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A specialist (SPC) in the United States Army as a 13B (Filed Artillery Soldier). It was not until April 9th, 2004 when reality set in deep for Brandon Sims, a native Texan.

He recalled it was a normal hot Iraqi day ofdeployment at their Forward Operating Base (FOB) Lancer, Iraqi.

That morning SPC Sims’ Commander received a call from the Head of Iraqi Local police station. The man stated that some Al-Qaeda men were in town, and that there was going to be a protest at the mayor’s office. Supposedly this protest was going to take place in the afternoon.

He recalled that his Commander and First Sergeant decided to take out one platoon of men, which was 20-25 people. As well as 6 HMMWVS (High Mobile Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) with riot equipment.

SPC Sims says, “they were the first ones into town and at the time they did not notice that the streets were bare.” The mayor’s office was desolate so they continued down to the police station to set up a perimeter. The local police claimed that they did not know were the Al-Qaeda men were located.

They decided to leave the vehicles at the police station and half of the soldiers were going to go on a dismounted patrol down town. The other half were going to stay in the perimeter.

So the dismounted patrol left the station on foot. Sims said, “I remember talking to our gunner and we both just had a really bad feeling, so I gave him an extra can of ammo and told him to keep it up there with him.”

SPC Sims recalled that about 20 minutes had gone by, the next thing they heard was 3 really loud BOOMS!! Followed by lots and lots of gun fire. After that, yellow smoke appeared in the sky, that was their signal that some type of emergency happened.

SPC Sims was the Commanders driver for their unit at the time and would have to go out with every mission.

In this instant the Commander was on top of the police station and saw the yellow smoke pop. By the time he made it down from the roof SPC Sims was waiting for him at the gate with the vehicle running. Sims says, “they jetted off in the direction of the smoke as fast as the truck would carry them.”

SPC Sims recalls sitting there and using all the weapons they had, to do what they could to hold the attackers off. Two of the men were dead on site and the other soldier made it until the aid stationed but died there. One of their guys from our dismounted patrol was trying to load SFC Jones, their platoon Sergeant in the back of our truck. SFC Jones was a 6 ‘ 4,’’ 230 pounds of dead weight and their guys was screaming for help. Sims’ remembers the soldier saying, “HELP ,HELP, HELP, me get him in!!”

He remembers their Commander on the radio calling for back up! Realizing they can’t be heard because of all the gun fire the Commander just held the microphone in the air for the other end to hear. SPC Sims said, “at that time our gunner had already gone through 200 rounds of ammo and he was about to run out.” So before Sims ran around to the other side to help get SFC Jones in the HMMV he threw their gunner another can of ammo for the 50 caliber rifle. SFC Jones

was placed in the backseat of Sims’

truck and the rest if the casualties

were spread out through the

five trucks.

SPC Sims then took his truck to the maintance bay. He said the maintance guys meet him at the doors. The HMMV was covered in blood and brain matter and they told him not to worry they got it , that they were going to take care of it.

He remembers walking to his room and laying face down on his cot, head buried in his pillow, blankets pulled up and eyes closed as tight as they would. Feeling numb. He recalls only there being a brief 10 minutes to himself before the Commander bursts into his room and saying, “I know that you pry don’t want to hear this but we gotta go back out…”

Sims’ recalls that all personnel that were able, went out with them minus the platoon that was just there. He said they set up on the edge of town. Just as they were setting up he remembers rockets, RPG and anything the Al-Qaede men had was being shot at them. At this point he said that his Commander had enough and called an air strike to their location. The Air Force dropped 2 bombs around the area that they had been fired on.

Sims’ said, “they were ordered to raid all thebuildings and everything that was moving

neededto be checked. It took all night.” He recalls

raidinghomes, cars, everything. The entire fight lasteduntil 10 am the next morning. They did not take anymore casualties on their side, the same could not be said for Al-Qaede.

Sims recalls that at about 9 that morning, he realized that he’d gone 24 hours without eating or drinking anything and that it didn’t even matter. He remembers after they got back, it was just so sad. Everyone was walking around like zombies, not knowing what to say to the other since they had all endured the same loss. SPC Sims said that they were all grieving. He remembers thinking, “what did I get myself into?”

At that point Sims exclaimed, “that we all had to realize we had a job to do and what we signed up to do. There wasn’t a whole lot of time to feel sorry for yourself or mope. If you lost your concentration, that’s when the person to your left or right gets hurt because your feeling sorry for yourself.”

A Special Thanksto

SFC Brandon Sims

1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Charlie Battery

All of our brave Military Men and Women

All our Military Families