What Was Black Sunday? | The Long Road Home

yeah the the Intel brief we got about 30

yeah the the Intel brief we got about 30 days before we left said you’re going to

days before we left said you’re going to

days before we left said you’re going to the safest place in Iraq in April 2004

the safest place in Iraq in April 2004

the safest place in Iraq in April 2004 one year after the fall of Saddam

one year after the fall of Saddam

one year after the fall of Saddam Hussein Iraq was controlled by a us-led

Hussein Iraq was controlled by a us-led

Hussein Iraq was controlled by a us-led transitional government this period

transitional government this period

transitional government this period marked a relative low in violence in the

marked a relative low in violence in the

marked a relative low in violence in the war the soldiers stationed at Camp War

war the soldiers stationed at Camp War

war the soldiers stationed at Camp War Eagle expected an uneventful deployment

Eagle expected an uneventful deployment

Eagle expected an uneventful deployment we deployed you know we knew that there

we deployed you know we knew that there

we deployed you know we knew that there had been a lot of enemy activity in Sadr

had been a lot of enemy activity in Sadr

had been a lot of enemy activity in Sadr City up to that point you know that I

City up to that point you know that I

City up to that point you know that I think there’s general knowledge that you

think there’s general knowledge that you

think there’s general knowledge that you know there had been a shot fired in over

know there had been a shot fired in over

know there had been a shot fired in over six months the division was tasked with

six months the division was tasked with

six months the division was tasked with peacekeeping and supporting local

peacekeeping and supporting local

peacekeeping and supporting local rebuilding efforts in a part of Baghdad

rebuilding efforts in a part of Baghdad

rebuilding efforts in a part of Baghdad known as Sadr City initially what we

known as Sadr City initially what we

known as Sadr City initially what we thought we were going to do is go over

thought we were going to do is go over

thought we were going to do is go over there and provide security to

there and provide security to

there and provide security to contractors who are going to come in and

contractors who are going to come in and

contractors who are going to come in and repair damaged sewage system and repair

repair damaged sewage system and repair

repair damaged sewage system and repair the damaged freshwater system prepare

the damaged freshwater system prepare

the damaged freshwater system prepare the electrical systems all of the things

the electrical systems all of the things

the electrical systems all of the things that have deteriorated since the first

that have deteriorated since the first

that have deteriorated since the first Gulf War because the bombing that we did

Gulf War because the bombing that we did

Gulf War because the bombing that we did there

there

there and because neglect by some of the same

and because neglect by some of the same

and because neglect by some of the same government before we find the topic

government before we find the topic

government before we find the topic that was the mission that we thought we

that was the mission that we thought we

that was the mission that we thought we were going to do

were going to do

were going to do Sadr City was increasingly controlled by

Sadr City was increasingly controlled by

Sadr City was increasingly controlled by muqtada al-sadr an influential religious

muqtada al-sadr an influential religious

muqtada al-sadr an influential religious activists and vocal opponent of foreign

activists and vocal opponent of foreign

activists and vocal opponent of foreign occupation in Iraq on March 28th u.s.

occupation in Iraq on March 28th u.s.

occupation in Iraq on March 28th u.s. coalition forces ordered the closure of

coalition forces ordered the closure of

coalition forces ordered the closure of el satyrs newspaper which escalated the

el satyrs newspaper which escalated the

el satyrs newspaper which escalated the tensions that would lead to violence

tensions that would lead to violence

tensions that would lead to violence when the ambush started we were actually

when the ambush started we were actually

when the ambush started we were actually headed back in we had been out escorting

headed back in we had been out escorting

headed back in we had been out escorting the sewage trucks throughout the day as

the sewage trucks throughout the day as

the sewage trucks throughout the day as we moved in moved down that road you

we moved in moved down that road you

we moved in moved down that road you know a couple rounds fired and we

know a couple rounds fired and we

know a couple rounds fired and we stopped to look for merit was and that’s

stopped to look for merit was and that’s

stopped to look for merit was and that’s when it within a few minutes we knew

when it within a few minutes we knew

when it within a few minutes we knew exactly what was going on we were

exactly what was going on we were

exactly what was going on we were involved in a closed ambush