Heavy Metal - A Tank Company's Battle to Baghdad

“I’ve got more vehicles!” he called to Pinkston.

Stewart was ready to fire again. Pinkston was ready to give the order. They were not sure what was in front of them.

Stewart kept looking through his sight, straining to see if it was enemy or friendly.

“No! Wait!” he finally called. “It’s a friendly.” “We’ve got Bradleys in front of us. We’ve got Bradleys in front of us,” Pinkston radioed back.

The Bradley fighting vehicles of Charlie Rock came into view.

The platoon’s two lead tanks were out of the inferno and into relatively safe terrain.

But two of the platoon’s tanks were still back in the city. White’s tank stopped just short of the flames and shot another T-72 off to the right. At least four tanks were burning now, some of which may have been double-tapped by crews that were leaving nothing to chance.

Phinney’s tank was the last in the platoon. Just as Pinkston reported he had Charlie Rock in sight, Phinney looked to his right through the vision blocks and saw two large drums of diesel mounted on the back of a T-72 that somehow the three tanks ahead of him missed.

...continued