of the Iraqi people, they must make direct contact. It came straight at my head but somehow missed, flying out of the shop as a high-pressure jet of propane hit me in the face. men, while others blamed the terrorists, although blame as Deuce Four and has written extensively about its operations and For more than eight months, a blog written by independent journalist Michael Yon has chronicled the battles, strategies and sorrows of Kurillas unit, the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry (Deuce Four). When an Army marksman in a helicopter disabled the car, the men inside fled, and opened fire. This Surge is a complicated piece of work, with multidimensional variables and multifarious moving parts. The cell leader had a blood-stained death note in his pocket stating he was a true Mujahadeen and wanted to die fighting the Americans. Kurilla went from asleep to wide awake in about a quarter-second, said hello and asked us to sit down. How a New Greatest Generation of American Soldiers is Turning Defeat and Disaster into Victory and Hope. So Kurilla makes sure they can be trusted by mentoring new officers and having them spend three weeks with him before they are allowed to lead men in this unit. to call my wife so she doesn't get a call from the Army And now Kurilla lay shot and in surgery in the the soldiers of Deuce Four, Iraqis have seen too much snapped in half. But they were not attacking. The same facility where Daniel Lama was recovering from the earlier gunshot wound to the neck. Its important to interact and take the pulse of a city in a war where there is no behind the lines, no safe areas. Sir, The world It wasnt long before there was no room left to sign, but I found a place to scratch. with people downtown. We loaded the Strykers and drove down to the Cash, and there was Chaplain Wilson, who might be the most popular man on base. (Yons blog is at michaelyon.blogspot.com/). first." They were on a recon of American forces when Kurilla sensed their intent. His other leg was hit and so was an arm. Both legs and an arm are shot. Despite being seriously wounded, Kurilla immediately rejoined In one recent dispatch, Yon described how Kurilla walked out into the Everybody loves him. Despite their sworn confessions, Kurilla was left with a young radio operator with little trigger-time. there is a marked passage, which I thought rather Meeting proud mothers with new Proponents of a more explosive conclusion might be disappointed with that result. action this way and that. [6] He assumed command of the XVIII Airborne Corps in October 2019. And when they do, we nail them. dining facility on this base and killed 22 people. And then LTC Kurilla was shot. After spending some time with the Commander, CSM Prosser and I drove back to the unit. Prosser landed three nearly point blank shots in the chain of command, but had otherwise not changed the The soldiers with LTC Kurilla were searching Lots of RUMINT swirling around about LTC Erik Kurilla being shot during combat operations in Mosul. in Aerospace Engineering from the United State Military Academy, West Point; an M.B.A. from Regis University, and an M.S. As he details in the book, his post-Army career (Yon is a Special Forces veteran) ultimately led him to travel the world researching cults, which offered him unique insight into the workings of groups like al Qaeda. David Bellavia Medal of Honor Presentation, Photo - Insertion and Extraction Training, National Airborne Day 2015 - The Military Humor Edition, "The Wall", "The Shield", "The Team" -The Latest Batch of Commercials Take a Queue from the USMC, August 16th is National Airborne Day 2014. As Captain McGrew and I drove through the dusty darkness back to the Deuce Four, the Commander and SGT Lama, along with other wounded and dead soldiers from around Iraq, began their journey home. How are you today? But sometimes he asks me, Are you okay? and I think, Do I look stressed? LTC Kurilla repeatedly told me of and I repeatedly wrote about terrorists who get released only to cause more trouble. Theres a risk in that. No one but Crissman knew what was about to happen. If soldiers dont go fast, the bad guys simply get away. 2016 2018: Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division. So, of course, glitches and snags started occurring the first day. "Give me a grenade!" "I'm hit three times! Opels may be faster than Kiowas on straight-a-ways, but when the car made turns, the helicopter quickly caught up. About two weeks ago, word came that Nohe's case had been I picked up Prossers M4. he said "No." When Kurilla keyed in on them, he pointed his rifle at the car and signaled them to get out. A fifth soldier radioed for the interpreter and together they sorted out that he was a farmer who thought the soldiers were thieves skulking around his property. The next day, Iraqi Army and Police commanders were in a I would be the one. He has traveled or worked in 82 countries, including various wars and conflicts. SSG Konkol's men were clearing toward us, leaving the But once the shooting starts, a plan is just a guess in a party dress. But as Yon explains, in our fight with al Qaeda in Baqubah we gained the support of many of the citizens of that town including a major insurgent group that months before had been fighting against the coalition because we controlled the moral high ground. While others might argue that point, in the aftermath of the battle, Yon accompanied an Iraqi Army unit as they exhumed the corpses from an al Qaeda produced mass grave. There was a quick and heavy volume of fire. Monday for treatment of wounds he suffered Friday in a firefight in But it was when they understood that these great-hearted warriors, who so enjoyed killing the enemy, are even happier building a school or making a neighborhood safe that we really got their attention., And Yon isnt shy about pointing out American mistakes in Iraq, or explaining why after five years in the country soldiers are still charging down alleys with guns blazing, or why schools remain unbuilt. He Bap bap bap! J.R. Michael is a veteran of two tours of duty in Iraq and blogs at mudvillegazette.com. Kurilla had gone on missions every single day for almost a year. Like the card in the mailroom, the circumstances behind their capture were more germane to the events about to unfold than anyone might have guessed at the time. Shots were fired behind us but around a corner to the ], Daniel Lama smiled, got out of bed and I shot a photo of him reporting for his new duty.. This was happening in seconds. It will be a victory for freedom and justice. fighting his way out, or dying in the process. Only a few hours had passed since Daniel Lama and the Commander were shot. Meanwhile, SSG Konkols men were clearing toward us, leaving the three bad guys boxed, but free. Everybody loves him. The other Deuce Four soldiers would have killed every man in that room in about five seconds. What I didnt realize was at that same moment four soldiers from Alpha Company 2nd Platoon were arriving on scene, just in time to see me about to go into the store. . He is the highest-ranking officer in Fort Lewis second Stryker brigade to be seriously wounded in Iraq. Mosul, where it takes a special penchant for fighting. Kurilla is portrayed as tough, dedicated and possessed with an uncanny ability to avoid enemy bullets. With his leg mangled, Kurilla pointed and fired his and firing, yelling at the two young soldiers to get in leader that Americans admire and Iraqis respect. Some blamed his men, while others blamed the terrorists, although blame alone could not compete with disbelief. bleed. again. Drinking tea with Iraqi Commander, CSM Prosser and I drove back to the unit. Interfacing with shop owners. his left, because the terroristwho turned out to be a terrorist's throat and snatched out the pistol from his Kurilla ordered the Kiowa to fire a warning shot, then quickly authorized the Kiowa to disable the vehicle. Sweet life after his release from Abu Ghraib, Nohe was back in tale, suddenly seemed unendurable alongside the pain of Sweet life itself, even the desperately sought chance to tell the tale, suddenly seemed unendurable alongside the pain of having to take leave of these whom I had come so to love.. Carrying both books, we drove to the Cash. . They also admitted that the terrorist who was shot down was their cell leader, who had been training them for three months. The young 2nd lieutenant and specialist were the only onto the face of Prosser's watch. Prosser had beaten the terrorist in the head three times with his fist and was gripping his throat, choking him. Kurilla was, after all, still fighting. ')">Walking The Line, Video: Iraqi Police Training: Cuffing Suspects, First in a Series "Survival Kit Contents: Headlights", Survival Tip: Beware of Captured Grenades, MEDIA WATCH: Top Terror Suspect (Not) Caught in Baquba, Wednesday in Baquba: Four Days to Elections, Tuesday in Baquba: Five Days Before Elections. Give me a grenade! They didnt have grenades. Apparently I turned my head, but kept my finger on the shutter button. Michael Erik Kurilla (born May 16, 1966) [1] is a United States Army general who serves as the 15th commander of United States Central Command since April 1, 2022. His other leg was hit and so Had Prosser not come at that precise moment, who knows what the outcome might have been. From what I hear about the news back home. how to do his job. its colorful commander. American combat soldiers dont want pity. Yon says, Theyre ready to fight to the end; they just dont want it to be for naught. This was not the Deuce Four I know. SGT Daniel Lama, who is as much respected as he is liked, was pulling security in an air guard position of his Stryker, when a bullet flew straight at his neck, striking him. Shots were fired behind us but around a corner to the left. 2012 2014: Assistant Commander for Support of the Joint Special Operations Command. Those pictures of the child and the church represent the opposite ends of the spectrum of the American experience in Iraq, captured now between covers by the one American not in uniform who was there long enough and who traveled far enough to see them both. Colonel Kurilla is like my dad. momentum. LTC Kurilla The soldiers with LTC Kurilla were searching fast, weapons at the ready, and they quickly flex-cuffed two men. out, and they ran outside. Bullets are kicking up dirt and Kurilla gives us a look: What the hell! But the terrorist can get shot to pieces and I don't care.Instead might understand," the passage registered in my mind. Among other things, key gear failed; but overall, the Surge was going well. The treatment terrorists get here is better and more expensive than what many Americans or Europeans can get. Earlier this month, Kurilla was quoted in a New York Times story about the progress of Mosul police. "The commander didn't seem to miss a stride. Talking with people downtown. Both the young 2nd lieutenant and the young specialist were inside a shop when a close-quarters firefight broke out, and they ran outside. view of the Commander Please tell our soldiers we care so much for them. In the four months theyd been doing joint operations, Crissman couldnt recall ever seeing Hamid carrying a rifle, yet there he was outside the police station with an MP5 machine pistol. but there was no time to reload. LTC Kurilla was there asking a soldier for the latest report on Sergeant Lama, now in surgery. Mosul, Iraq. Actually, what I shouted was an unprintable string of curses, while Kurilla was also yelling at them to get in there, his M4 trained on the entrance. Three bullets reach flesh: One snaps his thigh bone in Do I look stressed? shooting. And then LTC Kurilla was shot. And then LTC Kurilla was shot. [6] [7] Biography Moments later, SSG Will Shockley relayed word to us that an American soldier was dead. You are the only one who LTC Kurilla likes to call before the Army gets a chance, to tell parents and loved ones the true circumstances. They were armed with a sniper But We were outnumbered at least two to one. When Kurilla woke in recovery a few hours after surgery, he called CSM Prosser and asked for a Bible and the book: Gates of Fire. He just laughs, Yes, Michael, you look fine. Kurilla talked about it almost daily. Keep an eye on Yon's blog for the next dispatch. Kurilla is known both by locals and visiting journalists in Mosul. It was just a flesh wound. LTC Kurilla repeatedly told me of - and I repeatedly Prosser had beaten the terrorist in the head three times continually dismissed without apparent cause. Early on youll find yourself charging down an alley in Mosul on the heels of Lieutenant Colonel Erik Kurilla, a leader in every sense of the word: LTC Kurilla began running in the direction of the shooting. Amazingly, despite being hit by four M4s from multiple directions, the man still lived a few minutes. men had inadvertently left the captured man sitting in the open. About fifteen seconds later our ramp dropped. In retrospect, its hard to imagine why I didnt write about it. Then one of the Kurilla was shot. Both legs and an arm are shot. Kurilla is direct, but at least people know they are getting an accurate account. In other dispatches Yon has described how Kurilla climbed into burning Strykers to pull his wounded men to safety. In order for leaders of Kurilla's rank to know the pulse BamBamBamBam! Bruce & LTC Kurilla. Officials said Kurilla, commander of the 1st Battalion, 24th on missions every single day for almost a year. In less than a year, the unit has been awarded 153 Purple Hearts and suffered at least 13 deaths. It wasn't long Major Mark Bieger arrived alongside Kurilla's hospital empty M4, ran into the shop and tackled the man. On the night before the planned ride-along, the obstacle was a big and sudden push of operations and tasks bundled in a surge operation. Operation Lancer Fury was launched without notice even to the unit commanders here. So SFC Bowman told Munoz to give Kurilla another morphine, and finally Kurilla settled down, and stopped giving orders long enough for them to haul him and the terrorist away to the Combat Support Hospital. He appeared to be shot down and dead. Do you need me to come get you!" 2015 2016: Deputy Director for Special Operations and Counterterrorism of the Joint Staff. The only mission Ive seen unfold close to what was planned was a B Company raid a few months back. managed to stop the fleeing car. Thank you Michael, Id like to shake your hand someday. It was not moving. The 1-17th will relieve the 1-24th soon, so Triscari has been conducting operations with Deuce Four. and fights, as more bullets kick up dust. stuff." standing out there, alone, next to the terrorist on the sidewalk. The Surge operation continued as we returned to base. Emigdio Elizarraras killed in action on this day in 2006. I was going to run into the shop and shoot every man with a gun. During a halt in some trees at the edge of the field, I overheard the voice of LTC Kurilla, the commander of the Deuce Four battalion, quietly praising one of the soldiers for showing discipline in not shooting the farmer. He wrote Kurilla was shot three times in combat yesterday in front of Give me some ammo! This biographical article related to the United States Army is a stub. The Commander of Deuce Four, LTC Erik Kurilla, was shot three times in combat yesterday in front of my eyes. Just checking. But secretly, every time he asks, I feel a notch better. [7] In 2022, he deployed to Germany to oversee U.S. troop deployments in response to the 20212022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis.[12]. Liberals who claim Yon is biased will be surprise to know that the journalists confrontations with the US Army over the Farah photo and criticism of leadership nearly prevented his return to Iraq. Today we remember Master Sgt. Update: Mike Yon just let me know that he just got off of the phone with the Lieutenant Colonel and that he is doing well. But these were not the right guys. Prosser. When Id sat in on the warning order (notice of impending operations) for Lancer Fury last week, the plan was so cleverly contrived that the leadership at Deuce Four had to grudgingly acknowledge its excellence, even though the idea had originated from higher-up. That was in December. about the fighting until given clearance, and was told that my phones But these two soldiers didnt have the combat experience to grasp the power of momentum. . but they understanding of both its value and its costs. It will not be a victory for America and Great Britain and others against Iraq. When I looked back again, I saw the very Alex Fryer: 206-464-8124 or afryer@seattletimes.com. The soldiers from Alpha Company were heading toward him when LTC Kurilla yelled out that he was okay, but that CSM Prosser was still in the shop. I yelled above the shooting. 23 Jan 2005. The terrorist had a mouthful of watch but he somehow also managed to punch Prosser in the face. [8] After graduating from West Point, he was commissioned into the U.S. Army as an infantry officer in 1988. Some months back, a new lieutenant named Brian Flynn was riding with the Kurilla for his first three weeks, when Kurilla spotted three men walking adjacent to where Major Mark Bieger and his Stryker had been hit with a car bomb a week prior. But the more battle weathered fighters were not there. I heard the commander telling this soldiers mother that her son was fine. Despite being seriously wounded, LTC Kurilla immediately rejoined the intense and close-quarter fight that ended in hand-to-hand combat. Of the Deuce Four, Yon noted: One young soldier told me, This is my family. half. But the shots and the propane fiasco The one to go back and speak. Wrote one: Ultimately the courage to do the harder right rather than the easier wrong is easiest to find when we are reminded regularly of the immense sacrifices and miraculous bravery of people like Erik Kurilla.. livid. I mean whats in it for him if Allah sends him to the Virgins without a tool? BamBamBamBam! They have been fighting for two nations, one of which didnt seem to notice. ran over to Kurilla, but hesitated every time. I ran back to the corner of the shop and looked at LTC Kurilla who was bleeding, and saw CSM Prossers extremely bloody leg inside the shop, the rest of him was still obscured from view. Please keep LTC Kurilla and the rest of Deuce Four in your thoughts and prayers. Early in 2005, when Id completed my first tour of duty in Iraq, I was searching the Internet for news when I found Yons page. But he said No. (Thank God; running in front of the shop might have proved fatal.). Kurilla was running when he was hit in three places, including his femur, which was shattered. I scrambled back, got up and ran a few yards, afraid that Kurilla was going to burn up if there was a fire. of Deuce Four, LTC Erik Kurilla, was shot three times in combat (left). President Biden intends to nominate Lieutenant General Michael E. Kurilla as the next head of US Central Command. Last fall, Kurilla deployed with the 1st Stryker Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, which patrols Mosul, a mostly Sunni Arab city of 2 million. flowery. Not knowing how many men they Some blamed his The seizure was just a natural reaction to getting shot in the neck. at the front of the charge. This section was led by SSG Konkol. Yesterday, he declined to release the status of his condition. If so, you are not alone. LTC Kurilla began running in the direction of the shooting. When the bullet hit that canister, Prosserwho I thought might be dead because of all the blood on his legwas actually fighting hand-to-hand on the ground. A true and abiding understanding of both its value and its costs. []Unlike many Hollywood stars Willis supports the war and recently offered a $1m (about ?583,000) bounty for the capture of any of Al-Qaeda?s most wanted leaders such as Osama . Despite being seriously wounded, LTC Kurilla immediately rejoined the intense and close-quarter fight that ended in hand-to-hand combat. smashing his face into the concrete. Kiowas are small, carrying just two people; they fly so low the two flying soldiers are practically infantrymen. Recon platoon had already raided one house and snagged some suspects, then crept away in the darkness to another target close by. The vehicle struck Triscari as odd: it hadnt been there a few minutes earlier. and our surgeons operated on both at the same time. a young LT screamed for backup down the dusty Mosul alleyway as shots fired, LTC Kurilla ran toward the gunfire, leading the. We entered the hospital, and saw that Erik Kurillas bed was beside Daniel Lamas. He appeared to be shot down and dead. I had a camera. It sounds like he'll be okay. The pilot swooped low and the co-pilot aimed his rifle at the Opel, firing three shots and blowing out the back window. bullet strikes the wall beside 2nd lieutenant's head It is unclear when Kurilla will be released from Madigan Army Medical Center. But these were not the right guys. They were armed with a sniper rifle, an AK, pistols, a silencer, explosives and other weapons, and had in their possession photographs of US bases, including a map of this base. unwavering conviction that, in the end, we will win. Folks who havent done much urban fighting might take issue with the wild chases, and they might say that people should always stack up and do things this or that way, but men in Delta Force, SEALs and the like, all know that when chasing wild men into the labyrinth, soldiers enter the land of confusion. safe areas. Kurilla immediately rejoined the intense and close-quarter fight that Kurilla was running when he was shot, but he didnt seem to miss a stride; he did a crazy judo roll and came up shooting. LTC Kurilla continued to direct his men 2009 2011: Commander of the 75th Rangers Regiment. I looked back at the two soldiers who were with me That day, Kurilla sensed wrong and told his soldiers to check the three men. The truest test of leadership happens when the Commander room in about five seconds. Partly because of writers, people hearing about Deuce Four in the news might think of Mosul as some kind of thrill ride where everything will end okay after a few hairpin turns. The chase was on. How can the pilot know its going 105 mph? On Monday, while conducting operations in west Mosul, a voice came over the radio saying troops from our brother unit, the 3-21, were fighting with the enemy in east Mosul on the opposite side of the Tigris River. of doing something useful--and I feel marginally guilty about this, but holster, just as SSG Konkol, Lewis, Devereaux and Muse He was shot in the leg and arm but continued shooting and issuing orders until other soldiers arrived and took an insurgent prisoner. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, Kurilla received his commission as a second lieutenant in May 1988. The Commander of Deuce Four, LTC Erik Kurilla, was shot three times in combat yesterday in front of my eyes. Crissman jokingly pointed to Hamids MP5 and said, If I go to lunch with you, do I need to bring my machine gun too?. running in the direction of the shooting. The Iraqis who seethe over the shooting of Kurilla know that the cunning fury of Jihadists is congenite. Erik! of Iraq. Three months of air-conditioned reflection will not transform terrorists into citizens. shutter button. [2][3][4][5] He previously served as the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps and before that as the chief of staff of United States Central Command. It was around 9 PM when I heard Captain Matt McGrew was going to see Kurilla. I had a camera. He passed by Personal Details: General Kurilla was injured while serving as Commander of the First Infantry battalion (2004-2005) from a car bomb and gunfire during a battle in Mosul against Al-Qaeda. Michael Yon has been everywhere in Iraq and hes stood shoulder to shoulder with the top US generals and the newest Iraqi Army privates. Kurilla, though down and unable to move, was fighting and firing, yelling at the two young soldiers to get in there; but they hesitated.

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