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Narrator: IRAQ. 2004.
IN THE WAR-TORN STREETS OF FALLUJAH,
THE U.S. MILITARY HAS ONE MISSION --
TAKE THE CITY BACK FROM INSURGENTS.
Morgan: THEY WENT INTO A VERY, VERY INTENSE FIGHT
WITH A DETERMINED ENEMY.
Narrator: HOUSE BY HOUSE, THEY SWEEP THROUGH THE CITY
AND CLOSE IN ON A BATTLE-HARDENED ENEMY.
FALLUJAH, IRAQ, WAS THE SUPER BOWL OF URBAN FIGHTING.
[ SCREAMS ]
WE GOT TO GET OUR GUY OUT...
[ MAN SCREAMS ]
...AND THEN WHOEVER DID THIS HAS TO DIE.
THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
Narrator: STREET BY STREET, DOOR TO DOOR,
FACE TO FACE WITH A BRUTAL ENEMY
WILLING TO FIGHT TO THE VERY END --
THIS IS "WARRIOR P.O.V.: FALLUJAH."
Man: GRENADE!
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: THE VERY NAME OF THE CITY
CONJURES IMAGES OF VIOLENCE AND UNREST -- FALLUJAH.
JUST 43 MILES WEST OF BAGHDAD, IRAQ'S MOST VOLATILE CITY
HAS BECOME A HAVEN FOR RADICAL MUSLIM FIGHTERS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD
AND A LAUNCH PAD FOR INSURGENT OPERATIONS.
IN THE FALL OF 2004,
THE AMERICAN MILITARY BEGINS PLANNING A MASSIVE OPERATION
CODE-NAMED "PHANTOM FURY."
THE MISSION -- ELIMINATE THE ENEMY
AND TAKE CONTROL OF FALLUJAH.
THAT IS A NAME EVERYONE KNEW.
FALLUJAH, IRAQ, WAS THE SUPER BOWL OF URBAN FIGHTING.
A FORCE OF ABOUT 4,000 INSURGENTS
HAD EFFECTIVELY EXTENDED FULL CONTROL OVER THE CITY.
SO BAD GUY IN FALLUJAH KNEW THAT WAR WAS COMING
AND WAS GETTING READY FOR IT.
THE FIRST STEP OF OPERATION PHANTOM FURY
WAS TO ISOLATE THE CITY.
SO THE AMERICAN MILITARY ESTABLISHES A CORDON
AROUND THE CITY OF FALLUJAH.
AND THEN THE IDEA WAS THAT THAT RING
WOULD TIGHTEN AND TIGHTEN AND TIGHTEN.
Narrator: THE 300,000 CIVILIANS IN FALLUJAH
ARE WARNED OF THE IMPENDING INVASION.
ALMOST AS MUCH AS 90%
OF THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF THE CITY
TAKES THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT OF TOWN
BEFORE THE BATTLE.
Narrator: NOVEMBER 7th --
AFTER WEEKS OF PLANNING AND PREPARATION,
THE UNITED STATES ARMY AND MARINES
UNLEASH OPERATION PHANTOM FURY,
TURNING THE ENTIRE CITY INTO A MASSIVE KILL ZONE.
AMONG THE FIRST SENT INTO THE BATTLE
ARE THE MEN OF THE LEGENDARY 1st INFANTRY DIVISION --
A.K.A. THE BIG RED ONE.
FOR STAFF SERGEANT DAVID BELLAVIA,
THIS MOMENT COULDN'T COME SOON ENOUGH.
Bellavia: THE RAMP GOES DOWN, AND I'M LIKE, "HOLY COW.
THIS IS THE HIGGINS BOAT.
THIS IS MY GENERATION'S NORMANDY.
THAT SHAKY PHOTOGRAPH IS WHAT I'M GONNA SHOW MY GRANDKIDS.
YOU KNOW, "I WAS THERE. YOUR GRANDDAD WAS THERE."
I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE FELT MORE ALIVE
THAN STANDING TOGETHER WITH MARINES,
WITH AIR FORCE OVERHEAD.
WE HAD EVERYTHING BUT NAVAL BOMBARDMENTS.
THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME IN MODERN HISTORY
THAT YOU WERE IN ONE SET PLAY,
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH EVERY BRANCH OF SERVICE.
THAT ALL-STAR TEAM OF TERRORISTS --
THEY LITERALLY GOT EVERYTHING THAT OUR GENERATION HAD.
Narrator: BELLAVIA'S PLATOON ARE AMONG THE FIRST
TO CUT INTO THE HEART OF FALLUJAH,
WHICH NOW RESEMBLES A GHOST TOWN.
THAT WAS THE MOST STARTLING THING --
THERE WAS NOBODY AROUND.
EVERYBODY WHO HAD REMAINED INFLUENTIAL
WAS PRESUMED TO BE AN ENEMY.
Narrator: WITH BRADLEY FIGHTING VEHICLES PROVIDING ARMORED SUPPORT,
THEY HEAD SOUTH
AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF CLEARING THE CITY
HOUSE BY HOUSE.
Man: GO, GO, GO, GO.
[ DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE ]
NOVEMBER 8, 2004 -- MIDNIGHT.
AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF FIGHTING,
THE MEN OF THE 1st INFANTRY DIVISION 2-2
HAVE TAKEN UP POSITIONS ADJACENT TO A LARGE MOSQUE.
STAFF SERGEANT DAVID BELLAVIA AND HIS SQUAD
SET UP A ROOFTOP WATCH.
Bellavia: THE ROOFTOP HAD TWO BUILDINGS ADJOINING.
YOU COULD LITERALLY TOUCH THE WINDOW OF THE NEIGHBOR
FROM THE ROOFTOP.
Narrator: BUT SOMETHING LURKS IN THE SHADOWS.
Bellavia: PEOPLE ARE SEEING THINGS,
AND I'M GETTING THESE REPORTS OF MOVEMENT.
Narrator: PRIVATE FIRST CLASS ALEX STUCKARD TELLS BELLAVIA
THAT HE SAW SOMEONE IN A WINDOW ONLY FEET AWAY.
Bellavia: I WANTED TO BE VERY SURE THAT WE WEREN'T JUST FIRING
FOR RECONNAISSANCE PURPOSES --
THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, DROPPING TARGETS.
Narrator: STUCKARD IS CONVINCED HE SAW AN INSURGENT.
BELLAVIA GIVES THE ORDER.
FIRE.
[ MAN SCREAMING ]
Narrator: SURE ENOUGH, A GRAVELY INJURED INSURGENT
CAN BE HEARD SCREAMING THROUGH THE WINDOW.
Bellavia: HAD HE NOT HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND
TO LOOK AT A WINDOW IN HIS SECTOR OF FIRE,
I MAY VERY WELL HAVE LOST AN ENTIRE SQUAD THAT DAY.
Man: I THINK HE'***.
Narrator: SOMEHOW THE INSURGENT SURVIVES THIS BARRAGE.
THEY DESPERATELY WANT TO STOP HIM FROM MAKING NOISE.
THEIR CONCERN IS HE WILL ALERT OTHER INSURGENT FIGHTERS
TO THEIR POSITION.
[ MAN SCREAMING ]
Narrator: THE WOUNDED MAN DISAPPEARS FROM VIEW.
NO ONE CAN GET A CLEAR SHOT.
WITHIN A COUPLE HOURS, THE SUN APPEARS OVER THE HORIZON.
[ MAN SHOUTING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
BELOW THE MEN, THE SCREAMS OF THE WOUNDED INSURGENT
HAVE REVEALED THEIR LOCATION TO EVERY ENEMY FIGHTER
WITHIN EARSHOT.
[ MAN SHOUTING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
HE SCREAMS SO MUCH THAT HE ULTIMATELY DOES DO
WHAT THEY WERE AFRAID OF TO BEGIN WITH,
AND THAT IS HE ALERTS OTHER INSURGENT FIGHTERS IN THE AREA
THAT THERE ARE AMERICANS THERE,
AND THEY ARE THEN ULTIMATELY ATTRACTED TO THAT POINT.
Narrator: SUDDENLY, HE GETS A RESPONSE,
THEN ANOTHER AND ANOTHER.
FROM EVERY DIRECTION,
INSURGENT VOICES AND WHISTLES CALL OUT,
RESPONDING TO THE SCREAMS.
Bellavia: ALL THE SPIT IN MY MOUTH JUST KIND OF DRIED
'CAUSE I ASKED SERGEANT FITTS --
I SAID, "HOW MANY DO YOU THINK THAT WAS?"
AND EVERYONE WAS LISTENING TO OUR CONVERSATION,
AND I BECAME AWARE OF THAT, AND HE'S LIKE, "OH, 20, 25."
AND I'M LIKE, "YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, TOO."
AND HE'S LIKE, "I THINK IT'S ABOUT 60 --
60 TO 70 GUYS OUT THERE."
AND I'M LIKE, "LOOK, I THINK WE'RE IN DEEP TROUBLE HERE."
Narrator: BELLAVIA AND HIS MEN
ARE ABOUT TO ENTER THEIR FIRST MAJOR FIREFIGHT
OF PHANTOM FURY.
NORMALLY, BELLAVIA CAN COUNT ON THE BRADLEY FIGHTING VEHICLE
FOR SUPPORT,
BUT NOT THIS TIME.
Bellavia: OUR SECTION OF BRADLEYS
AT THAT POINT GOT CALLED TO HELP 1st PLATOON.
SO NOW WE HAD NO MECHANIZED SUPPORT BY FIRE AT ALL.
NO BASE OF SUPPORT.
Narrator: SURROUNDED BY INSURGENTS
AND CUT OFF FROM SUPPORT,
ALL BELLAVIA AND HIS MEN CAN DO IS WAIT.
Morgan: THEY CAN HEAR MOVEMENT. THEY CAN HEAR WEAPONS.
THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A FIGHT.
THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE IN FOR SOMETHING INTENSE.
Narrator: BELLAVIA TAKES STOCK OF THE SITUATION.
HE KNOWS THAT WHATEVER THEY LACK IN MAN POWER,
THEY MAKE UP FOR WITH FIREPOWER.
IN A TYPICAL SQUAD,
WE'D HAVE AN M249 SQUAD AUTOMATIC WEAPON -- BELT-FED.
WE HAVE, EVERY NOW AND THEN, THE M240 BRAVO.
YOU'D HAVE RIFLEMEN EQUIPPED WITH M4 CARBINES,
SOMETIMES WITH THE M203 GRENADE LAUNCHER ON IT.
AND THAT'S JUST WHAT THE SQUAD ON THE GROUND
WAS CAPABLE OF DELIVERING
IN TERMS OF DIRECTED SMALL-ARMS FIRE.
THAT'S DEVASTATING IN AND OF ITSELF.
BELLAVIA, AT THAT MOMENT, IS THRUST INTO A POSITION
THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHER YOUNG AMERICANS LIKE HIM
HAVE BEEN THRUST IN IN 236 YEARS
OF THE HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC,
AND THAT IS HE HAS TO FUNCTION AS A LEADER
AND GIVE HIS MEN THE PEP TALK -- A COMBAT PEP TALK.
Narrator: BELLAVIA GATHERS HIS MEN AND PRESENTS A BOLD, DIRECT PLAN.
Bellavia: WE JUST SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT --
THIS IS GONNA BE OUR LITTLE ALAMO.
SO INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, PRETENDING,
WE'RE NOT LEAVING THIS ROOFTOP.
IF THESE GUYS WANT TO COME TO US, THEY HAVE THE AUDACITY,
WE'RE STILL THE BIG RED ONE.
SO IF THEY WANT TO COME AND TEST US OUT,
I FIGURED LET'S MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM.
Morgan: THEN HE TELLS HIS MEN, "WE'VE GOT THE TOOLS TO DO THIS.
"WE CAN HOLD OUT. WE'VE GOT SUPERIOR FIREPOWER.
"WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
"THEY HAVE TO COME ACROSS THE OPEN TO GET TO US,
"AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T HOLD OUT.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO."
All: HOOAH!
Bellavia: SO I PUT SECURITY DOWNSTAIRS
BY THE DOORS AND THE WINDOWS.
I HAD EVERYONE LAY THEIR MAGAZINES OUT,
MAKE IT REAL EASY.
BARRELS OUT -- I MEAN, I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A FIREFIGHT
WHERE I HAD A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY PREPARE
FOR BARREL CHANGES AND MAGAZINES THAT WERE NOT ON US.
WE WEREN'T GOING ANYWHERE.
WE WERE GONNA LIVE OR DIE ON THAT ROOFTOP.
Narrator: THE MEN OF THE 1st INFANTRY DIVISION 2-2
KNOW THE ATTACK COULD BEGIN AT ANY MOMENT.
A SMALL GROUP OF INSURGENTS MOVES IN FROM THE NORTHWEST.
THE SECURITY TEAM ON THE GROUND FLOOR,
LED BY STAFF SERGEANT COLIN FITTS,
ENGAGES THEM.
THEY REGROUP WITH DAVID BELLAVIA ON THE ROOFTOP.
A SILENCE FALLS OVER THE AREA.
BELLAVIA AND HIS MEN
KNOW THAT THERE MUST BE MORE FIGHTERS NEARBY.
IT'S AT THAT POINT THAT ONE ENEMY INSURGENT FIGHTER
DOES SOMETHING REALLY REMARKABLE.
HE COMES OUT IN THE OPEN.
HE'S CARRYING A BELT-FED MACHINE GUN.
AND HE'S TAUNTING BELLAVIA AND HIS MEN.
HE'S YELLING AT THEM.
[ SHOUTING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
Bellavia: HE WAS A BIG, BIG MAN.
HE WAS BASICALLY TELLING US TO BRING IT ON.
[ SHOUTING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
Bellavia: I WAS THE BEST N.C.O. I COULD BE,
AND AT THAT MOMENT, I DECIDED I WANT TO BE SUPERMAN.
AND SO I WENT TO ALL MY SOLDIERS
AND SAID, "WE'RE ALL GONNA KILL THIS GUY.
"EVERYONE'S GONNA GET THE FIRST KILL OF THIS BATTLE.
"AND WE'RE GONNA SET THE TONE.
SO I WANT EVERYONE TO PUT A SHOT INTO HIM."
[ SHOUTING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
Man: TAKE HIM!
[ RAPID GUNFIRE ]
Bellavia: BUT HE WAS THERE TO SHOW OUR POSITIONS,
AND I GAVE HIM EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED.
AND AS SOON AS THESE KIDS FIRED,
EVERY SINGLE POSITION TO OUR NORTH FIRED BACK.
[ GUNFIRE ]
Narrator: THEIR POSITION IS NOW FULLY REVEALED TO THE ENEMY.
[ GUNFIRE CONTINUES ]
Bellavia: IN THAT CHESS MATCH,
WE TOOK A CHECK RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
[ Chuckling ] WE MOVED THAT BISHOP AND THE PAWN,
AND, MAN, THAT WAS A MISTAKE.
[ GUNFIRE ]
[ EXPLOSION ]
[ SHOUTS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
[ GUNFIRE ]
Narrator: BUT THE ENEMY GAINS A FOOTHOLD IN THE BUILDINGS
SURROUNDING THEIR POSITION.
BELLAVIA AND HIS MEN RADIO FOR HELP.
STAFF SERGEANT COREY BROWN
ARRIVES IN HIS BRADLEY FIGHTING VEHICLE
TO LEND A HAND.
HE HAD BEEN SUPPORTING ANOTHER CRIPPLED BRADLEY
TO THE SOUTH,
BUT IS NOW FREE TO JOIN THE FIGHT.
THE BRADLEY'S POWERFUL BUSHMASTER CANNON
BEGINS POUNDING ENEMY POSITIONS.
JUST AS THE TIDE OF THE BATTLE
IS ABOUT TO TURN BACK TO THE AMERICANS' FAVOR,
THE BRADLEY APPEARS TO BREAK DOWN.
THE ENEMY SMELLS BLOOD IN THE WATER.
INSURGENTS POUR INTO THE STREET
AND SURROUND THE CRIPPLED VEHICLE,
READY TO FINISH IT OFF.
[ GUNFIRE ]
Narrator: FALLUJAH, IRAQ -- NOVEMBER 8, 2004.
OPERATION PHANTOM FURY,
A DARING MISSION TO TAKE BACK THE INSURGENT-HELD CITY,
IS IN FULL-SWING.
WHILE DAVID BELLAVIA AND HIS MEN
DEFEND THEIR ROOFTOP POSITION,
INSURGENTS MOVE INTO THE STREET
TO TAKE OUT STAFF SERGEANT COREY BROWN'S
CRIPPLED BRADLEY FIGHTING VEHICLE.
BUT THE INSURGENTS ARE IN FOR A SURPRISE.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRADLEY.
IT HAS ALL BEEN A RUSE TO LURE INSURGENTS OUT INTO THE OPEN.
WE DID A KAMIKAZE RUN
WITH ONE OF THE BRADLEY FIGHTING VEHICLES,
WHERE WE DROVE IT UP A WAY
AND JUST STALLED IT OUT AND HAD HIM TURN OFF HIS ENGINE
JUST TO SEE WHAT THESE GUYS WOULD DO.
AND THESE GUYS CAME FLYING OUT.
THANK GOD THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND MODERN ENGINEERING
BECAUSE THE GUN WAS STILL ON, AND IT WAS UGLY.
[ CANNON FIRING ]
IT WAS AWE-INSPIRING TO SEE WHAT THE DAMAGE COULD DO.
AND ONCE THEY CAME OUT OF COVER,
HE MADE THEM PAY, AND THEY PAID WITH THEIR LIVES.
Narrator: BELLAVIA'S MEN OPEN UP FROM THE ROOFTOP.
[ EXPLOSION ]
IT IS A CRITICAL TURNING POINT IN THE BATTLE.
OVER THREE HOURS AFTER THE SHOOTING BEGAN,
THE FIGHTING DIES OFF.
THE ADVANCES FROM THE ENEMY POSITIONS HAD STOPPED,
AND THEIR ASSAULT SQUADS WERE ELIMINATED.
WHEN THESE MEN COME OUT OF THE FIGHT,
THEY COME OUT OF IT
WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF CONFIDENCE,
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY WENT INTO A REAL FIGHT --
A VERY, VERY INTENSE FIGHT WITH A DETERMINED ENEMY.
I NEVER FIRED MY WEAPON ONE TIME -- NOT ONE TIME.
Dever: HIS PRIMARY JOB IN THE LEADERSHIP IS TO DIRECT HIS MEN.
WHAT HE DID WAS HE DIRECTED THE MACHINE GUN,
HE DIRECTED HIS FIRE TEAMS.
IN OTHER WORDS, HIS MEN BECOME AN EXTENSION
OF HIS VISION OF THE BATTLEFIELD.
THAT'S LEADERSHIP IN ITS TRUEST SENSE.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT OUT OF A SQUAD LEADER.
THE WAY THAT THE HUMAN MIND INTERACTS WITH COMBAT
AND REACTS TO COMBAT
IS SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT CHANGED
FROM FALLUJAH IN NOVEMBER 2004 TO ANTIETAM IN 1862.
WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A CONSTANT --
THAT MEN THAT ARE WELL-LED BY A SKILLED LEADER
WILL ALWAYS RISE TO THE CALL.
Bellavia: THAT DAY, THOSE SOLDIERS BECAME LEADERS.
AND I THINK EVERY COMBAT LEADER WANTS TO KNOW
THAT THEY'RE REPLACEABLE.
THAT'S YOUR LEGACY, YOU KNOW, AS AN N.C.O.
ARE YOUR SOLDIERS BETTER N.C.O.s THAN YOU ARE?
IF THEY ARE, YOU'RE A STUD.
Man: MOVE!
Bellavia: INFANTRYMEN NEED TO BE BETTER THAN THEIR LEADERS,
AND MY GUYS WERE... MY GUYS WERE GOOD.
Narrator: LESS THAN 48 HOURS LATER,
BELLAVIA'S LEADERSHIP WOULD BE PUT TO THE TEST AGAIN.
NOVEMBER 10, 2004 -- MIDNIGHT.
THE MEN OF THE 3rd PLATOON ARE SLOGGING THEIR WAY
THROUGH THE ASKARI DISTRICT.
THEY ENTER THE COURTYARD OF A LARGE HOUSE.
STAFF SERGEANT COLIN FITTS AND SOME OF THE MEN
GET PINNED DOWN BY ENEMY FIRE FROM A STAIRWELL.
BELLAVIA IS NEAR THE ENTRANCE, OUT OF THE DIRECT LINE OF FIRE.
Man: FIRE NOW, OR WE'RE NOT GETTING OUT OF HERE ALIVE!
[ MAN SCREAMS ]
Bellavia: BULLETS WERE GOING EVERYWHERE.
IT'S JUST -- I CAN'T GET A HOLD OF THE SITUATION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
Narrator: FITTS PLEADS WITH BELLAVIA TO DO SOMETHING.
HE WAS JUST LIKE,
"IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING, WE'RE DONE."
THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
LIKE, "IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING,
"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE THEN.
YOU KNOW, FORGET IT."
[ GUNFIRE ]
[ SCREAMS ]
Narrator: OUTSIDE THE HOUSE,
ONE OF BELLAVIA'S SOLDIERS IS WOUNDED BY SHRAPNEL.
THIS SOLDIER WAS JUST SAYING, "I CAN'T SEE.
MY EYES -- LIKE, I'M COVERED IN GLASS -- MY EYES."
THAT WAS IT. I WAS READY.
I WAS LIKE, "I'M READY TO TASTE MY OWN BLOOD.
"I'M READY TO TASTE WHOEVER'S BLOOD I GOT TO.
BUT I'M GONNA KILL THIS GUY. I'M GONNA KILL HIM."
SO I JUST SAID, "GIVE ME A MACHINE GUN, AND WE'LL DO THIS."
Narrator: BELLAVIA'S MEN TOSS IN A S.A.W. WITH A 200-ROUND DRUM.
[ MAN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY ]
Man: GO, GO, GO, GO, GO!
GO, GO, GO!
[ MEN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY ]
MOVE! MOVE!
Narrator: BELLAVIA'S S.A.W. CLICKS EMPTY.
[ GUNFIRE ]
Bellavia: I JUST TURNED AROUND, AND I RAN,
AND I LITERALLY BRUISED MY BUTT FROM MY FEET.
LIKE, THAT IS THE ADRENALINE I HAD GOING.
AND ROUNDS WERE COMING BEHIND ME.
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
"I AM LITERALLY RUNNING LIKE A COWARD."
GUYS, KEEP YOUR HEADS DOWN!
Narrator: OUTSIDE IN THE COURTYARD,
THERE IS CONFUSION AMONG THE MEN.
BELLAVIA IS ANGRY WITH HIMSELF FOR NOT FINISHING THE JOB.
Bellavia: IT WAS JUST COMPLETE SHAME, DISHONOR.
THAT'S HOW HORRIBLE I FELT.
HE WAS OVERWHELMED WITH THIS FEELING
THAT HE HAD TO EXHIBIT LEADERSHIP.
Bellavia: AND I WAS LIKE, "THAT'S IT. I'M TAKING THIS OVER."
I EXCHANGED MY S.A.W. FOR AN M16A4 WITH AN M203.
Narrator: BELLAVIA ASSEMBLES A DARING RE-ENTRY OF THE BUILDING.
HE WENT IN HIMSELF BECAUSE HE RECOGNIZED
THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO
AS A COMBAT LEADER
IS THAT YOU HAVE TO SHOW THE WAY.
Narrator: TWO OTHER SOLDIERS JOIN HIM,
ALONG WITH STAFF SERGEANT SCOTT LAWSON.
WHILE LAWSON KEEPS AN EYE ON THE KITCHEN WINDOW,
BELLAVIA STATIONS TWO OTHER MEN AT EACH SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AN INSURGENT APPEARS ON THE ROOFTOP
AND COVERS THE ENTRANCE,
KEEPING FITTS AND THE OTHERS FROM BACKING UP BELLAVIA.
BELLAVIA ENTERS ALONE.
AS ONE OF THE INSURGENTS PREPS AN RPG,
BELLAVIA READIES HIS M203 GRENADE LAUNCHER.
THE 40-MILLIMETER LITERALLY WENT RIGHT OUT THE BACK DOOR.
I MEAN, IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A BETTER BAD SHOT.
Narrator: PLAN "B" -- BELLAVIA CUTS LOOSE WITH HIS M16,
TAKING OUT ONE OF THE INSURGENTS.
THE OTHER GUY RAN FOR THE KITCHEN,
AND I PEPPERED HIM IN THE BACK.
AND I REALLY THOUGHT THE JOB WAS DONE AT THAT POINT.
Narrator: JUST AS SCOTT LAWSON ENTERS,
THE FIGHTER JUMPS BACK OUT OF THE KITCHEN.
LAWSON IS SHOT IN THE ARM.
[ GRUNTS ]
Narrator: HE GOES BACK OUTSIDE.
BELLAVIA IS ON HIS OWN ONCE AGAIN.
HE CLEARS A BEDROOM ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
Bellavia: SOMETHING JUST HITS ME IN THE ARM,
AND I'M LIKE, "HOW THE HECK DID THAT HAPPEN?"
I WAS AIMING AT THE DOOR.
Narrator: TRACERS JUST MISS BELLAVIA,
BUT THIS TIME, THEY ARE COMING FROM INSIDE THE SAME ROOM.
[ SCREAMS ]
I JUST SEE THIS GUY RUNNING THE OPPOSITE WAY.
SO, HE'S SQUEEZING THE TRIGGER WITH IT ON HIS BACK.
Narrator: BELLAVIA HITS THE FLEEING FIGHTER IN THE LEG
JUST AS HE ESCAPES OUT OF THE ROOM
AND UP THE STAIRS.
ANOTHER INSURGENT CLOSES IN ON BELLAVIA'S POSITION.
THE GUY FROM DOWN THE STAIRS
STARTS TALKING IN A VERY BRITISH ACCENT --
VERY EDUCATED, CALM, SPOOKY.
AND HE SAYS HE'S GONNA CUT MY HEAD OFF.
AND SO MY RESPONSE TO HIM IS, LIKE, THE WORST BASIC ARABIC --
YOU KNOW, LIKE, "STOP OR I'LL SHOOT,"
YOU KNOW, "ME TALK PRETTY,"
YOU KNOW, LIKE I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
Narrator: USING HIS NIGHT-VISION GOGGLES,
BELLAVIA IS ABLE TO SEE HIM PEERING THROUGH THE DOORWAY.
AND I THINK, "YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GONNA SHOOT THROUGH THE WALL.
LET'S JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS."
I GIVE IT ABOUT A TWO-FINGER LEAD ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR.
AND I HIT THE GUY, AND HE DIED.
AND I WAS LIKE, "WHAT? WASN'T THAT SOMETHING?
IT DOES WORK, YOU KNOW?"
Narrator: BELLAVIA MOVES OUT OF THE BEDROOM
AND CAREFULLY MAKES HIS WAY UP THE STAIRS.
SO, WHEN BELLAVIA REACHES THE TOP OF THE STAIRS,
HE SEES THAT THE MAN HAS GONE INTO A ROOM.
Bellavia: HE GOES INTO A ROOM.
HE LOOKS AT ME. I LOOK AT HIM.
I FLICK A GRENADE.
AND THE GRENADE GOES INTO THE CORNER OF THE ROOM,
AND HE FALLS DOWN.
[ THUD ]
[ EXPLOSION ]
Narrator: FALLUJAH, IRAQ.
THE HOUSE-BY-HOUSE BATTLE
TO CLEAR INSURGENTS OUT OF THE CITY IS UNDERWAY.
ARMY STAFF SERGEANT DAVID BELLAVIA
IS ALONE IN A HOUSE FULL OF INSURGENT FIGHTERS.
HE'S TRACKED AN INSURGENT INTO AN UPSTAIRS ROOM
AND LOBS A GRENADE TO TAKE HIM OUT.
BOOM!
HE THEN STEPS THROUGH, AND HE'S ABOUT TO FIRE,
BUT HE NOTICES THE ROOM IS LINED WITH PROPANE TANKS
AND EXPLOSIVES.
SO HE HESITATES TO USE HIS WEAPON
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO SET THEM OFF.
AND I JUST WENT IN THERE, AND I HAD MY WEAPON,
AND I JUST TOOK IT MARK MAGUIRE.
[ GRUNTS ]
I HIT THIS GUY AS HARD AS I COULD.
Narrator: BUT THIS COMBATANT HAS A LOT OF FIGHT LEFT IN HIM.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT -- HE HIT ME REALLY HARD.
I'VE NEVER BEEN HIT LIKE THAT.
Narrator: THE TWO MEN LOCK IN A DESPERATE HAND-TO-HAND FIGHT TO THE DEATH.
[ SHOUTING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
I JUST REMEMBER SCREAMING -- HIM SCREAMING,
AND...I'M PUTTING PRESSURE ON HIS NECK WITH MY FOREARM.
[ SCREAMS ]
Narrator: THE ENEMY MANAGES TO THRUST THE GUN
INTO BELLAVIA'S FACE AGAIN.
Bellavia: MY MOUTH JUST STARTS FILLING UP WITH BLOOD,
AND THIS GUY'S KICKING MY ***.
AND I'M LIKE, "THIS IS HOW I'M GONNA FRICKIN' DIE."
I TOOK MY FINGER, AND I STUCK IT IN HIS EYE.
[ SCREAMS ]
I FELT LIKE, "YOU KNOW, YOU CAN KILL THIS GUY IF YOU DO THIS."
AND THEN I REALIZED I'M TRYING TO KILL THIS GUY.
YOU KNOW, "WHAT THE HELL?"
[ SCREAMS ]
AND I COULD HEAR SOMEONE UPSTAIRS SCREAMING DOWN,
AND HE'S ANSWERING HIM.
AND SO I'M TRYING TO COVER HIS MOUTH.
[ GRUNTING ]
Narrator: BELLAVIA IS ABLE TO PULL ONE OF THE PLATES
FROM HIS BODY ARMOR...
[ BOTH GRUNTING ]
...BUT THE MAN SIMPLY WON'T GIVE IN.
HE VICIOUSLY BITES BELLAVIA.
[ SCREAMS ]
BELLAVIA KNOWS THAT HE HAS TO END THIS FIGHT NOW.
[ GRUNTING ]
AND I WAS LIKE, "I GOT A FREAKIN' GERBER, MAN."
Narrator: THE GERBER IS A UTILITY KNIFE, NOT A PRIMARY FIGHTING WEAPON.
I GOT A GERBER,
AND I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH THAT THING.
[ GRUNTING ]
I JUST WENT IN AND... AND I GOT HIM.
[ CLATTER ]
Narrator: BUT HE KNOWS THERE IS ONE MORE INSURGENT.
OUTSIDE OF THE ROOM IS A PATIO.
THE FINAL INSURGENT IS ON THE ROOF.
I WORKED MY WAY OUTSIDE, AND THERE WAS, LIKE, A PATIO --
A SECOND-FLOOR PATIO.
AND THIS DUDE JUST JUMPS RIGHT DOWN.
I MEAN, HE JUMPS RIGHT DOWN IN FRONT OF ME.
Narrator: THE FIGHT FOR THE HOUSE IS FINALLY OVER.
IN AN AMAZING FEAT OF BRAVERY AND SKILL,
STAFF SERGEANT DAVID BELLAVIA HAS SINGLE-HANDEDLY WIPED OUT
AN ENTIRE HOUSE FULL OF INSURGENTS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY EXAMPLES
OF SUPER-SOLDIER BEHAVIOR
I HAVE EVER HEARD OF IN MY ENTIRE LIFE
OF STUDYING THE WAY THAT THE UNITED STATES ARMY
HAS FOUGHT SINCE ITS CREATION.
Narrator: IN THE COMING DAYS,
BELLAVIA AND THE MEN OF THE 1st INFANTRY DIVISION
REGROUP AND PUSH SOUTH INTO THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
ALL ACROSS FALLUJAH, INTENSE COMBAT CONTINUES TO RAGE
AS SOLDIERS AND MARINES CLEAR THE CITY HOUSE BY HOUSE.
THE MARINES OF 2nd PLATOON KILO 3/5
ARE PUSHING BACK THROUGH THE JOLAN DISTRICT,
DOUBLE-CHECKING FOR INSURGENTS THAT HAVE SNUCK BACK IN.
TENSIONS ARE HIGH, AND THEY HAVE TO STAY ALERT.
ABC NEWS REPORTER NICK WATT WAS EMBEDDED WITH KILO 3/5
AND SAW THIS FIRSTHAND.
Watt: THEIR MAIN CHALLENGE WAS TO KEEP TOTALLY FOCUSED
AND TOTALLY READY FOR ANY DANGER WHENEVER IT HAPPENED
'CAUSE A LOT OF THE TIMES, YOU GO INTO A HOUSE,
THERE COULD BE THREE GUYS ARMED TO THE TEETH,
OR THERE COULD BE NOTHING.
YOU DON'T KNOW.
YOU'VE GOT TO ASSUME THERE'S GONNA BE A DANGER
EVERY TIME YOU OPEN THE DOOR, EVERY HOUSE YOU TO INTO.
KEEPING UP THAT LEVEL OF INTENSITY AND CONCENTRATION
MUST BE VERY HARD.
[ MEN TALKING INDISTINCTLY ]
Narrator: NOVEMBER 17, 2004.
THE MARINES ARE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD
WHERE THEY SUSTAINED CASUALTIES ONLY DAYS EARLIER.
WE'RE GOING HOUSE TO HOUSE CLEARING FROM THE BOTTOM
ALL THE WAY TO THE ROOFTOP,
JUMPING THE ROOF, IN MOST CASES, TO THE NEXT ROOF,
CLEARING TO THE BOTTOM.
AND ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY,
WE STARTED TO HEAR GUNFIRE IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY.
Lenard: I WAS HEARING POP SHOTS TO THE SOUTH
OF WHERE MY TEAM WAS CLEARING.
AND WE HEADED SOUTH
AND TRIED TO LOCATE WHERE THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM.
Arellano: LANCE CORPORAL LENARD, AT THE TIME,
AND LANCE CORPORAL FERNANDEZ
SAW IT FIT TO GO AND GET INTO POSITION
WITH THE OTHER SQUAD.
[ MAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
Lenard: THE FIRE WAS ACTUALLY COMING FROM A HOUSE
ON THE SECOND STORY,
AND THEY WERE FIRING ACROSS THE STREET.
Narrator: BUT FERNANDEZ AND LENARD CAN'T GET A CLEAR SHOT
FROM THEIR POSITION.
I GOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO WHERE I THOUGHT I COULD GET A GRENADE
UP ONTO THE SECOND STORY,
SO WE STOPPED.
I HAD HIM HOLD MY RIFLE
BECAUSE IT WAS GONNA TAKE A LITTLE OOMPH
TO GET THIS GRENADE UP ONTO THE SECOND STORY
OF THIS BUILDING.
BOTH SIDES OF THE BATTLE OF FALLUJAH
MAKE USE OF ONE OF THE MORE PROLIFIC WEAPONS
OF THE 20th CENTURY, AND THAT IS
THE STANDARD-FRAGMENTATION HAND GRENADE.
[ MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]
Narrator: THE BLAST STUNS THE INSURGENTS,
ALLOWING LENARD AND FERNANDEZ TO MOVE ACROSS THE STREET
AND JOIN UP WITH ANOTHER SQUAD.
I JUST STARTED GRABBING GUYS.
I SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GO UP THERE.
"THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA GET THESE GUYS
IS BY GOING UP THERE AND GETTING THEM."
I SAID, "LET'S GO."
Narrator: WITH LEONARD LEADING THE WAY,
THE MARINES MOVE IN
AND FIND A LOCKED DOOR AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS.
Lenard: I LOVED BEING THE FIRST ONE TO KICK IN THE DOOR.
IT WAS A RUSH YOU CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE.
"I'M GONNA KICK IN THIS DOOR,
AND I'M GONNA SMOKE WHOEVER'S ON THE OTHER SIDE."
AND THIS ISN'T ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS
WHERE THERE MAY BE SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE.
YOU KNOW THERE'S SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE WITH A GUN.
AND THE ONLY THING BETWEEN YOU AND HIM
IS A DOOR WITH SHEET METAL.
AND IT'S, "YOU READY? LET'S DO THIS."
[ GRUNTS ]
Narrator: THE DOOR OPENS ON TO A ROOFTOP PATIO
WITH A SMALL STRUCTURE ON TOP.
LENARD IMMEDIATELY TAKES FIRE FROM ONE OF THE DOORWAYS.
HE MUST HAVE HAD THE BETTER ANGLE ON ME
BECAUSE AS I WAS COMING AROUND, HE ENDED UP SHOOTING MY RIFLE.
HE SHOT ME THROUGH THE WRIST.
THE NEXT THING I KNOW, I HEAR, "PING, PING, PING."
AND I LOOK OVER, AND THERE WAS A GRENADE
THAT HE JUST TOSSED OUT OF THE ROOM.
IT LANDED RIGHT BESIDE ME.
[ GRUNTS ]
Narrator: NOVEMBER 17, 2004 --
THE BATTLE FOR FALLUJAH.
THE U.S. MILITARY CONTINUES TO CLOSE THE VICE IN
ON THE INSURGENTS IN THE CITY.
THIS IS DAY 10 OF OPERATION PHANTOM FURY.
WOUNDED AND WITHOUT HIS WEAPON,
MARINE WILLIAM LENARD TAKES COVER FROM AN INSURGENT GRENADE.
I DUCKED, WAITED ON THE GRENADE TO GO OFF, AND IT NEVER DID.
Narrator: FORTUNATELY FOR LENARD, THE GRENADE IS A DUD.
HE MAKES IT BACK TO THE STAIRWELL
WHERE THE CORPSMAN EXAMINES HIS INJURIES.
Lenard: HE SAID, "LENARD, WE NEED TO GET YOU OUT OF HERE."
SO, WE STARTED GOING DOWN THE STAIRS.
I TOOK ABOUT THREE STEPS DOWN THE STAIRS.
I SAID, "I GOT TO GO GET MY GUN.
I'M NOT LEAVING HERE WITHOUT MY GUN."
THEN HE SAID, "OKAY."
I SAID, "WELL, GIVE ME YOUR SHOTGUN."
Narrator: LENARD CHARGES BACK ONTO THE PATIO
TO RETRIEVE HIS RIFLE.
Lenard: I TOSS TWO GRENADES IN THERE.
[ EXPLOSIONS ]
I COULDN'T REALLY SEE MUCH.
IT WAS SO FOGGY IN THE ROOM AFTER GRENADES WENT OFF.
UNLOADED ABOUT THREE ROUNDS INTO THE ROOM,
GRABBED MY GUN, AND SAID, "OKAY. WE CAN GO NOW."
Morgan: EVERY MARINE IS A RIFLEMAN.
AND WITH EVERY MARINE AS A RIFLEMAN,
THEIR FIRST DUTY -- FIRST AND FOREMOST --
IS TO NOT LOSE THEIR RIFLE.
THAT IS WHAT A MARINE DOES.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT MAKES US LOVE THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.
Narrator: SQUAD LEADER JASON ARELLANO JOINS THE FIREFIGHT.
I SEE LENARD.
YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN INJURED,
AND I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF IT,
BUT I JUST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S BLEEDING.
HE'S BEEN HIT.
Narrator: WHILE LENARD GETS MEDICAL ATTENTION,
FERNANDEZ AND JASON ARELLANO EMERGE FROM THE STAIRWELL.
Arellano: AND SO ME AND FERNANDEZ --
WE MADE OUR WAY TO THE LEFT, AND WE HAD TWO OPEN DOORS.
AND WE ALSO PREPPED THE GRENADES,
AND WE STARTED TO THROW THEM TOWARDS THOSE ROOMS.
[ EXPLOSIONS ]
WE GOT READY TO MAKE ENTRY,
AND FERNANDEZ WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO GO.
Narrator: ARELLANO WATCHES AS FERNANDEZ SIMPLY DISAPPEARS.
AND AS FAST AS HE DISAPPEARED,
HE REAPPEARED, AND HE JUMPED BACK OUT.
AND AS QUICKLY AS HE COULD SAY IT
WAS LIKE, "IT GOES DOWN."
THIS ROOM DID NOT HAVE A LEVELED GROUND,
YOU KNOW, FROM THE OUTSIDE.
IT ACTUALLY DROPPED DOWN ABOUT THREE FEET.
AND SO AS THEY FIRED THEIR RIFLES INTO THE ROOM,
THEIR BULLETS WERE GOING OVER THE HEAD OF THE INSURGENT
DOWN IN THE SUNKEN AREA.
SO ONCE FERNANDEZ JUMPED BACK OUT,
WE BOTH STARTED SHOOTING DOWNWARD AT THIS TIME.
Narrator: RUNNING LOW ON AMMO,
THE TWO DECIDE TO TAKE A MORE DIRECT APPROACH.
I SEE HIM! I SEE HIM!
ARELLANO AFFIXES HIS BAYONET,
AND THEY CAUTIOUSLY ENTER THE ROOM.
WE CAUGHT GLIMPSE OF A GUY MOVING THROUGH THE SMOKE,
AND FERNANDEZ IMMEDIATELY JUST JUMPED AND, LIKE, TACKLED HIM.
Narrator: ARELLANO CAN'T OPEN FIRE WITHOUT THE RISK OF HITTING FERNANDEZ.
IT WAS ALWAYS SAID BY OUR COMMANDERS,
"WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT 10-FOOT FIGHT,"
BECAUSE THAT'S HOW CLOSE PROXIMITY
YOU WOULD BE WITH THIS ENEMY.
YOU ARE LOOKING INTO THE EYES OF ANOTHER HUMAN BEING,
BUT THAT'S YOUR ENEMY,
AND THAT GUY'S TRYING TO KILL YOU.
SO, I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO A POSITION
WHERE I STEPPED OVER BOTH OF THEM,
AND I JUST STARTED TO THRUST MY BAYONET INTO HIM.
[ SCREAMS ]
Narrator: WHILE STILL PINNING THE MAN TO THE FLOOR,
FERNANDEZ UNSHEATHES HIS OWN BLADE.
[ SCREAMS ]
[ GROANS ]
Arellano: IT PROBABLY WAS LESS THAN 10 SECONDS,
AND IT WAS JUST A VIOLENT CLOSE ENCOUNTER,
AND THEN IT WAS OVER.
Morgan: THIS IS AN ERA THAT IS HIGH ON TECHNOLOGY,
BUT THE FIGHT THAT FERNANDEZ AND ARELLANO GO THROUGH
IN THAT ROOM IN FALLUJAH
PROVES ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING,
AND THAT IS THERE ARE SOME MATTERS
THAT CAN ONLY BE SOLVED BY ONE THING,
AND THAT IS A DETERMINED MARINE RIFLEMAN WITH A BAYONET.
Narrator: THIS HOUSE IS NOW SECURE,
AND THE MARINES OF KILO COMPANY MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
FOR THE NEXT MONTH, THIS IS HOW IT WILL BE.
THE FIGHT HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN.
BY MID DECEMBER, MUCH OF FALLUJAH IS UNDER CONTROL.
OPERATION PHANTOM FURY WAS IN ITS MOP-UP PHASES.
MOST OF THE FIGHTERS IN FALLUJAH HAD BEEN ALREADY NEUTRALIZED.
Narrator: THE MARINES OF KILO COMPANY
ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PREPARING THE CITY
TO BE REOPENED TO CIVILIANS.
INSTEAD, THEY NOW FACE DOWN THE MOST HARD-CORE INSURGENTS --
STUBBORN, DIE-HARD JIHADISTS
WILLING TO FIGHT TO THE VERY END.
THEY WERE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DESPERATE
BECAUSE THEY COULD FEEL
THE NOOSE TIGHTENING AROUND THEIR NECK.
THEY'RE READY TO FIGHT, AND THEY'RE GONNA DIE DOING IT.
Rouse: THE DEEPER WE GOT INTO THE CITY,
THE MORE FORTIFIED THESE BUILDINGS WOULD BE.
Narrator: OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS OF FIGHTING,
THE AMERICAN MILITARY LEARN
THAT THEY COULDN'T ALWAYS BARGE THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR.
INSTEAD, THEY TAKE A MORE TOP-DOWN STRATEGY.
Navarro: ALMOST EVERY HOUSE OUT THERE WAS TWO-STORY --
ALMOST EVERY HOUSE.
SO IF YOU'RE CLEARING THE BOTTOM UP,
YOU'VE GOT TO CLIMB UP A STAIRWELL.
AND WHEN YOU'RE CLIMBING UP A STAIRWELL,
THE ENEMY AUTOMATICALLY HAS A TACTICAL ADVANTAGE OVER YOU.
IT WAS JUST A LOT EASIER TO GO FROM THE TOP-DOWN.
Rouse: WE WOULD GO FROM ROOFTOP TO ROOFTOP THROUGH THE CITY.
EVERY ROOM WOULD BE CLEARED.
AND THEN WE WOULD JUST MAKE OUR WAY BACK UP TO THE ROOFTOP,
AND THEN HOP OVER THE ROOF AGAIN AND GO ON TO THE NEXT BUILDING.
Narrator: DECEMBER 14, 2004 --
THE EASTERN BORDER OF FALLUJAH'S ASKARI DISTRICT.
LANCE CORPORAL ADAM ROUSE AND CORPORAL MICHAEL ANDERSON
PREPARE TO CLEAR ANOTHER HOUSE.
JOINING THEM ON THE ROOFTOP ARE A COUPLE OF SOLDIERS
FROM THE ALLIED IRAQI ARMY.
THE IRAQI FORCES HAD A DESIRE TO LEARN THE TACTICS THAT WE HAD
SO THAT THEY COULD HOPEFULLY TAKE BACK THEIR COUNTRY
AND HAVE CONTROL OF THEIR COUNTRY AGAIN.
Narrator: SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE SURROUNDING HOUSES ARE BEING CLEARED.
TO THE SOUTH, SERGEANT ELBER NAVARRO'S SQUAD
IS ON OVERWATCH.
ANDERSON TOSSES A STUN GRENADE INTO THE STAIRWELL.
I WAS THE FIRST GUY DOWN, FOLLOWED BY AN IRAQI SOLDIER.
HIM AND I CLEARED THE ROOM THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY TO THE LEFT.
Narrator: ANDERSON AND ANOTHER RAW IRAQI SOLDIER
FOLLOW THEM IN AND TURN RIGHT.
ANDERSON KICKS IN A DOOR.
Rouse: AS SOON AS HE STEPPED FOOT INTO THE ROOM,
HE WAS IMMEDIATELY GUNNED DOWN.
Narrator: UNDER HEAVY FIRE, THE IRAQI SOLDIERS TURN AND RUN.
ROUSE IS THE ONLY MARINE LEFT IN THE BUILDING,
AND THE INSURGENTS NOW DIRECT THEIR FIRE AT HIM.
Narrator: FALLUJAH'S BULLET-RIDDLED ASKARI DISTRICT.
MOST OF THE CITY IS UNDER CONTROL,
BUT THE ENEMIES THAT REMAIN
ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS AND EXPERIENCED FIGHTERS.
WHILE CLEARING A HOUSE, MARINES OF KILO 3/5
COME UNDER HEAVY FIRE FROM A MAKESHIFT ENEMY BUNKER.
CORPORAL MICHAEL ANDERSON IS DOWN.
LANCE CORPORAL ADAM ROUSE IS ALONE AND UNDER HEAVY FIRE.
ONE HOUSE AWAY, STAFF SERGEANT ELBER NAVARRO AND HIS SQUAD
ARE ON OVERWATCH.
I WAS STILL IN THE HOUSE SOUTH, AND I JUST REMEMBER...GUNSHOTS.
[ GUNFIRE ]
I KNEW THAT WAS AN AK-47 OR SOME KIND OF RPK,
'CAUSE ONCE YOU'RE IN THERE FOR SO LONG,
YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE JUST IN GUNFIRE.
SO, I KNEW WE HAD TO GET TO THE HOUSE.
[ SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]
Rouse: I TRIED TO SEE IF I COULD GET A CLEAR SHOT
OR IF I COULD SEE ANYTHING INTO THE ROOM,
BECAUSE IT WAS VERY DARK.
AND I REMEMBER JUST YELLING
CORPORAL ANDERSON'S NAME SEVERAL TIMES
TO SEE IF HE WAS OKAY
AND DIDN'T SEE ANY MOVEMENT COMING FROM HIM.
Narrator: ROUSE IS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE COURTYARD,
WHERE HE IS SPOTTED BY NAVARRO'S SQUAD.
Navarro: HE LOOKS DISORIENTED.
HE'S KIND OF LOOKING AROUND. HE'S BY HIMSELF.
AND I ASKED HIM, "WHAT'S GOING ON?"
HE SAID, "CORPORAL ANDERSON IS DOWN."
Narrator: NAVARRO READIES HIS MEN TO ENTER THE HOUSE.
Navarro: WE GOT TO GET OUR GUY OUT,
AND THEN WHOEVER DID THIS HAS TO DIE.
THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
I SAW THAT HE REALLY TOOK CONTROL OF THE SITUATION,
AND HE WAS REALLY RIGHT UP THERE IN FRONT
AND JUST TOOK OVER LEADERSHIP AND DID THE JOB WELL.
Watt: IN A FIREFIGHT SITUATION,
HE WAS THE GUY WHOSE VOICE YOU HEARD
AND WHO WAS FRONT AND CENTER CALLING THE SHOTS
IN A VERY CALM, CLEAR, DETERMINED FASHION.
Navarro: AS WE MADE ENTRY,
I COULD SEE CORPORAL ANDERSON WAS LAYING IN THE HALLWAY.
AND AT THAT POINT, MY FIRST --
IS, "WE HAVE TO CLEAR THIS HOUSE."
Narrator: WHILE NAVARRO HEADS DIRECTLY INTO THE MAIN HALL,
ROUSE TAKES A POSITION IN THE KITCHEN.
Rouse: FROM THE KITCHEN
WAS WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO GET PROBABLY THE BEST ANGLE
INTO THE BEDROOM,
WHERE WE WERE TRYING TO GET CORPORAL ANDERSON OUT.
WE START HEARING YELLING --
YOU KNOW, "ALLAH -- ALLAHU AKBAR. ALLAHU AKBAR."
ALLAHU AKBAR!
A GUY JUMPS OVER ANDERSON.
HE'S SPRAYING TOWARDS THE KITCHEN, TOWARDS US.
WE ALL ENGAGED HIM.
Narrator: ROUSE AND THE OTHER MARINES LAY DOWN COVERING FIRE,
ALLOWING NAVARRO TO GET CLOSER.
INTENT ON ENDING THIS BATTLE QUICKLY,
NAVARRO TOSSES IN A GRENADE.
FRAG OUT!
[ MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]
[ EXPLOSION ]
ANOTHER MARINE TOSSES IN ONE MORE.
FRAG OUT!
[ EXPLOSION ]
THE INSURGENT FROM INSIDE --
THEY'RE TRYING TO SHOOT HIM.
AS HE'S RUNNING BACK, HE FALLS.
[ GUNFIRE ]
AND HE'S TRYING TO CRAWL TO WHERE I'M AT, BUT HE CAN'T.
HE JUST KEEPS SLIPPING.
SO I WENT OVER THERE, I GRABBED HIM BY HIS GEAR,
AND I JUST YANKED HIM TOWARDS WHERE I WAS.
[ MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]
[ GUNFIRE ]
Narrator: NAVARRO IS OUT OF GRENADES.
OUTSIDE, THERE WAS A CAT VEHICLE, AND I YELLED AT HIM.
I SAID, "I NEED MORE GRENADES. I NEED MORE GRENADES."
Narrator: ALL THEY HAVE AVAILABLE IS A SMOKE GRENADE
AND AN INCENDIARY GRENADE.
NAVARRO'S COMMANDING OFFICER, CAPTAIN ANDREW McNULTY,
FOLLOWS HIM BACK INSIDE.
[ GUNFIRE ]
THE INCENDIARY -- IT SET THE ROOM ON FIRE,
SO NOW IT'S BURNING PRETTY GOOD.
Narrator: SMOKE QUICKLY FILLS THE INSURGENTS' FORTIFIED ROOM.
NAVARRO AND McNULTY SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY.
I REMEMBER WALKING INTO THE ROOM.
IT'S SMOKY, AND THERE'S THREE INSURGENTS RIGHT THERE.
WE MADE EYE CONTACT, EXCEPT AT THIS POINT,
MY WEAPON WAS AT THE READY.
SO I PULLED THE TRIGGER ON ALL THREE OF THEM.
Narrator: McNULTY RUSHES TO ANDERSON AND DRAGS HIS BODY FROM THE DOORWAY.
AS SOON AS I WALK OUT OF THE ROOM, AGAIN, THEY OPEN UP.
IT'S JUST MACHINE-GUN FIRE'S COMING OUT OF THE ROOM AGAIN.
SO THERE WAS ANOTHER INSURGENT IN THERE.
HE WAS DOING THE WHOLE BLIND-FIRE THING.
HE WAS JUST SHOOTING AS MUCH AS HE COULD.
I ACTUALLY HAD MY RIFLE INVERTED WITH THE BARREL IN MY NECK,
AIMING AT THE DOOR
'CAUSE I'M TRYING TO STAY AS CLOSE TO THE WALL AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S WHEN THEY THREW A FRAG BACK AT US.
All: GRENADE!
Narrator: ROUSE DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO REACT.
SHRAPNEL TEARS INTO ROUSE'S LEG.
HIS FELLOW MARINES DRAG HIM TO SAFETY.
A SECOND GRENADE LANDS IN THE HALLWAY,
JUST FEET FROM McNULTY AND NAVARRO.
THE SMOKE IS SO THICK
THAT NAVARRO AND McNULTY ARE HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING.
AND WE'RE BOTH LIKE, "WE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE,
YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE END UP PASSING OUT FROM THE SMOKE."
Narrator: NAVARRO WANTS TO TOSS IN ANOTHER GRENADE
TO HELP COVER THEIR ESCAPE,
BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY LEFT.
Navarro: SO I STARTED YELLING AT MY GUYS,
"HEY, I NEED A GRENADE. I NEED A GRENADE.
"SOMEBODY TOSS ME A GRENADE SO I CAN THROW IT IN THERE,
AND WE CAN RUN OUT."
AND THEN ANOTHER MARINE STEPS UP AND SAYS, "I GOT IT, NAVARRO."
Navarro: AND I SAID, "I RECOGNIZE THAT VOICE.
THAT MY BATTALION COMMANDER."
AND THAT MARINE IS NONE OTHER
THAN LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PATRICK MALAY
COMMANDING THE 3rd BATTALION OF THE 5th MARINE REGIMENT.
Narrator: MALAY TOSSES IN A GRENADE.
[ EXPLOSION ]
Man: EVERYBODY OUT!
MARINES QUICKLY RECOVER THE BODY OF MICHAEL ANDERSON.
OUR BATTALION COMMANDER -- HE DIDN'T NEED TO BE IN THERE,
BUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS -- I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING.
THE BOND THAT IS FORGED BETWEEN MARINES IN COMBAT
IS AN UNBREAKABLE THING.
IT TAKES THE IDEA OF CAMARADERIE
TO A LEVEL THAT'S BEYOND MY ABILITY TO COMPREHEND IT.
I THINK THAT ONLY MARINES THAT HAVE FOUGHT TOGETHER
CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
Narrator: OUTSIDE, THE MARINES WATCH THE ENEMY'S STRONGHOLD SMOLDER --
A FITTING FUNERAL PYRE FOR ANY FIGHTERS LEFT INSIDE.
BY NEW YEAR'S DAY 2005, IT'S CLEAR.
THE SUPERIOR SKILL AND FIREPOWER OF THE U.S. MILITARY
HAS SIMPLY OVERWHELMED THE HEART OF INSURGENT FORCE
IN FALLUJAH.
BY THE END OF THE BATTLE OF FALLUJAH,
U.S. AND COALITION CASUALTIES WERE RELATIVELY LIGHT,
BUT MORE THAN 50% OF THE INSURGENTS
THAT WERE INSIDE THE CITY OF FALLUJAH
WERE KILLED IN COMBAT,
WITH OVER 2,000 OF THEM BEING TAKEN PRISONER.
Narrator: FOR THEIR HEROIC ACTIONS
WHILE RECOVERING CORPORAL ANDERSON,
NAVARRO AND McNULTY ARE BOTH AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR,
AND STAFF SERGEANT DAVID BELLAVIA'S HOUSE BATTLE
EARNS HIM A SILVER STAR.
WE HOPE THAT BIG RED ONE VETERANS
CAN SEE WHAT WE DID IN IRAQ
AND WHAT THESE GUYS ARE DOING IN AFGHANISTAN
AND BE PROUD OF OUR GENERATION.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAD THE FINEST TROOPS ON THE GROUND
IN THE FORM OF U.S. ARMY SOLDIERS IN THE MARINES
THAT CLEARED EVERY SINGLE ROOM IN EVERY SINGLE BUILDING
IN THE ENTIRE CITY.
Watt: THE IDEA OF THE ASSAULT ON FALLUJAH
WAS TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THIS CITY,
TO, SORT OF, BREAK THE SYMBOL OF THE INSURGENCY
THAT FALLUJAH HAD BECOME.
I THINK THERE WAS A GREAT SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
THEY HAD BEEN ASKED TO DO A JOB. THEY DID IT.
AND THEY DID IT VERY WELL.
Morgan: WHAT IT SAID TO THE INSURGENCY WAS THAT, "WE'RE HERE TO STAY.
"WE'RE GONG TO FIGHT YOU.
"AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE OVER CITIES.
"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HOLD THEM AS INSURGENT STRONGHOLDS.
"WE WON'T ALLOW YOU TO DO IT.
AND IF YOU TRY TO DO IT, YOU'LL BE DESTROYED."