Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
1:39 | 2LT Sprenger tells of weapons left unguarded and how dangerously coordinated attacks strengthened his resolve and dedication to fight the Iraqi enemy.
Keywords : ordnance mortar machine gun RPG-2(hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher) ambush Humvee Fort Benning
2LT Peter Sprenger describes why he joined the Army after 9/11, his feelings about facing the battlefield, and how his training prepared him and his comrades for a different kind of war in Iraq.
Ferocious fighting and a myriad of cultures in Iraq, took 2LT Peter Sprenger and his fellow soldiers by surprise. Their training didn't prepare them for what they faced.
Trained very well before arriving in Kuwait, 2LT Sprenger experiences a Scud missle attack and witnesses just how well American forces are prepared. He describes what it's like to brace for chemical warfare in the desert heat.
Not knowing when he'd go to Iraq or what was going on politically, 2LT Sprenger recalls how it felt to finally enter the country. He relives the difficulty of moving through the desert while heading toward battle.
Once in Iraq, 2LT Peter Sprenger explains how he felt not knowing who was winning the war and why basic training was tougher than the living conditions he endured in the desert.
First assigned to an air assault, 2LT Peter Sprenger describes how that changed to a ground approach. He recalls experiencing an unexpected odd mix of fighting in Iraq and passing out candy bars to Iraqi children.
2LT Sprenger recalls not knowing how the enemy might attack at night during Iraq's desert sandstorms, and how a soldier's imagination can keep him on constant alert.
The first time 2LT Sprenger faces direct fire it gets his adrenaline going. He recalls how US troops intimidated Iraqi forces and how training prepared him for the real battlefield.
The uncertainty of war weighed heavily on 2LT Sprenger's mind. He describes how he prepared mentally for a surprise attack in the streets of Iraq.
Capturing Baghdad quickly surprised 2LT Sprenger and his fellow troops. He recalls all the excitement, how it boosted morale, and gave soldiers hope that they'd be home soon.
After moving North from Baghdad, 2LT Sprenger describes a surprising twist in the Iraqi culture, people dressed differently, and were more technologically advanced than he ever expected.
Slammed by powerful explosives, 2LT Sprenger describes the sheer terror of being blinded and badly injured. He relives the heroic efforts of those who helped him scramble to safety.
Blinded by an explosion in Iraq, 2LT Sprenger describes his Medivac Convoy and the first moments he spoke to his family about his devastating injuries.
After being badly inured, 2LT Sprenger describes the emotional ups and downs of his recovery, how his severely injured comrades fared, and the care he received at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Despite losing his eye, 2LT Sprenger describes what drove him back to the battlefield, how his doctors helped, and what he endured to become an Army ranger.
