Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 

   July1, 2012

   I set in the interview room in my dress uniform waiting for my turn to
give my version of the ambush.  I knew all the survivors were all going to
be interviewed.  Too many had died and they were looking for a scapegoat. I
hoped it wouldn't be me.  This was to be a Fact finding investigation so no
counsel was allowed but level of brass that came through the door looked a
lot more serious to me.

   I stood at attention while they set down.  The officer that appeared in
charge was a one star general.  The rest were majors six of them total. 
The general made the opening statement.

   Today we are here to continue the formal investigation into the ambush
of convey 12630.  Convey 12630 left Penshaw Pakistan at 0400 on 6 June 2012
to deliver fuel, ammo and supplies to Camp Little John Afghanistan.

   Sergeant Jones?  "Present sir" State your full name for the record. 
"Sergeant Roberta Josephine Jones serial 294229595 Sir" Your birth date is
shown as 10 July 1984 and you have been a Marine for 10 years is that
correct?  "Yes sir" Lets start at the beginning, were there any unusual
events in putting the convey together?  "Yes sir , The number of Afghan
scouts were less than we normally had and the convey makeup was different.
The Afghans' were new to us and they seemed nervous.  Captain Walsh was
also a rookie to convey duty.  His initial make up of the convoy would have
been suicide.  He ordered trucks carry ammo to be pulling fuel trailers, a
bad combination.  We convinced him to make changes and the Afghans' were
not happy about the delay.

   The final make up of the convoy was a Lead humvee with Captain Walsh, a
driver and two gunners A duce carrying supplies pulling a fuel trailer then
a duce with ammo another with supplies pulling a fuel trailer another
humvee with driver three gunners .  Two more duce with supplies and fuel
trailers , two more with ammo.  Finally another humvee with driver and
three gunners.  Each of the duce carries two soldiers.

   A total of 10 trucks,4 trailers and 26 soldiers.  The Afghans' were in
the lead with their own 4x4.  How many of the soldiers were female?  "a
total of fourteen.  Two in each of the duces ".  You had the highest rank
of the female soldiers?  "Yes sir two field promotions" So you were second
in command.  "Yes sir" Where were you in the convoy?  "I was driving the
duce behind the second humvee." They are looking to blame this on the
female soldiers I thought.



   When did the trouble start?  "As soon as crossed over into Afghanistan
about 1200.  The Afghan scouts turned on a road that was not on the mapped
route.  I questioned Capt.  Walsh, he radioed back the scouts said that the
mapped road was under attack up ahead and we were going around the attack.
I radioed Capt Walsh back requesting air cover.  He said he would consider
it if anything happened.  I reminded him that anytime we left the mapped
route it was sop.  Five minutes later I heard him make the call for air
support."

   How long after the call for air cover did the action start?  "Maybe
thirty minutes.  The lead humve took a direct hit from an RPG and was on
fire .The driver and Capt Walsh were out side on the lying on the ground.
We started taking small arms fire from a ravine on the left".

   What was the situation on the ground?  I assumed the Captain was dead
and took over command of the convoy.  I exited my truck and told my partner
to take over as driver.  I ran forward to the humvee and climbed in as it
was returning fire and lobbing grenades in the direction the enemy fire was
coming from.  I called in our position and that we were under attack and
needed air support now!  The ambush set up must have been fast because the
place was poorly chosen, the road was wide enough two vehicles to pass so I
ordered the rest of the convoy to go by the burning humve to try to escape.
I ordered the two remaining humvee's to go to the left of the duces and
provide covering fire until the convey was past the ambush area.  As we
pulled out to the left around the duce ahead I saw our two Afghan scouts by
the burning humve , one was shooting the driver on the ground and the other
was shooting into the duce behind the humve.  I killed both of them.  I
heard a tanker explode behind us.  This blocked the convoy.

   Air control was calling on the radio to coordinate the strike.  I
established direct radio contact with the strike group.  "We have the audio
and will play it in this afternoon's session" The general said.

   A few moments later an f18 dropped bombs on the enemy positions.  A few
minutes later I heard the sweet sound of ground support A10 warthogs . 
There were four of them, those Gatling guns were a beautiful sound.  I
ordered the humvee's to sweep the enemy area and make sure everyone was
dead.  What I didn't say was that I had told them to take no fucking
prisoners.

   I also ordered to convoy to stop so we could regroup and sort things
out. While this was going on the medivacs arrived and started checking
everyone out.  It was at this time I realized that I had taken a couple of
minor hits, I was bleeding from shrapnel cut on my leg and a bullet graze
on my arm.

   I was at this time one of the medics said I was needed at the duce I had
been driving.  I ran back to find that my driving partner Betty Smith had
taken several rounds of small arms fire and was dying.  Betty and I grew up
together, lived next door and had been inseparable even joining the marines
together.  She and I always seemed to have a kind of silent connection no
matter what.  She almost knew what I wanted before I did sometimes.  This
was going to be bad.  I knelt down and she reached up to pull me close and
whispered "I'm sorry, I love you and then she was gone." I broke down
sobbing.  It was as if something had been ripped from my chest I had other
soldiers die in my unit before, this was totally different.  It seemed like
several minutes before I regained my composer but I know it was only
seconds.



   The losses were as follows We has lost the lead humvee , the drivers of
the duce behind it and a duce with supplies and fuel tanker that had been
behind the second humvee the one I had been driving.  There were seven
causalities the four men in the lead hummer including Capt Walsh and three
female soldiers.  The general cleared his throat and said "Lets take a
lunch break and then we will layout the aerial photographs review your
statement for errors.  We will resume at 1300