahame-White, England)
1914 - 181 die in coal mine collapse at Eccles, WV; W.H. Carrier patents air conditioner
1919 - 1st jump with Army Air Corp (rip-cord type) parachute (Les Irvin)
1920 - Azerbaijan SSR joins the USSR (1st time)
1924 - 119 die in Benwood, WV coal mine disaster
1925 - Kurd rebels surrender to Turkish army; Netherlands & Great Britain return to gold standard
1932 - Yellow fever vaccine for humans announced
1934 - Spanish government of Samper forms
1937 - 1st commercial flight across the Pacific, Pan Am
1939 - Hitler claims German-Polish non-attack treaty still in effect
1940 - Rudolf Hess becomes commandant of concentration camp Auschwitz
1941 - Last British troops in Greece surrender
1942 - "WWII" titled so, as result of Gallup Poll; Nightly "dim-out" begins along the East Coast
1943 - German-Italian counter offensive in North-Africa; US 34th Division occupies Djebel el Hara North Tunisia
1944 - Exercise "Tiger" ends with 750 US soldiers dead in D-Day rehearsal after their convoy ships were attacked by German torpedo boats; Stalin meets Polish/US priest S Orlemanski
1945 - British commands attack Elbe & occupies Lauenburg; US 5th army reaches Swiss border
1947 - Thor Heyerdahl & "Kon-Tiki" sail from Peru to Polynesia
1952 - WWII Pacific peace treaty takes effect
1956 - Last French troop leave Vietnam
1958 - Vanguard TV-5 launched for Earth orbit (failed); Vice President Richard Nixon begins goodwill tour of Latin America
1961 - Lieutenant Colonel Georgi Mossolov takes E-66A to 34,714 meter altitude
1965 - US Marines invade Dominican Republic, stay until October 1966
1965 - Richard Helms replaces Marshall S. Carter as deputy director of CIA; William F. Raborn, Jr., replaces John A McCone as 7th head of CIA
1966 - OCAM, Common Afro-Mauritian Organization forms
1967 - Muhammad Ali refuses induction into Army & stripped of boxing title
1968 - 11 year-old Mary Bell strangles 4 year-old Martin Brown
1969 - Charles de Gaulle resigns as President of France
1971 - Samuel Lee Gravely Jr becomes 1st Black Admiral in US Navy; Dutch social Democratic party/D'66/DS'70 win parliamentary election
1975 - Last Americans evacuated from Saigon; South-Vietnam General Duong Van Minh sworn in as president till April 30
1977 - Christopher Boyce convicted for selling US secrets to the Russians; Andreas Baader & members of Baader-Meinhoff jailed for life after a trial lasting nearly 2 years in Stuttgart, Germany
1980 - Cyrus Vance, Carter's Secretary of State, resigns
1983 - NASA launches Goes-F; Argentine government declares all 15-30,000 missing persons dead
1986 - Chernobyl, USSR, beomes the site of the world's worst nuclear power plant disaster
1988 - Aloha Airlines Boeing 737 roof tears off in flight; kills stewardess
1989 - Argentina, hit by rocketing inflation, runs out of money; Iran protests sale of "Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie
1990 - Last issue of Dutch communist daily De Waarheid (The Truth)
1991 - Space Shuttle STS 39 (Discovery 12) is launched
1992 - Italian President Francesco Cossiga formally resigns
1993 - Carlo Ciampi forms Italian government with ex-communists; Zambian plane crashes at Libreville Gabon, 30 soccer players die
1994 - 1st multi-racial election in South Africa ends [3 days]; Aldrich Ames, former CIA officer & wife Rosario plead guilty to spying
1995 - Gas explosion in South Korean metro, 103 die; Sri Lankaan BAE748 crashes at Palaly, 52 die

Birthdays
1442 - Edward IV, King of England (1461-70, 1471-83)
1592 - George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham/English Admiral
1698 - Karel Jozef, ruler of Batthyányi
1753 - Franz K. Achard, German physicist
1758 - James Monroe, 5th US President (1817-25, Democratic Republican)
1770 - Nikita P. Panin, Russian diplomat/minister of Foreign affairs
1774 - Francis Baily, describer of "Baily's Beads" during solar eclipse
1809 - Conradus Leemans, Dutch archaeologist
1810 - Daniel Ullmann, Union Brevet Major General
1812 - Daniel Henry Rucker, Union Brevet Major General
1815 - Andrew Jackson, Union Smith Major General
1825 - James Winning McMillan, Union Brevet Major General
1838 - Tobias M. Carel, advocate of world law (Nobel Peace Prize 1911)
1842 - Louis of Orleans, Earl of Brazil (1870-89)
1846 - Johann E. Backlund, Swedish astronomer (planets/asteroids)
1888 - Henry Crerar, Canadian General (WWI/Italy/Netherlands)
1889 - António de Oliveira, Salazar premier/dictator Portugal (1932-68); Karel Doorman, Dutch Rear Admiral
1900 - Maurice Thorez, coal miner, Secretary-General of French Communist Party
1912 - Odette Hallowes, British classified agent in France (WWII)
1922 - William S. Broomfield (Representative-R-MI)
1924 - Kenneth David Kaunda, founder/President (Zambia, 1964-91)
1930 - James Baker III, Secretary of Treasury (1985-88), Secretary of State (1989-92)
1937 - Saddam Hussein [At-Takriti], President of Iraq (1979-2007)
1949 - Jerome "Jay" Apt, PhD/astronaut (STS 37, 47, 59, 79)
1956 - Paul S. Lockhart, Major USAF/astronaut
1957 - Leopold Eyharts, cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-26, TM-28/27)
1964 - Helen Marina Lucy Windsor, daughter of Prince Edward of England

Passings
1089 - Dirk de Grote, bishop of Verdun/Basel/archbishop of Trier
1109 - Hugo van Cluny 6th abbott of Cluny/saint, dies
1881 - Robert W. Ollinger, US warden/last victim of Billy the Kid
1936 - Foead I, King of Egypt (1922-36)
1945 - Benito Mussolini, Fascist leader (Italy), captured, tried, & shot; Claretta Petacci mistress of Mussolini, executed
1960 - Anton Pancake, astronomer/marxist theorist, at 87
1984 - Glen H. Taylor, US Senator/vice presidential candidate (1948), at 80
1996 - Julio Cesar Mendez Montenegro politician, at 80; William E. Colby, director of CIA (1973-76)

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Storz, Ronald Edward, USAF (NY); O1A shot down, DIC "Alcatraz," Hanoi, 1970 - remains returned March, 1974

1967
Caras, Franklin Angel, USAF (UT); F105 shot down, remains returned November, 1987 - ID'd February, 1988

1968
Bors, Joseph C., USAF (NY); RF4C disappeared on mission (backseater w/Cook)

Cook, William R., USAF (MN); RF4C disappeared on mission (pilot, w/Bors)

Finlay, John S., USAF (VA); F4D shot down (pilot, w/Rumble), released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998

Rumble, Wesley L., USAF (CA); F4D shot down (w/Finlay), released August, 1969

Saavedra, Robert, USN (AZ); A4E disappeared on mission

1969
Reardon, Richard J., USNR (NY); UH1B shot down - remains recovered February, 1970

Snider, Hughie F., US Army (WV); pulled out by undertow while swimming at

Labels: Headlines, History