Posted on: Tuesday, March 9, 2004
DISPATCHES FROM IRAQ
Three Schofield soldiers injured in Iraq shooting
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
KIRKUK, Iraq — Three Schofield Barracks soldiers remained hospitalized today following a firefight yesterday evening in which their vehicle came under small arms fire on a crowded city street.
Yesterday's firefight represented the greatest number of 25th Infantry Division (Light) soldiers injured in a shooting incident.
Sgt. Israel Burks, a forward observer attached to Company B, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, received multiple gunshot wounds, as did Staff Sgt. Santiago Frias, 24. A third Company B soldier, Staff Sgt. Timothy Pollock, 25, suffered a single gunshot wound, said 2nd Brigade Adjutant Maj. Scott Halstead. Family members have been notified of the injuries.
Pollock and Frias were taken first to Kirkuk Air Base and then to the Army hospital in Baghdad. Burks, whose age was unavailable, was at the air base after having surgery, Halstead said.
All three were expected to be flown to the U.S. medical facility in Landstuhl, Germany, he said.
"The good news story here is they are all in stable condition," Halstead said. "They were all evacuated to the best medical care available."
Details of yesterday's 5:30 p.m. firefight were still emerging this morning.
The Company B soldiers were conducting a reconnaissance mission in the company's sector of the city of nearly 1 million people. They were in traffic when people in another vehicle stepped out and opened fire, Halstead said.
There had been reports the soldiers were riding in a civilian vehicle, but Halstead said he could not speak to the issue.
U.S. soldiers usually travel in convoys of three vehicles, usually Humvees.
"There is still an ongoing informal investigation to figure out what happened and why," Halstead said.
The soldiers were wearing body armor with chest and back plates that can stop an AK-47 round, and Halstead said that may have prevented some injuries.
Halstead said the attack was unusual in that it resulted in a firefight.
"They did not just shoot and run away. We exchanged fire with the enemy," Halstead said, calling the exchange "a lot more brazen than we normally expect."
Most often, anti-coalition forces fire a few shots or a couple mortar rounds at U.S. soldiers or bases and quickly leave the area.
Halstead said it's too soon to tell if the attack signals a change in tactics.
It was unclear if any of the individuals shooting at the Hawai'i soldiers were injured, killed or captured. No information was available on whether civilians were with the soldiers.
There have been no fatalities within the 2nd Brigade Combat Team in Iraq.
Approximately eight soldiers have been injured in vehicle accidents, and five now have been wounded by enemy fire, Halstead said.
Last month, a 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry soldier received an eye injury when a bomb went off near the military vehicle he was riding in southwest of Kirkuk, and another 1-27 soldier was shot in the elbow during a firefight in a separate incident.
