Soldier survives attack; captures, medically treats sniper During a routine patrol in Baghdad June 2, Army Pfc. Stephen Tschiderer, a medic, was shot in the chest by an enemy sniper, hiding in a van just 75 yards away. The incident was filmed by the insurgents. Tschiderer, with E Troop, 101st “Saber” Cavalry Division, attached to 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, 256th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, was knocked to the ground from the impact, but he popped right back up, took cover and located the enemy’s position. After tracking down the now-wounded sniper with a team from B Company, 4th Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigade, Tschiderer secured the terrorist with a pair of handcuffs and gave medical aid to the terrorist who’d tried to kill him just minutes before.
Unlike Superdave, I'll give you benefit of doubt, though. I'm wondering if that GI won over the heart and mind of the wounded nuthead sniper.
Ian left something at the end of the URL. Try this: http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-976420.php Remarkable stuff.
I don't care either or both ways-- That's still the definition of professionalism... In fact it wouldn't hurt to have a medal that was about that kind of focus instead of "mere" bravery...
Oh, for the love of...I'm saying he would have been right to up and kill him, but capturing him was not only the merciful thing to do, it was the smart thing to do. How is that wrong, let alone cavalier or crass?
The video is available, most of you guys know where. I think in this situation I can safely say, since the soldier is ok, that it actually was pretty cool to see him get back up right away and take cover. Anyone know what caliber and type of round he was hit with? edit: oops, just realized the vid is available on the army times site as well. Not where I saw it, but hey!
According to the title page of the video, it is a Dragunov sniper rifle. 7.62mm round with muzzle velocity of 830 m/s. It is a longer round (and thus heavier) than the 7.62 shot by the AK-47 and sent at a much faster speed. It is damn powerful and I am amazed the vest stopped it at such short range. This means that the only man-portable weapon that can kill a US soldier when hit in the chest is a shaped-charge rocket (like the RPG-7).
Thanks. I assume then that the lack of effective small arms is a major reason that insurgents do not attack our forces directly unless forced to? The vast majority of our losses come from IEDs. I guess they haven't proven themselves to be too stupid. Does anyone know what the rate of attacks on U.S. soldier foot patrols is? It seems far easier for the insurgency to target our lumbering patrol vehicles with roadside bombs. They can blow those up, but they can't take out a medic at 75 yards with a high powered sniper rifle. Interesting.
Let that go on the Moslem news service. The medic should have amputed different parts of his body one by one and finished with taking off his fing head.
Did anyone notice what that "freedom fighter" was saying?! I guess it doesn't matter to then whether they are shooting you or cutting your head off or simply praying. Interesting?
I've got a Dragunov, it'd not a bad rifle but it's old and hasn't been updated for a while. 7.62 is 7.62, it's only heavier as the 7.62x54 is to 7.62x39. The bullet weight remains unchanged. Personally, I would have put two in his head after I cut off his ears.