Iraq War Bombing

Iraq war bombing is a way of life. I have experienced a lot of insurgent attacks and so have many of my buddies. This section is about some of the close calls we have had, including some sniper attacks.

The first story that comes to mind happened to a friend of mine named Bruce, while we were working in Baqubah. The camp there is called Camp Warhorse.

Our camp manager had just obtained a new Ford F250 pickup truck. Bruce was taking it out on convoy with the military to Anaconda.

Fifteen minutes after the convoy left, we heard a loud explosion, followed by a smoke funnel. We knew the convoy had been hit.

Shortly thereafter, Bruce came over the radio, calling the camp manager. "Hey Boss, you are going to need a new truck and I am going to need a change of underwear!"

The IED had hit the left front fender of the truck. A piece of shrapnel, one inch wide by twelve inches long, shot through the windshield. It penetrated the back of the seat where Bruce was sitting. It missed his head by an inch.

Many vehicles showed up on our base with shrapnel damage or bullet holes in the windshields from Iraq war bombings. They also took damage from civilians throwing rocks at the convoys. I experienced this firsthand on a ride to Tikrit.

My own first close call regarding Iraq war bombing came shortly after I arrived at Camp Warhorse. I was in bed asleep, when about 1AM, I was awakened by a loud boom. I was really tired as I jumped out of bed to get my clothes on.

At night when you go to bed, you lay out your clothes so you can jump into them to run to the bunker if there is Iraq war bombing. I was so tired that I could not get my clothes to go on right. Another boom, this one closer. I was really getting worried.

My mind would not think right. I had just returned from a three day convoy trip to Tikrit and back, where I had only about three hours of sleep each day.

Boom, louder and closer. Finally in desperation, I gathered up what I could and headed for the door. Just as I opened it, boom. It was thunder! The rain was pouring down. We were not under attack, just a thunderstorm. So it was not a close call after all.

Several weeks later, we were hit by three mortars. I was walking back to my office after I had finished unloading a connex when I heard boom, boom, boom. The third boom landed 20 feet from the connex I had just left.

I finally did get hit by Iraq war bombing.....I was home on my second R&R in San Antonio. For five nights in a row, I dreamed the same dream. We were under attack. Each night I could see the red tip of the rocket coming in on us. On the fifth night, the rockets hit. Each time they hit, they got closer to me.

Then one night they finally got me. And I have not dreamed about them since.

Thank you for your visit.

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