Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Christian Bauzo

Operation Iraqi Freedom | 1st Battalion, 4th Marines

After the heat and sandstorms of Kuwait, the Marines were on the move into Iraq. Christian Bauzo and his buddies were moving fast, deep into the heart of the ancient, troubled land. Before it was over, they would all have many brushes with death. (Caution: strong language) (8:32)
Chow was sometimes scarce for the Marines in Iraq. Christian Bauzo describes how slowly he could eat one Skittle. He tried to smile at the locals when he met them because he thought it made them less anxious. He even began to learn the language. (5:55)
When Christian Bauzo returned from Iraq, he was amazed by the greeting and the crowd. He would have settled for not getting spit on as some returning Marines experienced in a previous war. (3:46)
After his first Iraq deployment, Christian Bauzo tried to get into the trailer platoon, which was a support unit for the Force Recon Marines, but he would have another deployment before he got there. He was only nineteen but he had been to war and he was now in a leadership position as a team leader. (Caution: strong language) (6:47)
Between his Iraq deployments, Christian Bauzo did a lot of training and began learning leadership skills. He was now a team leader which was a new experience for him. He describes the awful loss of two buddies to friendly fire during the first tour. (Caution: strong language) (7:58)
The battle of Najaf was hard fought by US Marines and Iraqi insurgents. Christian Bauzo's team was tasked with clearing a large cemetery which was honeycombed beneath with eerie catacombs. Part 1 of 5. (Caution: strong language) (9:42)
After the cemetery on the outskirts of town was cleared, it was time to move into Najaf. The plan looked flawed to Christian Bauzo and he was not shy about stating it. To his relief, a different approach was ordered and the Marines moved in. Part 2 of 5. (Caution: strong language) (9:11)
In the aftermath of an RPG blast, Christian Bauzo was unharmed but guys all around him were wounded. He tried to calm them down until the Corpsman arrived. Then it was time to continue pushing into Najaf. Part 3 of 5. (9:28)
Christian Bauzo had just left the room when a Mahdi rocket slammed in. The Marines were clearing buildings in Najaf and, in the next one, he was on watch at a high window. When it was time, he turned it over to another Marine. Not very long after that, the man fell face forward to the floor. Part 4 of 5. (Caution: strong language) (8:46)
Near the end of the Battle of Najaf, Christian Bauzo heard something on the radio that was devastating. "Someone got hit He's down! It's Dondo!" It was his best friend who had been taken out by an Iraqi sniper. Part 5 of 5. (Caution: strong language) (6:28)