RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Mar 31, 2003
WITH THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION, IRAQ – A U.S. Marine captured and supposedly strung up in the middle of the town of Shatrah is dead, military officials in Iraq confirmed yesterday.
Officials also said initial reports were wrong: The Marine was not strung up, though his body was left in view of townsfolk.
The Marine was captured Friday during an attack on a 200-vehicle convoy that was passing through Shatrah on Route 7, on its way north.
“What we can confirm is that some villagers tried to help him – they didn’t know if he was alive or dead – and they may even have tried to get him to a hospital,” said Maj. Dave Holahan, executive officer of the 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment.
“But the Republican Guard, or death squads, took him away from the villagers and dumped him on the street. They didn’t string him up, as previously stated, they just dumped him in the street.”
Military officials are withholding the Marine’s name until his family can be notified of his death.
The Marine was part of an air-wing support squadron making its way north late at night when it was hit by rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun fire.
The attack turned over a 7-ton truck, and when members of the convoy repelled the attack and got back on the road, they noticed the Marine was missing.
The attack is an example of the kind of war Marines are fighting as they drive toward Baghdad.
They have yet to face large units of the Iraqi army but are instead being harassed by small-scale attacks in many of the towns they pass through.
Officials said the attacks are being carried out by local militia being forced to fight by local representatives of the Republican Guard.
“The villagers are torn,” Holahan said.
“They’re glad we’re here, but as long as the death squads are around, they can’t do anything or say anything. That’s why we have to stay in the south and kick some ass.”
