On March 23, 2003 in An Nasiriyah, Iraq, a six vehicle convoy of the 507th Maintenance Company was ambushed. 9 soldiers were killed, 4 were wounded but evaded capture and were rescued, and 7 were taken prisoner, including the now famous Pfc. Jessica Lynch.
The rescue of Pfc. Lynch, and later recovery of her fellow prisoners of war has been played out in the media, and is pretty well known. What's not as well known is that as the ambush of the 507th was occuring another unit was attempting to come to their aid, with tragic results.
Marines from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade apparently attempted to intercede and assist the units of the 507th under attack at a bridge crossing the Euphrates. 9 of those Marines died in that attempt.
All you have to do is go to this article and search through on the phrase "1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade" and you can see that the bridge at An Nasiriyah was a very bad place to be on March 23.
An article interviewing Staff Sergeant Tarik Jackson of the 507th, a survivor who was wounded and escaped capture during the ambush of the 507th Maintenance Company gives some insight into what happened that day, but there aren't too many other reports.
I've found it to be odd how this combat has been reported. a total of 18 soldiers died in one firefight at one bridge, and most of the reporting is acting as if these events weren't even related.
This is going to make one hell of a media study down the road.
Update: Apparently the millitary acknowledged on March 30, one week after the fact, that there was a search and rescue mission, with nine Marines killed, and eight said to be missing.
Posted by dglynn at May 8, 2003 02:40 AMI am not of all that went on on March 23, 2003 but one thing Iraq took my nephew, my sister's son LCpl. Tamario D. Burkett. Is there any one out that that have any information concerning, how he was killed.
From the heart of a KIA soldier's aunt.
God Bless,
Aunt "Tina" Rutha Burkett-Hunt