Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
ACTIVE DUTY. While stationed in Iraq in 2004, Corporal Robert Reynolds stands armed with his gun, but more importantly with a plush toy cow, sent to him by his son, Noah. Reynolds said he has held on to the gift for the past eight years. –Photo provided by Robert Reynolds
On Aug. 4, 2004, Robert Reynolds deployed to Iraq as a United States Marine to fight for our country. It was his 27th birthday.
For the next six months, Reynolds would be stationed in Iraq and participate in various assignments. He would return home in February 2005 as a veteran, and the recipient of the Purple Heart.
Now eight years after his deployment, Reynolds serves as a corrections officer in the Adams County Sheriff’s department, where he has worked for the past seven years. He can accurately recall each experience from his time on active duty, as if it was yesterday.
Growing up in Vancouver, Wash., Reynolds said he had always wanted to join the military, partially because of his stepfather’s service in the Navy. But after discussing the Marine Corps with a friend, Reynolds decided to look into becoming a Marine.
“I walked into a recruiter office and said I wanted to blow stuff up, camp and hike. He said, ‘I got the perfect job for you.’ Two-weeks later I was in the Marine Corp,” Reynolds joked.
In April 2001, Reynolds quit working as a security guard to attend boot camp in San Diego. After 12 grueling weeks of training, he graduated from boot camp, and returned home for 10 days before attending the school of infantry at Camp Pendleton.
Reynolds graduated from infantry school on Sept. 20, 2001, before being stationed in Hawaii with the third battalion, third Marines. Reynolds would transfer over to the first battalion, third Marines before being deployed to Iraq.
During his time being stationed in Hawaii, Reynolds went on two deployments, trained in jungle warfare, clearing buildings, martial arts and a variety of other physical fitness regimens.
Reynolds flew into Kuwait, Iraq, in 2004 and would stay in the city for about a month, before being stationed in Fallujah.
From October to November, Reynolds served in operation posts along the main supply routes before stepping off on Nov. 8 to clear the city of Fallujah.
The residents of the city had received pamphlets announcing that the city would be cleared, and Reynolds said any individual remaining in the city was viewed as hostile. Reynolds and his battalion went door-to-door, clearing the city of insurgents.
“The first day; I’m a tough guy, but when it comes to having that first round go over your head, it scared the living tar out of you, I don’t care what people say,” Reynolds remembered.
After about five days, he began to acclimate to the sounds of gunfire and develop a sort of numbness to deal with the fact live ammo was flying by him. But on Nov. 15, only a week after beginning door-to-doors in Fallujah, Reynolds was hit by enemy fire from an AK47.
“I was hit, one round went through my forearm, and I was knocked out at one point. I lost a good friend,” Reynolds recalled.
“My fire team punched in and cleared first. I had a sergeant and corporal attached with me. They were in front and my guys were behind me,” Reynolds explained as he drew a diagram of the house they were storming. “I saw my sergeant take a round to the face and he went down. I was already committed to the door, and as I was turning the corner, I was hit immediately. It spun me up against a wall. I didn’t know what was happening at the time…”
Reynolds said the next thing he knew, he was taking a grenade. Reynolds knows the only reason he is alive today is because of the actions of the sergeant, who scooped the grenade underneath him.
Reynolds also took six rounds to the chest, all being stopped by his flack jacket. The impact left Reynolds breathless, momentarily unconscious, and extremely bruised on his entire torso.
Reynolds was evacuated to a field hospital and spent three weeks in recovery before returning to his unit on Dec. 7.
After the attack, Reynolds and his platoon participated in firm base operations, which generally consist of patrols or observation posts. Just after New Years, Reynolds worked as perimeter security while the first elections were conducted in the small city of Hīt.
“Especially after last night (Nov. 6), and knowing what it feels like to vote, and seeing those people vote for the very first time, it was priceless. Some were happy, some were scared, and some were angry,” Reynolds recalls.
After the elections, Reynolds did routine patrols until February, when he left Iraq to return stateside. It took a week to return to the U.S., and a month later, Reynolds was a civilian.
Today, Reynolds lives in Ritzville with his wife, Crystal, and three children: Noah, Sophia and Sienna. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization and is part of the color guard that displays the flags during community parades and events. He also serves as the Cub Master for the local Cub Scouts and has served as a volunteer fireman in Ritzville for six years.
This Veteran’s Day, Reynolds will spend the day working, but he looks forward to being a part of the color guard at the Lind-Ritzville High School Veteran’s Day assembly on Friday, Nov. 9, beginning at 9 a.m. in Gilson Gymnasium.
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