Braving the nights in Sadr City (Stars N' Stripes report)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=21481

“It was like being at the Alamo,” says Staff Sgt. Steve Rutkowski, who served in the Marines during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. “We were surrounded. You never knew where the next shot was coming from, where the next was coming from. It was ugly.”

Lt. Frank Petroski, who commands a group of Army National Guardsmen from the 109th Field Artillery Regiment — serving as military policemen in Iraq — said his unit endured eight rocket-propelled grenades, a pair of hand grenades and too much small- arms fire to track.

“A dozen people held this place and it was hairy,” he said. “I’m so proud of these guys. ... My guys aren’t green anymore. They’re huah!” he said, referring to a warrior cheer commonly used in the military.

<snip>

Rutkowski said he never experienced as intense a firefight in the first Gulf War, though.