Editor’s Note: This is the third of a six-part series leading up to Veterans Day honoring veterans of each American war from World War II through the ongoing War on Terror.
Columbia Law Enforcement Training Academy Deputy Director and full-time U.S. Army National Guard Master Sgt. Billy Herrington saw and experienced mankind at some of its worst during his time in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Herrington is making a career of serving in the military with one year left to go. In addition to two tours in Iraq, he also served on a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia.
“It was cold. Our job was to secure election sites and other areas,” Herrington said.
On Jan. 30, 2005, he arrives in Iraq with his unit, Army National Guard C Company, 1st Bn, 155th Infantry. He said they reported to their operating base, and it was less than desirable.
“Nothing was there. The chow hall had been mortared. We had to sleep for the next 10 months in tents,” he said.
The setting was no white lights because it set you up for mortar attacks, which he said happened weekly. Only a couple of buildings were still standing on the base that had been abandoned by the Marines.
One of his first experiences with the Iraqi insurgents happened when a suicide car bomber exploded at a market, killing Iraqi police officers and causalities. He said there was nothing left of the car except the burning engine with human carnage nearby, including a mother holding onto her child, both being deceased.
Herrington said the smell was the worst, the smell never goes away, he said. The smell of death and blood sticks with you forever.
It eventually becomes a game where the goal is to find the insurgents before you are found, he said. He said they try not to go to the same place twice. Being in infantry, their job was to go door to door looking for insurgents. Once it was his turn to be the first one in and someone on the inside grabbed his gun and he punched the man, resulting in a broken knuckle on his hand. He said it didn’t stop him because he could still shoot his gun with the cast on.
On May 23, 2005, four of his comrades were killed when the Humvee the soldiers were driving hit an IED, an improvised explosive device, including a soldier from Foxworth. There was a memorial service at the base before the bodies were transported home.
He said the soldiers worked in five-day rotations: five days in the middle of the town, Haswa, and five days at the base. Herrington said there was really no break though because attacks happened frequently at both places. Downtime would consist of going to the gym, playing video games and sleep. Sleep was a premium. They would be able to call home a couple times of week and have access to the internet to send the occasional email. When not on patrol the soldiers would also use the time for maintenance on the weapons and vehicles.
Herrington’s company left Iraq on Dec. 24, 2005, and as the plane was taking off a rocket attack was happening.
Herrington, like other soldiers, deals with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He suffers from nightmares from all he has seen and heard. He said a lot of soldiers buy motorcycles to deal with all of the adrenaline they experienced in Iraq.
“PTSD is a natural reaction to unnatural situations,” Herrington described.
He credits his mother, wife and oldest son for helping him when he came home.
“One week you are fighting for your life, and the next week you are home as if nothing happened,” he said.
He said the people in Iraq appreciate the soldiers being there but feels like the welcome has been worn out.
He is grateful being able to go to the market and not have to worry about car bombs. It has made him closer with his family. Overall he said the experience in Iraq has made him appreciate being an American.
