July 17, 2003 -- Audra Schroeder KFOX News at Nine Weekend Anchor/Reporter

Sgt. Matthew Rose, "I distinctly remember when Sgt. Jackson and Chief Nash passed me and seeing Sgt. Jackson in his humvee. He was a friend of mine. I distinctly remember that and being affected by that thinking, wow, they got Jackson. Later when we caught up to them when our vehicles were broken down and I found that he was still alive, wounded but alive, I remember the relief I had at that point."

With the Armys gag order lifted and with the report on the attack of the 507th officially released, Sgt. Matthew Rose recalls the events of March 23rd.

As weve reported, the investigation blames fatigue, isolation and harsh environmental conditions for the deadly ambush.

The report states the company became isolated, as communications already stretched to the limit could not be extended to include them.

Sgt. Rose, "I kind of fluctuate on you left me behind, I'm a soldier I should be able to defend myself. And it's not like they left one vehicle there, there was 18 vehicles. It wasn't like we really got left alone. It would have been nice to have been left with some infantry support."

The report also talks about fatigue but it doesnt explain why the 507th soldiers werent able to sleep for four days.

Sgt. Rose, "The convoy itself I don't think they really planned large rest blocks and the group of us that got ambushed probably got less sleep because we were trying to catch up."

KFOX has been talking with Sgt. Rose since he arrived home in May but this is the first time hes been able to talk in dept. One issue he addresses is the 507ths weapons. The report says guns jammed failing the soldiers during the attack. Sgt. Rose says its not because of maintenance. He says he and others regularly cleaned their weapons. He does say however that they did have heavier weapons but they were locked away.

Sgt. Rose, "The grenades that we had and the AT4's we had they weren't for the most part readily available because we really didn't anticipate needing them. If things had gone the way they were suppose to we wouldn't have."

Sgt. Rose says he agrees with the findings of the report and while the facts are accurate the report could never convey the emotions on that day when nine of his 507th comrades died, seven were taken as prisoners of war and a total of nine were wounded in action.