Explosions All-Around

Maj. John Croushorn, MD (retired veteran)

It was a beautiful night for a run. The sand in our part of Iraq was like talcum powder. You could smell it in the air. It made for some spectacular sunsets. It was still too hot for a comfortable run, but after a few months of acclimating to the midday heat, the evening air felt refreshing.

I jogged down the road that paralleled our side of the airfield. It was a mile from where I lived to the corner where an Iraqi T-55 tank set. I would run down and turn around and run back. I was on my second lap, having just turned around at the tank when I saw the flash.

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’S love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.” (Psalm 103:13–18)

It was big and beautiful. White phosphorus (WP or “Willie Pete”) burns without oxygen. It burns hot. The explosions are unique in that the fragments of white phosphorous arc away from the point of impact; they glow brightly and leave white trails of smoke.

The most immediate thought I had was that the blast landed near my trailer. I’m the doc for that area and was a mile away on foot. I ran harder and prayed that no one was hurt. Across the airfield, I could see another explosion. It was distant but bright. Since when did the enemy start shooting WP at us?

The round had not injured anyone on our side of the base, but the round that hit the other side had scored a direct hit on one of our TOCs (Tactical Operations Center), and several guys were burned pretty badly.

Life is so frail. During a beautiful sunset, those rounds dropped in and wounded good soldiers. That night, we returned to the fight. The TOC’s operations were up and running within an hour. Life went on. War went on.

Prayer: Father God, you are so good. Help me see how frail this life is. Help me remember that we are dust. Let me use my days to honor and fear you oh God. Keep your righteousness with my children’s children.