SSG Roderick Pugh, U.S. Army Sniper, Iraq

SSG Roderick Pugh, U.S. Army Sniper, Iraq

From Veterans Chronicles by Radio America

April 8, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

Roderick Pugh shares his experiences as a U.S. Army sniper during the Iraq War, detailing combat, training, and personal challenges.

Roderick Pugh enlisted in the U.S. Army less than three months before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Eighteen months later, he was partr of 1st Brigade 2-7 infantry from Ft. Stewart, leading the way into Iraq. He would serve two tours in Iraq, In between, he completed airborne school and became the first African American sniper in U.S. Army history. In this edition of Veterans Chronicles , Pugh details combat during the invasion of Iraq, surviving sandstorms and enemy mortar fire, and how the A-10 Warthogs were a huge help in the march to Baghdad. He also describes the intense fighting around the Baghdad airport and the engagement that earned him the nickname "Black Rambo" Pugh also tells us about airborne school and sniper training and explains the biggest reason why candidates fail to become snipers. He then takes us into his second deployment in Iraq with the 2-12 Cavalry out of Ft. Bliss. Pugh shares how his vehicle was hit by an IED and how he and others in his unit later dealt with enemies trying to plant IED's in the road.

People in this episode

Guest: Roderick Pugh

Topics covered

  • military history
  • Iraq War
  • sniper training
  • personal stories
  • combat experiences

Keywords

  • Roderick Pugh
  • U.S. Army
  • Iraq War
  • sniper
  • combat
  • A-10 Warthogs
  • IED
  • airborne school

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: U.S. Army

Products: A-10 Warthogs

Places: Iraq, Ft. Stewart, Baghdad, Ft. Bliss

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