When we last left off: At 1730Z WED 26 JUL 2000 the reconnaissance group consisting of the G2 HMMWV (2LT Duffy in command and driving, Jan Novak in the Observer’s seat and SPC Haven in the M-60 cupola) in the lead and the G6 HMMWV in trail (SGT Swain driving, 1st Lt. Scott in the Observer’s seat and 1SG Keller in command and in the M-60 cupola) departed Miechow northbound on DW 762 at 20 KPH.
At 1823Z the group entered Wodzislaw. No halt was ordered. The town seemed mainly abandoned and nothing of value seemed to remain near the roadside. A few civilians were seen scurrying: hiding away from the convoy. 2LT Duffy was satisfied via visual reconnaissance that no military presence of any kind existed in the location, satisfying the parameters of the mission. The group exited Wodzislaw at 1841Z. At 1929Z, on the approach to Jedzerjow, an abandoned bunker Command post, part of an old defensive line, was seen on the downward slope to Jedzerjow, approximately 750 m east of the highway, overlooking the mountain ridge valley the town was located in. This was noted as a possible site of an independent base for the Detachment, another objective of the reconnaissance mission. Jan noted that the highway area was deserted, while a week ago approximately 100 refugees had been begging by the roadside when his convoy passed through. This was noted. This town also seemed deserted. No halt was ordered.
At 1944Z, pre-sunset twilight was beginning to occur. While on the upslope northbound exiting Jedzerjow, 1st Lt. Scott observed smoke at the map-referenced site of an abandoned iron mine approximately 1 Km west of Jedzerjow. This was noted. At 1946Z, while still on the northbound upslope, Jan observed moving figures in a tree line east of the highway. Further observation indicated they were potentially armed civilians. This was noted. No halt was ordered.
At 1949Z, the road leveled out and the convoy entered a switchback on the highway. Upon exiting the switchback, a heavy hauler civilian truck was spotted on the right side of the road and a silhouetted figure was waving at the convoy with a flashlight. Immediately, tired puncture strip was seen being pulled across the highway and machine gun fire was heard.
2LT Duffy maintained control of the G2 HMMWV but all four tires were damaged. SGT swain was able to halt the rear HMMWV without incident. Those in cupolas were banged about with the short halt and 1st Lt. Scott slammed his head on the dashboard. Various figures with automatic rifles ran at the vehicles, in an attempt to intimidate and obviously capture the reconnaissance group. The LMG fire was identified as coming from a PKM mounted on a UAZ-69 adjacent to two heavy hauler civilian trucks. It hit the cab of the rear HMMWV damaging the windscreen. A figure seen directing the actions of the ambush was identified as “Rudi”, a known sub-commander of the Wargin Merchant Group, the man who killed SSG Marsh.
1SG Keller returned fire with the M-60. SPC Haven returned fire with her M-60. SGT Swain used maximum speed in reverse to exit the kill zone of the ambush. Jan killed one Wargin operative while 2LT Duffy attempted several difficult maneuvers with the lead HMMWV and finally reversed direction following SGT Swain. Moving at maximum speed (40 KPH, due to the tire damage on the G2 HMMWV tires), the reconnaissance group proceeded southbound through Jedzerjow and assumed a position to ambush on the slope to the south of Jedzerjow. After 30 minutes, at 2024Z, it was assessed that no enemy pursuit was occurring. The group proceeded on a dirt side road to the previously spotted abandoned bunker command post and established camp for the night. All spare HMMWV tires were used to refit the G2 HMMWV. A watch was established for the night.
At 0411Z THU 27 JUL 2000, Jan spotted silhouetted figures on foot approximately 1 Km to the North Northwest of their position. At 0433 2-4 figures were seen approaching a closer distance to 500 m. An alert was called, but it was assessed they were civilian, possibly armed and conducting observation. At 0511Z, after sunrise, a figure armed with an AK-47, wearing civilian clothes was seen waving at the group. 0512Z THU 27 JUL 2000 Session End.