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101st soldiers find chemical compound in Iraq

CAMP EAGLE 3, Iraq (Army News Service, April 7, 2003) -- One group of soldiers finally discovered a way to earn showers in the Iraqi desert: identify the presence of a chemical weapon and go to Mission Oriented Protective Posture level four.

Company D, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment earned just such a shower Sunday near Karbala, Iraq.

Shortly after a small group of Iraqi civilians led Co. D to an abandoned Iraqi training camp, the unit's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical expert detected what was thought to be nerve gas and sounded the alarm, "gas, gas, gas."

Once the soldiers were at MOPP 4, they radioed higher headquarters, rechecked their results and began searching the compound in the 102-degree heat. The unit remained at MOPP 4 for more than two hours before a platoon from the division's 63rd Chemical Company arrived, performed initial testing and gave the "all clear."

As a safety precaution, and a morale boost, the decision was made to send everyone through a decontamination shower to the cheers of weary troops.

Company D found, among other things, AK-47s, rocket propelled grenades, French-made grenades, ammunition, and two anti-aircraft weapons.

Three things sparked the interest of everyone involved: a second-generation Star-light rifle scope, an aiming circle for artillery and a current training manual.

Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), arrived and received a situation report from the Co. D commander, Capt. Kenneth Hutchinson. After another negative NBC reading, Petraeus toured the compound.

The unit also discovered a small Military Operations in Urban Terrain site, Iraqi field manuals, and an indoor firing range complete with sound proofing.

The compound also yielded two prisoners of war, one of whom told a translator that the Ba'ath party had left the compound just a day and a half before the Americans appeared.

The unit's translator believed that the POWs were actually thieves looting the compound. Officials decided to hold them for further questioning.

A Fox chemical detection vehicle later reported the presence of a mild tear gas, not nerve gas as was initially reported.

Co. D will remain in the compound for a few more days to finish gathering intelligence information, leaders said. They added that the soldiers will continue searching for weapons and eventually destroy the weapons cache, after their shower.

(Editor's note: Sgt. Jason Austin is the NCOIC of the 40th PAD, which deployed to Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).)