[JUSWESTCOASTIN]

i don't call this a heroic act, i call it doing my job but i'll tell it anyways. it was march 2003 the war was getting ready to kick off, well we entered iraq through the border from kuwait. i was driving an old ass 5-ton truck, we had modified the tires to radials for the highways, and we had put 3 inch thick steel plates along the bed of the truck for protection, we bolted some bradley plates which are about 3 inches of steel to the doors also for protection. it was me driving and my gunner who was sticking out topside of the truck with a 50 caliber fully auto bad ass gun, he had about 1000 rounds of ammo up there and there were about 1000 more on the seat below him. in the back of the truck we had repair parts for days tires starters, alternators, radiators you name it we had it in the back. when you dont know what situation you are going into you prepare for the worse. we were rollin, where to the center of baghdad iraq. we got there in 2 and a half days, driving literally all day long sleeping 3 hours under my truck the gettin on the road when it was still dark. well we finally pulled into the heart of baghdad, there were so many people on the streets. this was my first expierence with iraqi people and i was scared. a call came over the radio to myy truck, a flatbed trailer had to stop cause the brakes were on fire on the trailer and they wanted us to stay back with them and fix the shit while they left and we could catch the next convoy movin through. why because we had the only big gun to take anything out. we were scared really i have to admit i thought i was gonna get smoked that day. so we finally put the brakes out and i got underneath the trailer to overide the airbrake system so the tractor could pull it freely and we could roll. just then i noticed the people started leaving the street was gettin empty, for those who have been you know some shit is about to hit the fan when the people leave. my gunner was parinoid he was spinning the 50 in the turret like a mad man ready to blast on anything. i locked and loaded and got ready for it to. seemed like forever sitting there waiting. then it happened they were lobbing mortor rounds trying to hit us, it was on they came over the radio to get the hell out of the area so we were yelling for the tractor to move first and we were gonna take the rear. the driver missed the gear stalled it and now it wont start. i said oh shit we are done, dudes were firing at us now with american m-16's and ak's, you can tell by the noise the bullet sounds. my gunner was opening up it was crazy the tractor was trying so hard to get started i remember seeing smoke coming from the front of the truck the starter was smoking. we finally were able to smash out and get the hell outta there safe. i didnt realize it but i pissed my pants really. but we definatly chopped some iraqi fools down that day. so please if you come accross and army soldier just thank them for all they do it really means alot i know it does, alot of soldiers are just doing there job for this country, and we do a damn good job. i still got scars on my back, when you are sitting below a big gun like that the shell casing drop down and they are really hott some jumed down my shit and melted onto my skin. i didnt feel it cause when you are scared you dont feel nothing.