Interview with Mehr Ali Ebrahim Nejad

I was just a private (4)

2016-1-11

Note: Mehr Ali Ebrahim Nejad is a veteran of the Iraq-imposed war on Iran. He went to the battle forefronts while he was still a teenager and fought for the country 90 months of the 94-month (nearly 8-year) war. The following is an excerpt of his Oral History Weekly's interview with about on the occasion of the anniversary of Operation Muharram (Monday, November 1, 1982). Here is the final episode of his interview with Oral History Weekly.

Eslami: Were you even able to fight after all the hardships you had already gone through?

We lost our commander and our new chief was an incompetent guy who knew nothing about fighting and the battle front. He could do nothing for us. It happened sometimes that I had to lean on my RPG to be able to take a step ahead, if any.

Eslami: Were the hills easy to walk on?

Not necessarily. Only when cars had already passed from the hills one could put their feet on the soil to keep moving forward. Otherwise your feet would have sunk in the dirt.

Eslami: Did you happen to use your RPG that night? I mean, the night you lost Abbaspour.

Yes, I shot all my rockets that night.

Eslami: Did you hunt any tanks?

No, I just targeted trenches.

Eslami: What happened finally at that night?

It was no longer the night. The day has started. Their forces were fully equipped but we barely had anything. You know they had tanks, but we were only cavalries. Guess what! Their shots struck kilometers away behind us.

Eslami: What do you mean by striking way behind you?

This was the distance their tanks could target and they thought that was where we were hidnig.

Eslami: So you lacked forces and equipment?

Yes, because they had our references under fire and we could not receive any help from our own forces. We stayed there and kept fighting for one or two nights and could finally sustain our position in the region until new forces joined us.

Eslami: Were you the only Iranian forces fighting in the region?

No, there were other divisions as well. The major front was the city of Zebidad where there enemy took control of.

When the new forces arrived, I could retreat to a field hospital to treat my thumbs. I lost both of their nails because of walking for such a long distance.

Eslami: Did you go home after the operation?

Actually the operation ended after these developments.

Eslami: It looks like the whole operation was a pilot plan for turning a division into a brigade?

No. It was no trial. The Islamic Revolution Guardian Corps (IRGC) had decided to turn us into a brigade.

Eslami: Did you get support from Arial forces during the operations?

Yes, especially in the city of Zebidad. Actually I did not see this by myself but that was what others said. They said they had seen prominent pilots asking the guys about how they could inflict more damage on the enemy forces by dropping bombs on their strategic spots.

We handed over almost all of the spoils were took from Iraqis during our fights.

Eslami: Tell us more about Operation Muharram?

Let me tell you a story about this comrade of mine, Sadeq Mozdastan. He left us so soon. He was exceptional. If he survived he would have been very influential. At that time I was a teenager and I prided myself to be fighting under him. What can I say about him! I don't know... God was too mean to take him away. He was an extra-terrestrial creature. War is such a back thing. We enjoyed being with him. The way he said his prayers was out of this world. The quality of his night prayers was unparalleled; only one of his assistances was like him. I cannot remember where he was martyred. His name was Nemati. He was a machine gun operator. Such a great one he was. He was very skilled. Every night, Sadeq spent several our patrolling the area and then had his assistant, Nemati, do somewhat similar. Sadeq was such a spiritual personality while being a martial genius.

Eslami: Are you retired now?

Yes.

Eslami: What is your ranking?

Well, I'm not telling you!

Eslami: Thank you, for sure there are many things that you decided not to tell us about. I wish you once open your mouth and tell us about them. Thank you very much for your time.  

The End

I Was Just a Private (1)

I Was Just a Private (2)

I Was Just a Private (3)