Tanks Continue Patrols Al Anbar Province by Lance Cpl. Will Lathrop Marine Corps News January 21, 2005 HADITHAH DAM, Iraq - In his quest to conquer the world, Alexander the Great used elephants not only as troop transport, but also as psychological tools to terrorize his enemies who fled from the impressive beasts. The M1A1 Abrams main battle tank has the same effect on insurgents today in Iraq, and the Marine tankers of Alpha Company, 2nd Tank Battalion currently assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, know how to make their presence felt. "When we patrol hand-in-hand with the grunts, most of the time we set up blocking positions and provide overwatch. It's basically big guns on standby," said Sgt. Ricardo Rios, a 22-year-old Miami native and tank gunner. According to Cpl. Quadir Taylor, 22, a Newark, N.J., native and tank gunner, the Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based tankers have been operating continuously in Iraq since their arrival in mid-September. It's not uncommon for them to go on two patrols per day, whether rolling along by themselves or accompanying foot patrols. But the tanks have not been limited to merely patrols; they were instrumental during the fight for Fallujah during Operation Al Fajr in late 2004. With the ability to travel quickly, and weighing in at over 70 tons, with a full load of ammunition, the tanks operated constantly in the urban environment alongside the infantry. The tanks' main weapon systems, 120mm cannons, were used to destroy structures hiding insurgents while the three on-board machineguns are commonly used to lay down suppressive fire. Thirty percent of the company is on a second tour in Iraq. But this has been a different experience for those who were here during Operation Iraqi Freedom I. "There's a lot more luxury this time. We were pretty much living off of the land the first time," Taylor said. Ever since the arrival of Multi-National Forces in Iraq, the crews and their tanks have made an impact on the field of battle here with their awesome displays of firepower and intimidating size.

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