Virginia National Guard Disputes Ambush Video
EmailThe commander of the Virginia National Guard is disputing allegations by a former Halliburton truck driver that guard soldiers abandoned a convoy coming under ambush. "My soldiers performed bravely and with valor," Maj. Gen. Robert B. Newman, Jr. told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "The reporting provided by ABC is far from the mark," he said. The former Halliburton driver, Preston Wheeler, produced home video showing soldiers leaving the scene as four trucks were disabled by insurgent gunfire. THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS World News: Anatomy of an Ambush Exclusive: U.S. Troops Abandoned Me, Says Convoy Driver Click Here for More of the Brian Ross Page Wheeler told ABC News he watched as at least two of the drivers were executed at point-blank range. He says it was almost 45 minutes before the military returned to the scene. The U.S. Army says an investigation of the incident found the Virginia National Guard acted properly. Wheeler says he was never interviewed by the Army about what he saw and heard. The Army confirms Wheeler was not interviewed, but a spokesman said he did not know why. The Army awarded 16 military decorations to Virginia soldiers for valor, according to the Times-Dispatch. Relatives of the three Halliburton drivers who were murdered told ABC News they want the Army to re-open the investigation.
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How about getting feedback from the soldiers and other KBR employees who were there rather than hinging your entire anti-military story on one person?
Posted by: Ed | September 29, 2006, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm
> The former Halliburton driver,
> Preston Wheeler, produced home
> video showing soldiers leaving
> the scene as four trucks were
> disabled by insurgent gunfire.
This incident is certainly worthy of investigation, so there’s no reason to do anything but wait to see what is revealed by the military. However, the picture shown on this WEB-page seems to be taken from far above the trucks, not at/near street level. It might be a good idea to research the origin of the “home video” before making too many accusations.
Posted by: wayne martin | September 29, 2006, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
well, maybe this wheeler guy is superman and can fly???
Posted by: ravin black | September 29, 2006, 7:33 pm 7:33 pm
Wayne:
The picture you see above is footage from a Predator aircraft which also captured the event. The home video is all over the Internet and I don’t think anyone questions it’s veracity.
The real question is why these soldiers received a medal of honor when they abandoned the convoy allowing these insurgents to kill Keven Dagit, Christopher Lem and Sascha Grenner. Wheeler was shot and two other drivers wounded.
Perhaps there is an explanation, but “My soldiers performed bravely and with valor” doesn’t cut it. The home video clearly shows a Humvee speeding away while Wheeler pleads with him to come back. Let’s hear an explanation. Let’s hear it from the mouth of the driver of that Humvee.
Posted by: Will Right | September 29, 2006, 8:16 pm 8:16 pm
it’s funny how much everybody sees and thinks they know. the gun truck is in front of all this, thats why it can’t be seen.. it’s still on location. WELL shot up and trying to get to the 2 trucks in front(in the video). there were additonal vehicles behind him and another gun truck. this guy is alive because of this.. and he knows it!! it is funny that he does not mention any of this at all. this guy is all wrong…..
Posted by: been there-done that | September 30, 2006, 2:01 am 2:01 am
ah dears…i think wayne can figure out that was a picture from a predator drone after the fact…the point isn’t wayne…it is ABC and why not post the pictures from the web?
or does one have to pay for pictures floatly around the web for general use?
or is it that one can report the rest of the story just not the pictures in question???
Posted by: ravin black | September 30, 2006, 2:37 am 2:37 am
Why are American troops risking their lives protecting no-bid, inflated corporate profits anyways?
Posted by: james | September 30, 2006, 3:15 am 3:15 am
There has only been one Medal of Honor awarded in the entire war, and it was for an action in 2003.
KBR won the Clinton-era LOGPAC contract in open bidding, and under terms of that contract has to provide all sorts of services from truck convoys to messhalls to maintenance engineering. So yes, each individual service provided is not re-bid, as it would be prohibitively expensive and time consuming to do so, which was why the LOGPAC contract was created. I doubt anyone can show that KBR has made an inflated profit out of the LOGPAC, since the armed services can audit every line, and have been doing so, and reversing any charge considered excessive or unjustified.
At least when I was in Iraq, the correct tactic for gun trucks to employ when coming under a road ambush was to drive out of the kill zone as quickly as possible, establish a perimeter 300-400 yards beyond, under the cover of machine guns, assess the situation, and then engage the enemy. The gun truck on the home video appears to be doing exactly this, but what nobody can tell is what is going on with the gun trucks out of range of the camera.
Posted by: Rick | September 30, 2006, 7:02 am 7:02 am
What those troops are protecting are THEIR supplies and the drivers who move them around. KBR isn’t running around Iraq for the fun of it or to make Halliburton rich, we are supporting the troops here with supplies that they need. And if someone wants to point out how much Halliburton has profited this year, try to remember that they have many, many other divisions that are making money for them.
Posted by: Mfairey | September 30, 2006, 9:39 am 9:39 am
To Will Right
My best friend, Comrade in Arms, and my Team Leader SFC Paul Smith won the only Medal Of Honor for actions while in battle and you should not asscoiate that heroic act with the act of doing as your are trained. If you can’t get that simple fact straight the you maybe want to stop responding to these sites. You sound just like the media. Why don’t you put on the boots and uniform and make your life worth living as an AMERICAN SOLDIER then read these posting. Those contractors were killed because it was their time, they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like over 2,400 American Soldiers, but I don’t hear you saying anything about the way they died. If you go to a COMBAT ZONE you can expect to DIE. AND for future reference Mr. Right all soldier in COMBAT perform bravely and with Valor thats why they are there and your are sitting at home just complaining about it!
Posted by: Dan | October 2, 2006, 7:59 am 7:59 am
Yes, it is clear to everyone. The Republicans are trying to get rich off this war. Halliburton is a no bid contractor who has not fed our troops or kept the contract and it is all because the Democrats are not in charge. Democrats are the most trustworthy honest people in the government. How we ever allowed ourselves to have a Republican congress when none of our major news sources approve of them I do not know. We need to vote against the meglamanics in the Republican party and put the noble honest Democrats in charge so they can make money just like the Republicans by controlling the purse shrings. They will also raise our taxes so they can make even more than the Republicans.
Posted by: Sam Douthit | October 2, 2006, 10:28 am 10:28 am
My husband was one of the KBR drivers in that convoy and he tells a different story than the driver Wheeler, he takes the side of the soldiers.Maybe you should talk to more than just Wheeler as there are always 2 sides to all stories and when we are in a tramatic situation we do not always see things clearly and I think that might be the case with Wheeler….
Posted by: Billie | October 2, 2006, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
Bravo DAN!!!! Well said!
Posted by: Rob | October 2, 2006, 9:49 pm 9:49 pm
With the big bucks the drivers are being paid from Halliburton maybe they should pick up some fire power to protect themselves. If I was a GI I would lookout for my unit and myself before protecting a bunch of get rich quick mercenaries. Most of the time it appears our forces are undermanned to fight off the insurgents anyway and if we must haul ass to get re- enforcements looks like the contract guys are going to have to wait and fend for them selves.
Posted by: Tom | October 3, 2006, 7:51 am 7:51 am
Think about this: What would have happened if the military stopped in the middle of a kill zone while it was under fire? How many U.S. casualties would wehave had?
Posted by: Gordon | October 3, 2006, 9:23 am 9:23 am
Convoy after convoy! What kind of war is it that American solders accompany Halliburton workers to and from job? Is this why we are in Iraq? Why don’t Iraquies have electricity? water? some of basics of civilization? What Democracy? Who is the benifactor here? Halliburton has taken billions of dollars out of that country. What is there to show for this except dead American boys? What the heck is going on?
Virginia Reynolds
Posted by: Virginia Reynolds | October 3, 2006, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
Mr Wheeler, What you describe, about the front vehicles leaving, is called “Evasive Action”. That is standard procedure when a convoy comes under attack. Having been in the military, I have trained for this scenario many time, as have all personnel who drive in convoys. If they had stayed behind and joined the fight at the time of attack, you probably wouldn’t have been alive to comment on the ambush. It sounds as if they did exactly as they were trained. GO GET HELP!
Posted by: M Chisom | October 4, 2006, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
Tom: Not sure I follow. You are saying in an ambush it is every man for himself to get away?
That is what we have bought militarily for $1-trillion / year!?
Posted by: mark | October 4, 2006, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm
if you guys look real close you can see gun truck throw a precusion granade out of the touret. it went under prestons truck and blew up. these guys really know how to protect Americans don’t they.
Posted by: 'J' | November 3, 2006, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
I read these blogs and it’s a shame that we all come in here as Americans and stab each other! If a proper and full investigation was conducted, then, all the facts would’ve been disclosed. In this case, Preston had a video and called what he saw. That’s his part! The Army admits that Wheeler was not interviewed or questioned. Why not? I’ll tell you why…because, as we all know, politics is a dirty game. Let’s stop bashing each other and learn from the mistakes that have been made.
Posted by: Jesse Camacho | December 2, 2006, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
Mr. Chisom, I understand that evasive action may be necessary in many cases but what do you do when you have vehicles down with people in them? Do you still leave them behind to be killed or do you stand and fight, rescue the individual, then, continue to evade? I drove in Iraq and also an ex 11B. One big problem is we don’t provide enough coverage for the number of trucks because we don’t have enough military personnel. On top of that, for you information Mr. Chisom, the military isn’t what it use to be. I’ve seen many convoy gunners disappear into the turret of a humvee throughout the convoy, instead of staying up there and keeping watch. So sir, while I respect your comment, I don’t think you telling Preston Wheeler to “Go Get Help” was appropriate. Thank you
Posted by: Jesse Camacho | December 2, 2006, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
Mr. Gordon,
Let me give you an insight on why we lost so many soldiers in the Middle East. (1) We follow the Geneva Convention and no body else does (2) We try to be humanitarians first then soldiers (3) Our rules of engagement are there for a reason but the ones I saw on cards issued to the soldiers are nothing short of suicide.
If we’re going to fight a war, let’s fight it and stop kissing butt. If they look suspicious and don’t follow simple instructions, shoot the individual. Simple as that! We’ll be good if you are good to us. If you want to hurt us, we’ll hurt you first. Why can’t we work under these pretences? Because the politicians are too afraid of killing their enemy. They don’t have to be out there so it doesn’t matter to them. I’d like to see them out there working under these conditions.
Posted by: Jesse Camacho | December 2, 2006, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
Tom,
Your comment was pretty sad. You don’t have any idea what it’s like to work and drive on these dangerous roads. You remind me of Jane Fonda. You reep the rewards of being free but yet talk trash about those that step up to the plate. It is people like us and so many others, who keep our country free and keep you safe.
Posted by: Jesse Camacho | December 2, 2006, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
The investigation is still under way. There are two that have to investigate this.
(1) the U.S. military
(2) the iraqi government
so as far as this being over, not yet my freinds.
GOD bless OUR troops where ever they maybe.
Posted by: Brian Dagit | December 4, 2006, 9:51 pm 9:51 pm
We now look foreward to getting this war over. We have the Dems back in office and the end is just aroung the corner. It’s a shame for the loss of life that could have been prevented in the 90′s.
Posted by: Tommy | January 6, 2007, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
Over (2) two years and the coverup still continues with the National Gaurd ubit 1173rd that ARE responsible for these (3) deaths. Why do we as Americans think that the national gaurd is part of the military? They are nothing more then a police force. This is provin by their actions on 20sept05 in this ambush. These are the guys that you want to protect you if this country comes under attack? We just as well give up now.
Posted by: Brian Dagit | December 11, 2007, 9:17 am 9:17 am
Basic military tactics:
If you get ambushed, you get out of the kill zone, regroup and go back in.
If they hadn’t left, they all could have died.
Posted by: JasonV | May 6, 2009, 9:09 am 9:09 am