TWO YEARSafter the invasion of Iraq, the insurgency had spread rapidly.
THE IRAQI ARMYsoldiers were under siege, so we patrolled with them.
Lieutenant Colonel Terrence Crowe headed this ad hoc patrol.
We’d developed 30 high-value targets in the city and captured 23 of them within the first hour.
On the way, there were no issues.
Colonel Crowe was in the lead, walking down an alley.
It was like a dogleg: quick right turn, quick left turn.
I’m walking down the alley, and shit just blows up.
I see Crowe drop about 10 feet in front of me.
I could see four or five enemy on the rooftops for a split second.
I reported a downed officer and returned fire.
I threw a grenade, and one enemy was KIA, and the rest slipped out of sight.
They knew where his body armor protected him.
It took about 15 minutes before I could get Colonel Crowe’s body to the evacuation vehicle.
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