Personal Narrative Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Audio Recording James R. Welch Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: B Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 4th Infantry Division
- Location of Service: Fort Benning, Georgia, Fort Carson, Colorado; Iraq
- Highest Rank: Specialist
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/29065
As an infantry soldier with the Army's 3rd Brigade Combat Team deployed to Iraq in 2003, Specialist James Welch searched homes for weapons and set up security checkpoints. He served seven months in country, suffering from a broken collar bone, but focused on getting his job done and returning safely to his family. Indifferent to how the media portrayed the war or how politics played into it, Welch wanted to give the Iraqi people a better life, even if they did not always seem to view the Americans in such a noble light. On one mission, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle in which he was riding was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED). Though missions may have proved scary for Welch, letters from family and school children gave him and his fellow soldiers the support they needed to get through.
James R. Welch Collection
Interview / Recording
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PlayMost fighting taking place in towns and at checkpoints; informants used by Saddam Hussein to avoid capture; shooting up car of father and son who did not stop at checkpoint; first defending self. 00:15:17.8 - 00:16:53.8
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PlayRiding in back of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle when hit by an improvised explosive device (IED): hearing huge bang, vehicle shaking, several suffering from concussions, finding hole where IED exploded, pulling out shrapnel, impact ripping off chunks of the side of the Bradley. 00:21:13.0 - 00:23:15.6
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PlayMixed reaction by the local populace to the troops' presence. 00:31:19.6 - 00:31:58.9
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PlayNot understanding the differences between the Sunnis, Shias and Kurds; just doing his job and focusing on getting home to his family; "if they were a bad guy, they were a bad guy." 00:31:59.0 - 00:33:21.7
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PlayEconomic disparities between Saddam Hussein and the civilian population; wanting to give the Iraqi people a better life and free them from dictatorship; reasons for fighting. 00:36:40.0 - 00:38:27.4
More Resources
About this Item
Title
- James R. Welch Collection
Names
- Jones, Tamara
- Fisher, Andrew L.
- University of Toledo
- Welch, James R.
Home State
- Michigan
Headings
- - Welch, James R.
- - Iraq War, 2003-2011 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
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Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: B Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 4th Infantry Division
- Location of Service: Fort Benning, Georgia, Fort Carson, Colorado; Iraq
- Highest Rank: Specialist
- Dates of Service: 2001-2004
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2005-02-24; 2005-10-31)
- Photograph: Mixed (Multiple types of photographs) [4 items] -- Photograph (collected 2005-02-24)
- Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-02-24)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/29065
Cite as
- James R. Welch Collection (AFC/2001/001/29065), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- audio
- image