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WE'RE
ALL "AMERICANS." REMEMBER
YOUR WHEN
PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, Troops
begin combat operations in New Orleans By Joseph R. Chenelly
Jones said the military first needs to establish security throughout the city. Military and police officials have said there are several large areas of the city are in a full state of anarchy. Dozens of military trucks and up-armored Humvees left the staging area just after 11 a.m. Friday, while hundreds more troops arrived at the same staging area in the city via Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters. “We’re here to do whatever they need us to do,” Sgt. 1st Class Ron Dixon, of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 1345th Transportation Company. “We packed to stay as long as it takes.” While some fight the insurgency in the city, other carry on with rescue and evacuation operations. Helicopters are still pulling hundreds of stranded people from rooftops of flooded homes. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and police helicopters filled the city sky Friday morning. Most had armed soldiers manning the doors. According to Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeremy Grishamn, a spokesman for the amphibious assault ship Bataan, the vessel kept its helicopters at sea Thursday night after several military helicopters reported being shot at from the ground. Numerous soldiers also told Army Times that they have been shot at by armed civilians in New Orleans. Spokesmen for the Joint Task Force Headquarters at the Superdome were unaware of any servicemen being wounded in the streets, although one soldier is recovering from a gunshot wound sustained during a struggle with a civilian in the dome Wednesday night. “I never thought that at a National Guardsman I would be shot at by other Americans,” said Spc. Philip Baccus of the 527th Engineer Battalion. “And I never thought I’d have to carry a rifle when on a hurricane relief mission. This is a disgrace.” Spc. Cliff Ferguson of the 527th Engineer Battalion pointed out that he knows there are plenty of decent people in New Orleans, but he said it is hard to stay motivated considering the circumstances. “This
is making a lot of us think about not reenlisting.” Ferguson
said. “You have to think about whether it is worth risking your
neck for someone who will turn around and shoot at you. We didn’t
come here to fight a war. We came here to help.”
NEWS FLASH "Just spoke with my son Walt. He is with the
Louisiana National Guard. We were elated to hear his voice, but distressed
by the news he revealed. Walt is in New Orleans. Wednesday night his
group was holing up in the New Orleans Convention Center. They were
attacked by a large group of thugs with AK-47s and had to firefight
their way out. They made it to the SuperDome and held until morning.
They moved back into downtown toward Canal and Bourbon. Walt said
they have taken fire the entire time he has been there. He spent 6
- 30 round clips of ammo in getting from the SuperDome to Bourbon,
about 10 blocks. They found the Riverwalk ablaze this morning.
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