In past weeks, insurgents adjusted their tactics and began tossing grenades at US patrols as they passed under bridges. As my patrol approached, we noticed a grenade fly over the top of our HMMWV, then fall to the water and explode. Next, we saw a young man running away.
"Every day is a challenge in Iraq. You often have two seconds to go back and soul search, and once you make a decision, you have to live with it. You should always ask yourself, "Is what I am about to do right or wrong?"
In September of 2005, Marines of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, First Marine Division manned Forward Operating Base 'Sparta' in the Anbar Province of Iraq near the town of Haditha; an area known to harbor insurgents. This was the company's third deployment having participated in the Invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the battle for Fallujah in 2004.