30th Brigade VetPage
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In Memoriam
In 2004, during Operation Iraqi Freedom II, the 30th Brigade Combat Team lost the following Soldiers:
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For more information please click on their respective names: Jocelyn L. Carrasquillo, Christopher S. Cash, Daniel Alan Desens Jr., DeForest L. Talbert, and Michael S. Voss. Captain Cash, Commander of Alpha Company, 1/120th Infantry and Specialist Desens were Killed In Action while engaging Anti Iraqi Forces in Baqubah on June 24th, 2004. For heroism during this battle, Sergeant First Class Chad Stephens was awarded Silver Star on October 22nd, 2006 by Major General Ingram, Adjutant General of the North Carolina National Guard.
The 30th Heavy Separate Brigade of the North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) was mobilized in the fall of 2003 to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Units from various states to include North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia, Illinois and Alabama mobilized at Fort Bragg, NC and Fort Drum, NY for the next few months before leaving for Iraq in early 2004. The 30th Brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Dan Hickman and consisted of close to 4,000 Soldiers whose headquarters was at Camp Caldwell in Iraq's Diyala Province. While in Iraq, 30th Brigade was subordinate to the First Infantry Division, commanded by Major General John Batiste. The Brigade destroyed over 260 sites of captured enemy munitions and also trained over 1,000 Iraqi National Guard Soldiers, 1,200 Iraqi Border Police and 800 National Police. The Brigade's civil military effort supervised over $4,000,000 in reconstruction and infrastructure improvements in the Eastern Diyala Province. It was also responsible for patrolling the Iran-Iraq border with it's Iraqi counterparts. Upon the Brigade's return to the US it began to reorganize as a Unit of Action.
Thomas Ruyle, HHC 1/120th Infantry, S-2 Intel Analyst
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1. A/120 commander Captain Chris Cash (left) and Lieutenant Wilaby pose with captured Iraqi weapons on 1 APR 04 at FOB Caldwell, Iraq. Cash was killed by a sniper's bullet in Baqubah, Iraq on 24 JUN 04.
2. This is the crater from a rocket that landed on 2 DEC 04 while I was in a shower (not seen) about 80 meters away at FOB Bernstein, Iraq. I may have set a land-speed record from the shower to the Battalion TOC after the rocket landed.
3. Me standing with an Iraqi Electricity Ministry 'colonel' (local commander) during a luncheon in November 2004. The 'colonel,' whose rank was mistakenly assigned, threw a luncheon for a bunch of us as a traditional Iraqi gesture of goodwill. A nice guy, with a nice crew of about 5 or so men. Their job was to prevent destruction of electrical transmission lines. I'm not sure how well they really did...no one had electricity most of the time. The food was great, though.
4. October, 2004, FOB Bernstein, Iraq: Rainy season finally hit us, leaving a beautiful rainbow toward the north (looking toward Kirkuk). An unidentified interpreter is at right. The more amazing thing that day was that it was less than 90 degrees (F), and we all enjoyed it immensely.
5. Me at Taji Air Base, Iraq several hours after learning that Specialist Jocelyn Carrasquillo was Killed In Action (KIA) from an IED in Baghdad, Iraq, on 13 MAR 04. I may look relaxed in the photo, taken by Specialist Al Hacker, but I was on about my 23rd cigarette that day. It was a sad, angry day for the 120th going through Baghdad. Notice the Humvee doors - no armor at all. Talk about pucker factor! I remember not sleeping well that night. I also remember 4th ID folks lined up at Taji, pointing the other way (going home).
6. A November, 2004 meeting of the Sulayman Bak, Iraq, city council. CPT Wes Morrison (at rear, right of the man with the red keffiyah), commander of C/1/120 was there to mediate and represent the Americans.
Matt Sonner, Brigade Liaison Officer, 2002-2006
National Training Center
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The 30th Brigade deployed to the National Training Center in the summer of 2003 and practiced mechanized warfare for 2 weeks. The 11th Armored Calvary Regiment provided the Opposition Forces (OPFOR) and had the home team advantage. The US invasion of Iraq had already taken place and we were pretty sure "Old Hickory" would be called to Active Duty and sent overseas. The 30th Brigade would later serve during Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
Links
A comprehensive site on the history of the 30th Infantry Division.
ArmySteve's Pics. A Soldier from Ohio who served with the 30th during OIF II.
Articles about the 30th in the News & Observer.
Contact Information
You can contact me via email with any questions or comments. Please address it to Matt at tacarm@aol.com. I can also be reached at 910-672-0027.
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