 With
improvised explosive devices
claiming more lives than any other
weapon in Operation Iraqi Freedom,
few assignments were more mission
critical than the road clearance
patrols performed in large part by
Army engineers. Second Lieutenant
Scott Sparrow of the United States
Army was a platoon leader with Bravo
Company, Task Force 321 Engineers,
in Iraq.
His engineering battalion
served in support of several units
in the area, including the 1st
Battalion, 6th Marines. From
September of 2006 through September
of 2007, Sparrow led on over 200
missions to clear and secure the
treacherous, but essential, roads
near al Ramadi. Those central desert
roads saw some of the highest
volumes of IED attacks in all of
Iraq.
During the course of these arduous
missions, his platoon cleared over
160 improvised explosive devices –
weapons that would have killed and
maimed indiscriminately. The danger
of these patrols was confirmed when
vehicles in their platoon were hit
over 15 times by IEDs, in addition
to coming under numerous small arms
and rocket attacks.
On one notable mission in the Lake
TharThar region his unit cleared
over 12 hidden weapons caches that
had the components necessary to
build a staggering 200 IEDs. Another
startling find in the caches, was
the presence of anti-air systems
that would have posed a grave threat
to the countless Coalition aircraft.
Sparrow and his platoon's
efforts contributed greatly to
the stability of the area around
Al Ramadi. Sparrow's leadership,
courage, and attention to detail
made this effort possible. His
actions have left a tremendous
legacy behind him, a legacy that
was cemented by follow-up safety
operations that established four
combat outposts. These outposts
allowed for improved security in
the region, due in no small part
to Sparrow's clearance patrols.
For these reasons he was awarded
the fourth highest honor in the
United States military, the
Bronze Star.
Photo and information courtesy of US Army /
Dept. of Defense |
