war to believe in fairy tales. There is just no easy way to say, Your son got shot today. And so, according to men here, the calls sound something like this: We are sorry to inform you that your son has been shot in Mosul. This will be a long journey. Carrying both books, we drove to the Cash. The Battle For Mosul - Michael Yon Online - The Network of Care When you enter a room full of armed men, shoot the first person who makes a move, hostile or otherwise. as Deuce Four and has written extensively about its operations and [2] [3] [4] [5] He previously served as the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps and before that as the chief of staff of United States Central Command. of Deuce Four, LTC Erik Kurilla, was shot three times in combat Michael Erik Kurilla (born May 16, 1966)[1] is a United States Army general who serves as the 15th commander of United States Central Command since April 1, 2022. "The commander didn't seem to miss a stride. Deuce Four's LTC Erik Kurilla shot three times (Michael Yon dispatch) bleed. Randy Olsberg on LinkedIn: #specialforces #greenberet #greenberetfoundation I heard the commander telling this soldiers mother that her son was fine. Three months of air-conditioned reflection will not transform terrorists into citizens. Only after seeing that Hamid was about to stage some sort of operation had Crissman decided he would have to arrest Hamid.. An Angel will hopefully be able to visit LTC Kurilla this afternoon. On the night before the planned ride-along, the obstacle was a big and sudden push of operations and tasks bundled in a surge operation. Operation Lancer Fury was launched without notice even to the unit commanders here. But he said No. (Thank God; running in front of the shop might have proved fatal.). catch-and-release-terrorists he and other soldiers had empty M4, ran into the shop and tackled the man. But I have it beside me on the table by the map Do you need me to come get you!" and fights, as more bullets kick up dust. And I was afraid to run When the bullet hit that canister, Prosserwho I thought Kurilla is direct, but at least people know they are getting an accurate account. A Kiowa helicopter pilot radioed that he spotted the car. December, the same day a large bomb exploded in the 2012 2014: Assistant Commander for Support of the Joint Special Operations Command. The Commander and the terrorist were both being prepped for surgery, when LTC Kurilla said, Tell Major Bieger to call my wife so she doesnt get a call from the Army first. But someone gave the Commander a cell phone, and I heard Kurilla talking to his wife, Mary Paige, saying something like, Honey, there has been a little shooting here. LT Flynn was first out of the Stryker, and both he and the airguard CPT Westphal, saw the pistol at the same time and also shot the man. In my book, there is a marked passage, which I thought rather flowery. He is one hell of a senior officer in my opinion! But its men like Kurilla who can make this work. battle-hardened bravery that makes him the kind of They have been fighting for two nations, one of which didnt seem to notice. Despite being seriously wounded, LTC Kurilla immediately rejoined the intense and close-quarter fight that ended in hand-to-hand combat. Infantry Regiment, was shot in the arm and leg and suffered a broken of Iraq. I would be the one. recovering from the earlier gunshot wound to the neck. No one but Crissman knew what was about to happen. Then, at the funerals of other friends who had died in country, friends finally convinced him to go to Iraq. We still have to discuss what happened today., Writers are not permitted to fight. I seldom get letters in Iraq, but waiting for me in the mailroom while I slept was a card. Flags fly as soldiers return home [Mosul unit; LTC Kurilla featured] Seattle Times ^ | 10/28/05 | Alex Fryer Posted on 10/29/2005 11:49:05 AM PDT by saquin. and our surgeons operated on both at the same time. The Commander Education: General Kurilla has a B.S. We entered the hospital, and saw that Erik Kurillas bed was beside Daniel Lamas. on a knee behind a Stryker. leader that Americans admire and Iraqis respect. running in the direction of the shooting. But it's that I am asking you for your support. men had inadvertently left the captured man sitting in the open. Some Strykers were scouting for the shooters, while others were working details at Yarmook Traffic Circle. Michael Kurilla - Wikipedia Where Do I Get a TB Test? - Washington State Department of Health They were armed with a sniper rifle, an AK, pistols, a silencer, explosives and other weapons, and had in their possession photographs of US bases, including a map of this base. Amazingly, he was right. LTC Kurilla was there asking a soldier for the latest report on Sergeant Lama, now in surgery. Sleeking around Mosul under moonlight, we prowled through the pale glow until we came upon a pond near a farmhouse. Last updated: August 23rd, 2005 08:33 AM (PDT). They had night vision gear, so they moved quickly. Actually, book: Gates of Fire. | But as Yon explains, in our fight with al Qaeda in Baqubah we gained the support of many of the citizens of that town including a major insurgent group that months before had been fighting against the coalition because we controlled the moral high ground. While others might argue that point, in the aftermath of the battle, Yon accompanied an Iraqi Army unit as they exhumed the corpses from an al Qaeda produced mass grave. something like, "Honey, there has been a little shooting You are the only one who might understand, the passage registered in my mind. It actually went so close to perfect that we could hardly believe it. Neither had real combat experience. Flynn had now been a platoon leader for six months, but today Kurilla had another 2nd lieutenant who was being mentored before he became a platoon leader. 2015 2016: Deputy Director for Special Operations and Counterterrorism of the Joint Staff. []Unlike many Hollywood stars Willis supports the war and recently offered a $1m (about ?583,000) bounty for the capture of any of Al-Qaeda?s most wanted leaders such as Osama . Biden to nominate Lieutenant General Kurilla as next CENTCOM Commander what I shouted was an unprintable string of curses, Some blamed his When I looked back again, I saw the very bloody leg of CSM Prosser inside the shop. Deuce Four Commander Wounded - Follow Up - BlackFive We loaded the Strykers and drove down to the Cash, and there was Chaplain Wilson, who might be the most popular man on base. Michael Erik Kurilla (born May 16, 1966) [1] is a United States Army general who serves as the 15th commander of United States Central Command since April 1, 2022. Reaching around the corner, I fired three shots into the shop. Minnesota Vikings flag, when they decided to keep the Neither had real combat experience. But Prosser's gloves were slippery with blood so he while Kurilla was also yelling at them to get in there, bullet strikes the wall beside 2nd lieutenant's head He has traveled or worked in 82 countries, including various wars and conflicts. In a widely documented incident in Mosul, Iraq, in 2005, Kurilla, who commanded the 25 Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry at the time, was shot multiple times in a close-quarters . momentum. Kurilla is a 1988 West Point graduate and a veteran of the U.S. continually dismissed without apparent cause. AH had no weapon. When I shot the propane canister, Attack! But once the shooting starts, a plan is just a guess in a party dress. CSM Prosser flex cuffs Khalid Jasim Nohe The one to go back and speak. In Yon's account, confirmed by others. for surgery, when LTC Kurilla said, "Tell Major Bieger Need health insurance? Please keep LTC Kurilla and the rest of Deuce Four in your thoughts and prayers. This biographical article related to the United States Army is a stub. with people downtown. A passion for the cause of freedom. The fact that officers trust Yon with access leads to dramatic scenes. Dont I look okay?. Thats the difference between the terrorists and us, Chaplain Wilson kept saying. In 2000, Yon published a memoir titled Danger Close, describing his murder trial for killing a bar patron the day after he became a Green Beret. That December day, Khalid Jasim Nohe and two compatriots tried to evade US soldiers from 2-8 FA, but the soldiers managed to stop the fleeing car. were not attacking. two men. men, while others blamed the terrorists, although blame But someone gave the Commander a cell phone, and shutter button. Those pictures of the child and the church represent the opposite ends of the spectrum of the American experience in Iraq, captured now between covers by the one American not in uniform who was there long enough and who traveled far enough to see them both. were fighting, they wanted backup. in front of the shop, especially so unarmed. My trauma team with the 228th CSH, in Mosul, Iraq cared for (then) LTC Kurilla and his CSM after sustaining serious combat related injuries. Kurilla was in the open, but his judo roll had left him slightly to the side of the shop. XVIII Airborne Corps commander set to be next CENTCOM boss - Military Times soldiers who were crouched low, then by me and right to The best of those stories are in the book, but theyve been expanded with the passage of time and military details too sensitive to use immediately, and told in the same gripping style that can now truly be called page turning. here. Kurilla was running when he was shot, but he didn't seem to miss a stride; he did a crazy judo roll and came up shooting. There's a risk in that. He participated in the Panama invasion and the Gulf War, and was stationed in Korea and Europe. Proponents of a more explosive conclusion might be disappointed with that result. Kurilla is portrayed as tough, dedicated and possessed with an uncanny ability to avoid enemy bullets. chain of command, but had otherwise not changed the You left the prisoner!For a moment, I nearly ran back out to drag the terrorist behind the Stryker, but then I thought, Nope, he's a terrorist! Yesterday, he declined to release the status of his condition. In one scene in the town of Baqubah, an airstrike on a house full of insurgents is nixed because of the likelihood of collateral damage. ended in hand-to-hand combat. This Surge is a complicated piece of work, with multidimensional variables and multifarious moving parts. I asked to come along. If Kurilla gets shot, I'm definitely going to get him. Shots were fired behind us but around a corner to the left. Army Lt. Col. Erik Kurilla arrived at Madigan Army Medical Center late Monday for treatment of wounds he suffered Friday in a firefight in Mosul, Iraq. is no longer there. Give me a magazine! I yelled, and the young 2nd lieutenant handed over a full 30-round magazine. The struggle is just beginning. Although not well-known, Kurilla the highest ranking soldier from the Fort Lewis-based Stryker. He passed by me and I chased, Kurilla leading the way. BamBamBamBam! Kurilla talked about it almost daily. A Also in the Stryker was AH, the interpreter, whose courage under fire I had seen before. "I would be the one. [8] After graduating from West Point, he was commissioned into the U.S. Army as an infantry officer in 1988. Alex Fryer: 206-464-8124 or afryer@seattletimes.com. understanding of both its value and its costs. medic, Specialist Munoz, put morphine into Kurilla, the But the terrorist can get shot to pieces and I don't care.Instead And I was scared to death. terrorist turned out to be one Khalid Jasim Nohe, who was aiming at the doorway waiting for him to come out. How are you today? But sometimes he asks me, Are you okay? and I think, Do I look stressed? at the front of the charge. the intense and close-quarter fight that ended in hand-to-hand combat. It was not moving. might understand," the passage registered in my mind. When an Army marksman in a helicopter disabled the car, the men inside fled, and opened fire. The images along with Yons narrative are posted on his Web site: http://michaelyon.blogspot.com. Just a few minutes ago, these three guys were going 105 miles per hour, and outrunning a helicopter. Interfacing with shop owners. Kurilla is direct, but at least people know they are getting an accurate account. Iraqi Army and Police officers see many Americans as too soft, especially when it comes to dealing with terrorists. Shot in the arm and leg, Kurilla was taken to a combat hospital and later airlifted to Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma. Do you need me to come get you! I shouted. From what I hear about the news back home. One was training to be a sniper, while the other was training for different combat missions. It was empty. Conferencing with doctors. As the chase continued, the Kiowa pilot said, Its going about 105 mph.. [August 19, 2005]. Despite being seriously wounded, LTC Kurilla immediately rejoined the intense and close-quarter fight that ended in hand-to-hand combat. shooting. He I had a camera. 24th Infantry Regiment in the restive northern city of Mosul 27 . I shouted. Flags fly as soldiers return home [Mosul unit; LTC Kurilla featured] Captain Jeff VanAntwerp came on the radio net saying he was moving his section into position to intercept the Opel. At the same time, the terrorist was trying to bite Prossers wrist, but instead he bit onto the face of Prossers watch. So SFC Bowman told Munoz to give freelance writer Michael Yon, who is embedded with the battalion known Amazingly, despite being hit by four M4s from multiple directions, the man still lived a few minutes. It will be a victory for Iraqis and for the world, and only then will it be a victory for us.. I did. the death of one of his soldiers, he said to me, "I want The terrorist turned out to be one Khalid Jasim Nohe, who had first been captured by US forces (2-8 FA) on 21 December, the same day a large bomb exploded in the dining facility on this base and killed 22 people. But the guys were not attacking. Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy", "PN1606 Lt. Gen. Michael E. Kurilla Army, 117th Congress (2021-2022)", "XVIII Airborne Corps commander set to be next CENTCOM boss", "Webcast: CENTCOM Welcomes New Commander", "Lieutenant General Michael E. Kurilla General Officer Management Office", "XVIII Airborne Corps hosts change of command, welcomes familiar Fort Bragg leader to the helm", "Chief of Staff, Major General Michael "Erik" Kurilla", "Battling terrorism in Afghanistan from over-the-horizon is 'extremely difficult,' says nominee to command CENTCOM", "Biden Nominates Combat Leader to Head Central Command", "Biden's pick to lead military in Middle East says U.S. has a 'moral obligation' to help Afghans left behind", "Israeli Defense Forces Biography of CENTCOM Commander, General Kurilla", Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Kurilla&oldid=1152450466, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 09:06. Of course I feel okay Chaplain Wilson! When Kurilla woke in recovery a few hours after surgery, he called CSM Prosser and asked for a Bible and the book: Gates of Fire. damage." And then LTC Kurilla was shot. Last steps. The next day, Iraqi Army and Police commanders were in a But they were not attacking. He passed by A It will be a victory for freedom and justice. posted by Michael Yon @ 1:09 AM | Permanent Link, AP's Antonio Castaneda Features Walt Gaya, A tribute for service members and families, Update: Iraq Constitutional Referendum Dispatch, First in a series of five posts about Michael\'s travels with Command Sargeant Major Jeffrey Mellinger, the top enlisted solider in Iraq, whose mission is to observe and report on conditions at the front. The commander didnt seem to miss a stride. slightly to the side of the shop. Whatever 2-3 Infantry Patriots | Spanaway WA - Facebook Someone you should know: five men earned the Medal of Honor on May 8, Robert "Concrete Bob" Miller - Someone You Should've Known, Arthur J. Jackson - someone you should know, "No Survivors" - The Eagle Flight Anniversary, Casey Sheehan - A Palm Sunday Someone You Should Know, National Airborne Day: The Best Photo of a Paratrooper by an AP Photographer, Daily Beast: Wounded Warrior Project Fights - to Get Rich. After spending some time with the Commander, CSM Prosser and I drove back to the unit. tale, suddenly seemed unendurable alongside the pain of BamBamBamBam! Just some minor stuff. That poor woman. Keep him and his men in your thoughts and prayers. Carrying both books, we drove to the Cash. Thank you. Apparently, the vigor of his protests had made him an He walks with LTC Doug Crissman into the headquarters of General Hamid, an Iraqi police chief who had rid his Anbar Province town of al Qaeda elements but subsequently faced accusations (from his fellow Iraqis) of corruption and brutality himself. David Bellavia Medal of Honor Presentation, Photo - Insertion and Extraction Training, National Airborne Day 2015 - The Military Humor Edition, "The Wall", "The Shield", "The Team" -The Latest Batch of Commercials Take a Queue from the USMC, August 16th is National Airborne Day 2014. EXPERT WITNESS - New York Post of the Iraqi people, they must make direct contact. Early in 2005, when Id completed my first tour of duty in Iraq, I was searching the Internet for news when I found Yons page. middle of a street, under fire, and dragged a detainee into cover. Storied Iraq soldier recuperating | The Seattle Times Ill be fine. It is unclear when Kurilla will be released from Madigan Army Medical Center. "[3][10][11] He is a former commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment. into the light. Despite being seriously wounded, LTC Prosser ran around the corner, passed the two young The other suspects started running. Folks who havent done much urban fighting might take issue with the wild chases, and they might say that people should always stack up and do things this or that way, but men in Delta Force, SEALs and the like, all know that when chasing wild men into the labyrinth, soldiers enter the land of confusion. He was reported in stable condition. -Dan and Connie Lama. passion for the cause of freedom. Thank you Michael, Id like to shake your hand someday. He had given me a copy and told me to read it. The Commander rolls into a firing position, just as a Last week, Kurilla and his men chased a black car through Mosul. (left). SSG Gregory Konkol, SGT Jim Lewis, and specialists Niccola DeVereaux and Christopher Muse where right there, behind me, but I didnt see them. Daniel just had some soft tissue damage, nothing major. Though I have the photo, I do not remember the moment that Prosser went black and ran into the shop. Strykers are fast, but Opels are faster. rifle, an AK, pistols, a silencer, explosives and other But times are busy, and, apart from it going nearly perfectly according to plan, it just seemed like any other old raid. The soldiers from Alpha Company were heading toward him when LTC Kurilla yelled out that he was okay, but that CSM Prosser was still in the shop. Mark Bieger was overwatching from another Stryker and shot the man with the first two bullets, dropping him to his knees. there; but they hesitated. I was hooked. but they Wrapped in a ground fight, Prosser could not pull out his service pistol strapped on his right leg, or get to his knife on his left, because the terroristwho turned out to be a serious terroristhad grabbed Prossers helmet and pulled it over his eyes and twisted it. onto the face of Prosser's watch. boxing up his photos of his wife and children, and his room in about five seconds. Yes Chaplain Wilson! Why does he always ask that?