Newby has hand in successful mission in Iraq

By LISA HOBBS Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

NEWBY

With members of I Troop recently returning home as heroes, it?s easy to forget there are still some of our local soldiers risking their lives in Iraq. For the families who remain without a loved one, this is still a time of apprehension with news about their well-being slow in coming.

For one McMinnville family, a little good news is what they wait to hear on a Web site established to help keep families in touch with soldiers serving in Iraq. Recently, some good news came when they learned that their hero?s mission had been a successful one.

During a ?knock-and-talk? patrol in Fallujah on May 15, Marines from B Company, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5 discovered an insurgent sniper rifle. Among those involved in the discovery was Cpl. Billy M. Newby, 27, from McMinnville.

The discovery came after Marines set out to patrol the area and gather information by talking to locals. After several stops, one local Iraqi spoke of seeing men digging in a nearby farm field. Marines moved into the area based on that tip.

In a shallow hole that appeared to have been recently dug, Cpl. Patrick A. Diener began kicking around rocks and dirt. Within seconds, he had unearthed a modified Mauser 98 bolt-action rifle wrapped in a burlap sack.

The Marines spend days on these ?knock-and-talk? activities that usually turn up nothing. This day was like many others but it paid off in the end, as this rifle will not be used by insurgents.

Cpl. Newby is scheduled to return home in November.