Here is a trues story from Baghdad

[JohnR]

http://www.projo.com/news/michaelcor...th7.96bd2.html

When engineers crashed gate, Iraqi troops charged
An Army sergeant gives up his life as he boldly holds off a Republican Guard unit that vastly outnumbers his engineering company.

04/07/2003

BY MICHAEL CORKERY
Journal Staff Writer


BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Iraq -- The Republican Guard complex adjacent to the airport seemed the ideal place for a prison: high stone walls surrounding a grassy courtyard. There was a guard tower, high enough so the American soldiers could monitor their Iraqi prisoners of war.

Building the prison was assigned to Bravo company of the 11th Engineer Battalion, attached to the 2-7 Infantry.

It was Friday morning, the first day of the 2nd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment's occupation of Saddam Hussein's airport. They needed the space quickly. A tank company had already captured prisoners of war, while securing the perimeter on the eastern side of the airport.

Sgt. 1st Class Paul Smith readied his engineer squad to begin knocking down walls. He was a meticulous soldier who always wanted things done the right way.

With an armored bulldozer, the engineers punched a hole near the guard tower. They planned to surround a corner of the courtyard with concertina wire. They used a lightly armored track vehicle known as a 113 to knock down a gate at the far end of the yard.

And that's when all hell broke loose.

Read the rest here on Projo.com http://www.projo.com/news/michaelcor...th7.96bd2.html

[Fishpart]

Back a few years there was talk of replacing the M113 with some sort of modified Bradley. Kind of tough for Engineers to move up to breach an obstacle when they can't keep up with the maneuver force in their little 6-53 powered 50's vintage APC.