~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association History Project ~
Ambush on Route Sparrow
Bosnia, December 1996

   High in the mountains of Republika Srpska, four heavily-armed military police vehicles pulled off the narrow, winding road and set up an observation point on Route Sparrow.

   Almost before the MP’s had a chance to set their parking brakes and identify their fields of fire, one gunner screamed..... "Incoming!"

   It was the beginning of an epic battle. "We’ve been ambushed lots of times," said 1st Lt. Cecilia L. Armendariz, a platoon leader with the 411th Military Police Company.

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   "We’ll be going down the road, and the kids will have tons of snowballs stockpiled, waiting for us."

   Armendariz and her platoon from Camp Demi regularly patrol Route Sparrow and the surrounding area.

   "We sit and monitor traffic, look for any type of mass movement on either side, watch for illegal checkpoints and that kind of thing," the El Paso, Texas native said.

   "The area we have now is real quiet. Since we’ve been patrolling regularly, both sides have been very good at complying with the General Framework Agreement for Peace."

   The soldiers, outnumbered at least two to one by children returning from the morning school session, said the snowball fight was more than just a welcome diversion.

   "The kids are pretty cool," said Spc. David J. Curtin, a gunner from Richmond, Virginia. "We work hard to build some camaraderie with them and show them we’re not here to give them a hard time."

   Curtin and other members of the platoon believe the investment in good will is paying off.

   "The kids are the best thing about these patrols," said Pfc. Yvette S. Trapani, a gunner from Westerly, Rhode Island."

   They feel safe with us, and they’re always friendly."

   Spc. Eugene E. Weiser, a driver from Farrell, Pennsylvania, found himself under attack from two directions. "I’ve been up on Hill 1326 for a while, and this is the first time I’ve been out around the kids," he said during a short truce. "I love it."

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   The diminutive opposition forces, ranging in age from six to 11, said the feeling was mutual. "I liked the snowball fight," said Sladjana Djokic, well prepared for the battle by dodge-ball games in school.

   A budding diplomat, Djokic refused to declare a winner in the contest. "I think we played equally," she said. "I hope we get to play again."

Ambush on Route Sparrow, By SPC Aaron Reed, 100th MPAD, The Talon, 27 December 1996, Page 6, 7.

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