�Triple Deuce' Soldiers find, destroy more than 16 tons of explosives
Story by Spc. Jason Jordan
1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountaion Division
CAMP LIBERTY , Iraq � Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, discovered four caches in Abu Ghraib during a five-day period beginning March 11.
The Soldiers continued their search after discovering a weapons cache and found another site near the first.
After finding the second site, more troops were sent to scour the area and even more caches were found. The Soldiers came across the caches while crossing a field in the area.
�While searching for an insurgent in the area, we decided to conduct cache searches in the surrounding fields,� said 1st Lt. Christopher Buscaglia, a platoon leader with 2nd Battalion. �There, we discovered a large cache with a number of different items that could be used against the people of Iraq or Coalition Forces.�
Among the weapons discovered were hundreds of mortars, rockets, artillery rounds, grenades, 50 gallon drums full of rocket propelled grenade heads, 30,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, topographical maps and a book on Wahabi beliefs, he said.
The Soldiers estimate there were around 150 mortar rounds, 60 RPG rounds, 130 grenades, 120 rockets, charges for rocket and mortar heads, along with radios, batteries, electrical wires and 40 pounds of C-4 explosives. There were also several launching devices for the mortars, rockets and grenades.
The Soldiers believe the sites were possible cells of operation for improvised explosive devices due to their seemingly hasty placement.
�Since we began exploiting these caches, the number of IEDs in our own area of operation has dropped to almost zero,� said Lt. Col. Kevin Brown, 2nd Battalion commander. �Additionally, there is little doubt that these caches are feeding other IED cells operating in the Baghdad area. Finding these caches, which have a total of over 32,000 pounds of explosives, has greatly reduced the enemies ability to impact Iraqi and Coalition operations � making the area safer for everyone, including the civilian populace.�
Once the Soldiers uncovered each site's contents, an explosives ordnance team was called in to destroy the caches with controlled detonations.
�We conduct our mission each day with steadfast determination and persistence,� said 1st Lt. Kristofer Deniger, medical platoon leader with the battalion. �On days like this, when we have success in our fight, we disrupt anti-Iraqi forces and help prevent further harm to the local citizens and our Soldiers.�