Grateful for the gunners

November 14, 2004

Sgt. Doug Pry of Newport has a slogan for his gunner.

It’s the kind of thing you’d read on a bumper sticker or a barbecue apron.

“You need a bumper sticker, John,” Pry told his gunner, Spc. John Lee of Magnolia. “It should say, ‘Kiss me. I’m a gunner.’ ”

Pry was only half -joking, I suspect.

See, gunners defend the humvee. They sit in the turret, completely exposed, and watch for trouble.

And today, Lee found trouble.

5th Platoon, Delta Company of 3rd Battalion, Arkansas’ 39th Infantry Brigade, found a couple of fights north of Taji today. And the gunners threw everything they had at insurgents firing from a palm grove — literally.

The gunners shot almost every bullet they had and then began throwing hand grenades.

And everyone made it out safe and sound.

Pry is quick to say that his truck is only as good as its crew. And he believes he has the best, with Spc. John Basinger of Magnolia driving and Lee gunning.

Pry calls them his “Magnolia blossoms.” Yep, it embarrasses the hell out of them.

You can always tell a gunner, because of the tell-tale face grime from riding exposed to the wind and hands blackened by gun powder and oil and calloused from wrestling the turret.

Pry suggested they might want to consider wearing aprons to keep the grime off while in the turret.

Then, he said, Lee could wear it home to barbecue in. Sure, the burgers would have the faint taste of gun oil and sulfur, but it’s fashion.

“That would be awesome,” Pry laughed.

Posted by Amy at November 14, 2004 04:09 PM