Four years ago on this date, I lost a friend,

Four years ago on this date, a mission was heading towards Baghdad to deliver several thousand gallons of fuel to the US Air Force side of BIAP (Baghdad International Airport). The convoy which had gun truck escort, had become separated due to vehicle breakdowns. In the late afternoon on July 9, 2003, a truck driven by SGT Roger D. Rowe and co-driver, SGT Long were on MSR Tampa and nearing the overpass called MSR Tampa- ASR Cleveland Intersection. The truck which was the last of three in a serial were fired upon. Lost in the action was the driver, SGT Rowe.

I met SGT Rowe in January of 2003 when the 1174th Transportation Company was mobilized for active duty to support the 4th Infantry Division as the division was going to be deployed to Turkey in the upcoming invasion of Iraq. The 1174th reported to Fort Campbell, Kentucky and began to ready equipment for deployment overseas and training for desert and urban warfare. During this time, I began to be-friend SGT Rowe.

Turkey voted not to allow US forces to stage in it's country for the invasion and the 4th Infantry Division was deployed to Kuwait. During this time, the war began in which the 3rd Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division, 82 Airborne Division, the US Marine Corps along with British forces invaded Iraq from Kuwait. We watched the statute of Saddam Hussian come down at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Orders were received and the company was deployed to Kuwait and stationed at Camp Arifijan just south of Kuwait City. Missions rolled out to deliver fuel to Camp Cedar I and the Talil Air Base in Southern Iraq. In May, the company moved to Camp Cedar I and in early June, the camp was moved another 20 miles north to what was to become Camp Cedar II, a fuel logistical base. In that month, the mission requirements began to increase with more runs to Baghdad.

Overall, the truck drivers reported few problems with the locals en route to Baghdad and liked the mission due to that the US Air Force fed the truck drivers well, it was cooler in Baghdad and the drivers could get away from the Camp Cedar II's annoying SGT Major(s) as well as our own 1st SGT.

Gun trucks were developed by mounting a M249 SAW on the rear of the Humvees. 5-ton bobtail trucks were mounted with a .50 caliber M-2 machine gun and a 2 1/2 ton truck was mounted with a full automatic 40mm grenade launcher.

The July 9, 2003 mission left early that morning and expected to reach BIAP in the late afternoon. As usual, equipment breakdowns slowed the convoy down and as the convoy neared Baghdad, the convoy began to separate and created easy targets for Sunni insurgents who were known to operate in the southern parts of Baghdad. SGT Rowe was driving a M-818, a manual transmission 5-speed truck hauling 5,000 gallons of fuel. At the overpass, a insurgent waited and fired one shot through the windshield hitting SGT Rowe in the neck, killing him instantly. Then a barrage of fire from AK-47's and a 12.7mm machine gun began to hit the truck in an attempt to kill the co-driver, SGT Long. SGT Long witnessed the death of his long time friend and took evasion action to save his own by stomping on the accelerator and driving the truck from the passenger side to get the truck out of the kill zone. A couple of miles from the ambush site, SGT Long stopped the truck and rendered aid to his fallen friend. Maintenance trucks and a gun truck with a .50 caliber machine gun arrived to provide security.

SGT Rowe's body was placed in the maintenance truck and the convoy proceeded to BIAP in which the news was spread of the attack. Later that evening, the company attended a meeting in which the Company Commander, Battalion Commander and Chaplin gave the news of SGT Rowe's death. A memorial service was held for SGT Rowe a few days later and he was returned back to the United States and is now buried near Nashville, Tennessee.