# "Thunder Run"



## TangoTwoBravo (17 Nov 2005)

I've just been reading Thunder Run by David Zucchino.  It is an account by am embedded journalist with the 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division regarding the actions in Baghdad in April 2003.  The book offers an up-front look at modern combat and the author appears to have had excellent access to all ranks within the Brigade.

The book covers two "actions" in early April.  The first is a short "Thunder Run" or raid up Highway 1 through a sector of Baghdad by an M1 Battalion.  Lots of close range fighting and RPGs flying everywhere.  The Bde Comd rides along in his carrier and ends up shooting a bad guy with his pistol.

The second action is the drive by two tank battalions into the heart of Baghdad and the securing of three highway interchanges by a Mech Battalion.  The second action results in extremely heavy action once the three mech company groups settle into the highway interchanges to secure the lines of communication.  Another tricky part is the movement of soft-skinned supply convoys (several POL tankers and ammo trucks explode).

I enjoyed the book not only for its accounts of modern combat at the soldier's (especially the tanker's) level but for the glimpse it sheds on the contemporary operating environment.  The mixing of combatants with non-combatants, the complexities of urban terrain and the importance of information operations/psy ops all come out.  The virtually complete lack of intelligence on the enemy until contact is made by the tanks is also interesting (scouts couldn't go in first because they were too vulnerable and UAVs have a hard time looking into buildings).  Friendly fire issues come out such as SF guys in Toyotas looking   lot like "technicals."  Relief columns coming up to friendlies engaged in a 360 fight are also a fratricide risk (due in part to the range of the weapons and the "template."

One interesting bit was the problem faced by a company commander defending a highway interchange (think of a 401 interchange) in a 360 environment.  He had never faced anything like it and yet there he was trying to figure it out on the fly.  They had trained for "urban ops" but not "highway" ops.  Perhaps our training should include TEWTs to expose junior commanders to these situations.

They main enemy threats were RPGs and suicide cars although small arms and mortars also abounded.  The Bde TOC (CP) gets hit by a surface to surface missile (they figure a FROG), showing that even relatively unsophisticated opponents can still have good days.

I recommend the book for its look at modern combat.  Read in conjunction with The March Up it will give an excellent look at the US ground forces' experiences in OIF (before the insurgency).

Cheers,

2B


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## CallOfDuty (17 Nov 2005)

Hey there 2Bravo...thanks for the heads up on what sounds like a very good read.  Just had it put on hold at the library!

  Steve


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## TangoTwoBravo (17 Nov 2005)

Call of Duty,

I hope you enjoy it!

All,

One thing came to mind.  As they are trying to push forward the echelon (large, wheeled, unarmoured and very vulnerable fuel and ammo trucks), one solution brought out was to rely on speed to "run the gauntlet."  In order to have speed the order is made for one column to leave out armoured (and in this case tracked) vehicles from the escort to achieve speed.  I was thinking that LAVs and Coyotes would have made good escorts for these supply columns.  This would not have been Rear Area Security.  It was blasting through a gauntlet of enemy armed with small arms, AAA guns, RPGs mortars and car bombs.  As the obstacles had been cleared by the lead forces an all-wheeled AFV escort would have been handy.

Cheers,

2B


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## Infanteer (17 Nov 2005)

Thanks for the review - I have the book and got a few pages into it, but ended up putting it down for some reason.  I'll have to pull it off the shelf again.


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## Teddy Ruxpin (17 Nov 2005)

I bought it as well, after reading some of the excepts published online.  I still haven't dug into it yet, but it should be an interesting read - even if I do come from an army that (in the CLS' words) "doesn't do Thunder Runs"...


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## silentbutdeadly (17 Nov 2005)

Another good read is "March Up to Bagdhad" its about to embedded retired Marine Officers. One of the best reads for me anyways in a while. Great stories, plus one the tells about how this Marine Cpl commanded a squad in taking one of the most important objectives in the war.


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## Infanteer (17 Nov 2005)

It's called The March Up and was mentioned above by the reviewer.  It is written by Bing West, a retired Marine Officer.


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## silentbutdeadly (17 Nov 2005)

HOOOWA!


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## CallOfDuty (29 Nov 2005)

I just finished reading the book.  What a great book!!!  I finished it in two days and hated to put it down. ( this coming from a Navy applicant,lol)  The author did an amazing job of making you feel as if you were right there in the middle of the battle.  
     I had no idea the amount firepower the americans had taken.  RPG after RPG after RPG after RPG............sweet jesus.
  I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if it was our armoured vehicles there instead of those seemingly bullet and RPG proof Abrams tanks.
  Cheers all. Again, thanks 2Bravo for the heads-up.
  Steve


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## Good2Golf (29 Nov 2005)

I've seen a amateur video of the 2/3's drive up the highway into downtown Baghdad that I believe the book "Thunder Run" is based on...looked like a column of M1s and Bradleys.  In one scene there is a little white Toyota (what else could it be? ;D ) that comes alongside the colum at a pretty great of speed...the camcorder looks like it's gun-taped to an M1's coax...you see the turret swing, line-up with Herr Toyota and *WHAM*....sabot round turns the thing into powdered metal flakes!   I'd like to see the vid again...the unit was nicknamed Big Rats or Desert Rats or something like that....

Anyone else seen that vid?

Cheers,
Duey


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