The Marines were in a truck, performing convoy security about 250 yards off a road, churning through soft sand in the Iraqi desert.
“Stop!” screamed Rod Richards, a gunnery sergeant.
Richards saw hundreds of discs spread across the sand.
We had driven into a landmine field.
Richards thought some were antitank mines. Others he called “toe poppers.” They would blow your foot off.
Then, I saw something I’ll never forget.
Richards hopped out of the truck without fear or hesitation; he started digging under the disc to see if it was connected to an explosive.