Thread by @s_webber

I'm about to share what happened #10YearsAgoInIraq. My goal is to give a glimpse into what life was like. Feel free to mute- it's long

@s_webber There was a bad day before, and a bad day after. This was just a day. Feb 7, 2007. To the best of my memory.

@s_webber Charlie Company was based in south Fallujah. 1st and 3rd Platoons are on a multi day op west of the city.

@s_webber The 30 Marines in 2nd Plt.are operating from platoon patrol base. An Iraqi house we took over and fortified in the SE part of city

@s_webber My squad (1st squad) is on guard duty after a raid. 2nd squad (below) is in vehicles coming back from a mission I don't recall

@s_webber Marines of 3rd squad are on a foot patrol just north of our platoon base

@s_webber this video is a different squad- but it's the exact same area they were patrolling

@s_webber was a HUGE amount of gunfire. 3rd squad is being ambushed. A red star cluster goes up- meaning a Marine is hit.

@s_webber everyone from first squad scrambles to the roof. We can see bullet impacts on buildings- but can't tell who is where.

@s_webber over the radio we hear Porter was shot in the chest. Unclear how bad, but his body armor saved his life.

@s_webber out of no where second squad coming flying in with literal guns blazing. They we're driving by when the firefight broke out.

@s_webber 2nd squad sprays houses with machine gun fire, snatches up Porter and med evac him. Fluke of their proximity just saves lives

@s_webber third squad is still fighting for their lives. From the roof of our base we can see bullet impacts but can't tell who is who

@s_webber I'm watching my friends fight while wearing body armor and basketball shorts. 21st century war is weird.

@s_webber 3rd squad is running low on ammo. Very low. They don't have the ammo to get home. They need evac now.

@s_webber the only ones that can evac them is 1st squad. We're also the only ones left in our base. Marines>gear. We'll leave the base empty

@s_webber we set up actual scarecrows to look like guards. Grab all encrypted radios, and leave our base totally empty to get to 3rd squad

@s_webber smoke is cheap. We pop all we have to provide concealment as we pull guys out

@s_webber a Marine called "cell block" had the bipod shot off his machine gun. He thinks that's hysterical. The dude really is crazy.

@s_webber cell block has shrapnel in his arm. Its said he's eligible for a Purple Heart. Porter was shot in the chest. He says "get fucked"

@s_webber Pxxxx was in the firefight.He ran out of ammo. His best friend is screaming at him for being a dumb fuck & shooting all his rounds

@s_webber back at our base it turns out it's a Marines birthday. We haven't showered in weeks, but somehow there are party hats

@s_webber A vehicle patrol leaves the main Charlie Company base, they are headed to the dam that crosses the Euphrates river.

@s_webber I'm laying on my cot. Suddenly there is a huge explosion. Southern Fallujah shakes. Before I open my eyes I know someone is dead.

@s_webber radios explode with traffic. 2nd Plt marines silently listen to the radio to hear which of our friends are hurt.

@s_webber 2nd squad carries out another med evac mission as the casualties come over our company radio channel.

@s_webber

Tarryl Hill. Age 19. Shelby Township, Michigan. Killed in Action Feb 7, 2007.

@s_webber

Matthew "Greek" Pathenos. Age 21. Ballwin, Missouri. Killed In Action February 7, 2007.

@s_webber Another Marine is badly wounded. Our tallest marine at 6'8 walks away without a scratch. No one understands how this is possible.

@s_webber
Hill had just joined us, a replacement for casualties we had taken in the fall.
thefallen.militarytimes.com/marine-pfc-tar…

@s_webber
Greek was probably the most popular Marine in Charlie company. stltoday.com/news/local/mil…

@s_webber the IED and the ambush took place the same block. The order comes over the radio for my squad to go house to house to clear block

@s_webber we're sick and angry of losing Marines. The attitude: come back with the Muj that killed our guys or don't come back at all

@s_webber A Marine from 2nd squad, that ran med evacs all day, wants to come with us. His squad hasn't slept in 2 days.

@s_webber "I just picked body parts off the street. I'm gonna go get those fucks- with your squad or by myself."
Yeah- you can come.

@s_webber The killer IED was buried inside a dirt road. It had clearly been a major project. We hit the house on the edge of the block first

@s_webber The inside of the windows are covered with tape. To keep glass from shattering in the blast. They knew about the bomb. FUCK them.

@s_webber an old woman is alone in the next house. She was hit in mornings firefight. She's been laying in blood on floor all day. Oh God

@s_webber We go house to house for a long long time. I honestly don't have the heart to go through it all.

@s_webber We hit a house toward the end of the block. We start tearing it apart looking for weapons. Quietly a young kid pulls me aside.

@s_webber "I know who killed your friends and I can take you to them" he says in perfect English. What the fuck?

@s_webber He pulls out a phone "I talk to SEALS. I watched the IED cell for them. They were waiting to raid it. Follow me, we'll go there"

@s_webber 3rd squad had Porter shot in the AM, so they should have the honor of kicking the door. Kid leads them a block straight to a house

@s_webber They hit it hard. They find men and a bomb making factory. These guys killed our friends. We learn what true hate feels like.

@s_webber We have to take the kid back to base. But if he's gone in the am it will be clear he talked.Solution? Take every male on the block

@s_webber By the time we walk a train of 30 blindfolded men to base dawn is breaking (y'all got to sleep) The kid and I stay up and talk.

@s_webber I ask him "why did we have to tear up your house before you talked?"

@s_webber Wry smile "this is Iraq. I couldn't talk until you did that. If you want to win you need to do more of that." My minds blown.

@s_webber That one exchnage shapes my understanding of wars there today. If you aren't ruthless- you won't win. People there know that.

@s_webber by then it was Feb 8. I don't remember that day. But I'm sure it sucked too. This is the point of all this.

@s_webber War is fucking brutal. For real. Combat vets think about it everyday. We carry stories and stories like this with us always.

@s_webber Hill, Greek, all of them, sacrificed for us because our country's worth it. It's up to us to keep it worthy of what they gave. End