Location: 1km Southeast of Ladek Starey
Time: 0730 20 July 2000
<SGM Stewart settles in and grabs a bite to eat. Finishing that, he then begins to question his prisoner. CPT
Wolfe wanders over and says "if you wait until the captain and the jarhead get back, we'll help you interrogate
your prisoner. It's been a few days since we "questioned a prisoner"...">
SGM Stewart tells CPT Wolfe "no problem, I'll wait. I'm always willing to learn new techniques."
CPT Wolfe says "OK boys, let's get a perimeter set up. Keep the vehicles staggered at least 10m apart. SGM
Martinez, SSG Cutter, & SGM Stewart, y'all take some time out to take of your weapons and your gear. An' grab
some grub while you're at it. The rest of us are going to be checking tha horizon for anything that isn't friendly.
And also check on the prisoner every now an' then."
SGM Martinez, SSG Cutter and SGM Stewart break out their cleaning kits and clean their weapons and check over their
gear. They break open an MRE and chow down as they go about their business.
Location: The village of Ladek Stary
Time: 0800 20 July 2000
<While Lee and Ikeman search the battlefield, CPT Cappanetti and SGM Brantley enter the village. Josef is overjoyed
to see his old friend. He grins and says "I assumed that you would have been captured or worse...after all
you are getting rather long in the tooth!"
CPT Lee and SFC Ikeman return to the village and spot to men talking to Josef. As they approach Josef, Josef says
"ahh, my guests have returned from their foraging expedition. Have you found anything useful?">
Captain Lee shakes his head, "Nope, didn't find anything useful, except some spent shell casings." He
then hands them and the rifle over to Josef, then takes notice of the new arrivals. "You didn't mention anything
about friendly forces being in the area, Josef." He looks over the two, "I hope there's more of you.
Earlier today a mechanized force tried to come through this way. I wasn't too sure what they wanted, I'm assuming
me and the
sergeant here, so we engaged them and drove them off. We lost 3 men, I'm not sure how many of them we got. I'm
sure the survivors are telling their friends about us now. "
Lee then stretches out his hand towards the new arrivals, "I'm Captain Jarrod Lee, formerly of the 2nd Marine
Air Wing, attached to the 4-12 Cav. My friend is Sergeant Jeremy Ikeman, US Army Ranger."
CPT Cappanetti takes his hand and says "I'm Captain Al Cappanetti, quartermaster corps. This here is Sergeant
Major Ryan Brantley, of the 2nd Marine Division. Scared off scared off some regulars? They'll be back, with friends
I'm sure."
CPT Cappanetti continues "since you know the situation better than I, what do you think are chances are of
repelling the attack, given say, a few additional grenade launchers and machine guns, and troops to man them?"
While CPT Lee and SFC Ikeman discuss their chances, CPT Cappanetti takes the radio from SGM Brantley and says:
"Cobra 1 this is Rattler 1: We have a situation break. Seems a jarhead and ranger decided to scare off an
inbound patrol, most likely regulars. Discussing the possibility of defending the village. Will check on the villagers
situation, though I doubt they have much firepower. Talk with the troops and give me a heads up, over."
CPT Wolfe calls back "roger, will report back shortly." CPT Wolfe then explains the situation to the
rest of the group, and says "well, should we stand and fight, or pop smoke and run?"
Location: 5 km south of Ladek Starey
Time: 0830 July 2000
SFC Kartz gets some well deserved rest, getting more sleep in one shot than he's had in the last several days.
He wakes up about 1300, collects the mines and grenades, prepares some MREs for breakfast, then says "well
Cap'n, which way shall we head?"
Location: 2km East of Highway 43, 14 km Southeast of Ladek Starey
Time: 0930 20 July 2000
<After crossing Highway 43, Pickett and Gunn then switch to the southern side of the road they were following
toward the smoke. Gunn follows the road, about 20 meters off it, Pickett covers his flank about 20 meters south
of him. Pickett watches for any signs of recent traffic. Both Gunn and Pickett spot tire tracks on the road, and
from what they can tell there were several trucks and humvees. As they continue on, Gunn suddenly calls for a halt,
he has spotted the source of the smoke column about 150 meters away...what remains of a vehicle. Gunn looks at
it and says "I think it's a BRDM...though it's hard to tell...it's pretty well destroyed.">
MAJ Pickett tells MAJ Gunn that it's better if Gunn pulls security, as Gunn is a much better shot. Gunn looks at
Pickett, then considers the situation carefully.
After a few minutes, Gunn says "okay, go ahead, but I need to take a look around also."
Pickett says "agreed" then cautiously approaches the destroyed vehicle. Satisfied that there are no living
soldiers in the vehicle or immediate area, slings his shotgun, puts on his gloves and pulls out his flashlight
to examine the vehicle.
After a quick examination of the vehicle, Pickett doubts he'll find anything since it's pretty well destroyed.
Looking through the vehicle anyways, he finds 3 or 4 bodies, hard to tell, since they are pretty well burned. Checking
the fuel tank, he finds that the fire consumed all the fuel. Satisfied with his inspection of the vehicle, he unslings
his shotgun and moves on.
MAJ Gunn mentally notes where Pickett searches, especially where he spends more than a moment or two.
In the area of the vehicle, he spots more vehicle tracks, as well as many boot prints, including several different
tread patterns. Swinging out into the woodline, he finds a pool of blood, though no body. As he searches east of
the vehicle, he notices that several of the trees have exploded, probably trees hit with mortar fire.
Satisfied with his inspection, he returns to MAJ Gunn and says "looks like someone cleaned the area up already.
It looks like someone used a can opener on the vehicle."
MAJ Gunn says "I figured that the area would have been cleaned out, the scavengers were probably inbound as
soon as the first round was fired. I want to take a look anyways. Give me 15 minutes or so, then we can move on."
MAJ Gunn examines the vehicle, and notices that the front axle was snapped in two, and spots a small crater to
the front. Climbing up and looking at the top of the vehicle, he sees where the killing shot entered. MAJ Gunn
searches north of the vehicle, looks at the pool of blood, then searches east. He spots 2 distinct backblast patterns
about a 150 meters east of the vehicle.
Returning to where MAJ Pickett is waiting, he says "looks like it was a classic hasty ambush. I say the vehicle
came down the road, the two AT rockets were fired, one missed, the other hit the suspension. Then a 3rd rocket
was fired from the rear, probably overkill because it vaporized the top armor. The rocket was either fired from
a tree, or it was a tankbreaker...since the round hit the top, not the back. Not exactly sure about the blood pool
to the north though, might have been one of the ambushers. The mortar attack probably ended the battle. What do
you think?"