personnel were on the rooftop shooting back. Some SEALs had brought
their M4 rifles, others M79 40mm grenade launchers, others their Mk48
and Mk46 belt-fed machine guns. We unleashed incredible volleys of
fire back at the enemy fighters’ muzzle flashes. I directed an M79
gunner to put some 40mm illumination rounds up so we could better
identify our targets.
Leif was on the rooftop right next to me, shooting and directing fire.
The SEAL just beside him unloaded two full hundred-round belts
through his machine gun, spewing spent shell casings across the rooftop
that bounced with a metallic clink. Everybody was shooting, having a
hell of a time. There was much laughter as guys unloaded what was
clearly a ridiculous amount of gunfire at the enemy. Soon, the enemy
fighters were either dead or retreating and their attack subsided. The
SEAL machine gunner looked around with a smile.
“This is my third deployment to Iraq,” said the SEAL machine
gunner, excitedly. “And that’s the first time I’ve ever fired my machine
gun in combat.” It was his first day on the ground in Ramadi.
A few of us had been here for a week, including Leif, some of the
other key leaders, and me. But most of Task Unit Bruiser’s SEALs had
arrived only that day. As much fun as we had shooting from the rooftop,
this was a wake-up call for everyone in Task Unit Bruiser. This was
Ramadi, a total war zone and the most violent place in Iraq. For those of
us who had deployed to Iraq previously, it was a realization that this
time would be different—and a lot more dangerous. Welcome to
Ramadi.
* * *Throughout 2005 and 2006, the vast and volatile Al Anbar Province was