CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq -- While cooking up a meal, ready to eat field ration on the evening of Sept. 21, Seminole, Fla., native Cpl. Sean D. Thompson, 23, anti-tank assaultman and hummer driver, heard a hollow thump in the distance. “That sounded like a mortar,” he said. “No, no way,” said 30-year-old Coventry, R.I., native Lance Cpl. Billy W. Karwoski from up in the turret of his hummer. Sitting in the passenger seat, keeping to himself, 21-year-old Quincey, Mass., native Lance Cpl. Collin T. Wolf, radio operator, sat dutifully monitoring the platoon and battalion radio nets. The three Marines served as part of the 1st Mobile Assault Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. First MAP was on a mission to interdict and disrupt insurgent forces southeast of Ubaydi, a town seeded with enemy forces, in the Al Qa’im area of operations. “MAP generally tends to be a general support asset within the battalion,” said 1st Lt. Jeremy S. Wilkinson, a 30-year-old native of Cambridge, Ohio and platoon commander for 1st MAP. “We’re comprised mainly of machine gunners, anti-tank assaultmen and [tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided missile] gunners. We conduct screens, blocks and reinforce dismounted infantry.” Suddenly, the earth shook as a mortar round smacked into the ground amidst the vehicles comprising the 1st MAP. Seconds later, a second mortar round landed. Wilkinson came running back to his vehicle ... interrupted in his talk with his platoon sergeant about a possible patrol. After a third round landed, Wilkinson made the decision to break contact.As the platoon began moving out of the impact area, a burst of enemy rifle fire snapped at vehicles One and Two, according to Wilkinson. Vehicles One and Two were both up-armored hummers that were affected little by the rifle fire. The Marines continued to break contact. To the east of the platoon’s position, a large water tower sat atop a hill, in view of the Marines of MAP. At the bottom of the water tower sat two small buildings. “While breaking contact to the south, vehicles One and Two took fire from the water tower,” recounted Wilkinson. It was at that time Wilkinson decided to unleash his Marines. The platoon pulled up into a position, straddling the water tower.“Open up on that water tower. Pepper the ... out of it!” said Wilkinson. Immediately, vehicles within the platoon opened fire on the tower and the buildings at its base. Rounds exploded from the platoon’s machine guns. M-249 squad automatic weapons, M-240G medium machine guns, and MK-19 automatic grenade launchers sent tracers and armor-piercing rounds into and through the structures at the base of the tower. Inside vehicle Three, occupied by Wilkinson, Thompson, Wolf and Karwoski, the cab filled with smoke as Karwoski cranked out M-240G rounds in controlled bursts. Below, the Marines prepared cans of 7.62 mm ammunition to pass up to the gun when Karwoski called for it. Black links and gold shell casings jingled as they fell to the cab floor. Hoots and hollers emanated from the Marines below, cheering him on.Wolf remembered how he felt.“I was pumped up. You train for this constantly, preparing for when it happens. It was like, ‘finally, it happened.’” The platoon kept up a constant, heavy stream of fire on the buildings until Wilkinson gave the order to cease fire.After a few minutes, the platoon continued on. Later, while sitting in his driver seat relaxing after the fight, Thompson looked to his right and saw his chow still sitting their hot and ready to be eaten.