Battle of Nasiriyah
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Nasiriyah was one of the first major battles of the 2003 invasion of Iraq
. Heavy fighting took place in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah
between Iraqi forces and U.S. Marines
over control of key bridges over the Euphrates River and the Saddam Canal.
The battle began early on 23 March when a supply convoy of the U.S. Army
took a wrong turn into the city and was ambushed. Eleven soldiers were killed and six soldiers, including Private Jessica Lynch
, were captured.
Some soldiers escaped the ambush. Forming a screen around their wounded, they fought off Iraqi counterattacks for several minutes, until being rescued by the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. After rescuing the soldiers who managed to escape the ambush, the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, under the call sign Task Force Tarawa
, attacked north into the city, seizing two major bridges along "Ambush Alley". Eighteen Marines were killed in heavy urban fighting, including at least one Marine who was killed when A-10s
mistakenly strafed a company of Marines north of the Saddam Canal.
On the night of March 24–25, the bulk of the Marines of Regimental Combat Team 1 passed through the city over the bridges and attacked north towards Baghdad
. However fighting continued in the city until 1 April when Iraqi resistance in the city was finally defeated.
The ambush of the 507th Maintenance Company was re-created at the beginning of the 2003 NBC television film Saving Jessica Lynch
. The ongoing battle for Nasiriyah is the backdrop for the rest of the events of the film. The battle is also featured in the 2008 HBO miniseries Generation Kill
, in episode 2, "The Cradle of Civilization."
The original plan was for Task Force Tarawa to take & hold the two bridges inside Nasiriyah
, creating a corridor for the RCT1 to pass north through the city along Route 7.
Nasiriyah was the headquarters of the Iraqi Army's 3d Corps, composed of the 11th ID, 51st Mech ID, and 6th Armored Division
— all at around 50 percent strength. The 51st operated south covering the oilfields, and the 6th was north near Al Amarah, which left three brigade-sized elements of the 11th ID to guard the An Nasiriyah area.
's 507th Maintenance Company
and two soldiers of the 3rd Forward Support Battalion
of the 3rd Infantry Division made a wrong turn along Highway 7 into the city. The convoy was led by Captain Troy King, a supply officer with no training as a combat officer. Iraqi technical vehicles
began shadowing the convoy as it passed an Iraqi checkpoint near the Euphrates River. After passing the Al-Quds headquarters on the northern outskirts of the city, King realized that he was lost and the convoy began turning around to retrace its steps through the city.
At around 0700 the convoy began taking small arms, RPG, mortar fire, and fire from Iraqi tanks, and in the resulting ambush 11 soldiers were killed and a number of soldiers, including Private Jessica Lynch
, became prisoners of war. At least 15 of the 18 American transport vehicles in the convoy, ranging from Humvees
to Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
s (HEMTTs), were destroyed by small-arms fire, RPGs, mortar
rounds, and tank gunfire. Some of them swerved out of the road or crashed while attempting to avoid incoming Iraqi fire. One truck was crushed by the traversing gun barrel of a Type 69-QM tank.
The remaining able-bodied troops formed a screen around their wounded and fought off further Iraqi attacks. At 0730, King's three surviving vehicles made contact with the tanks of Major Bill Peeples' Alpha Company, 8th Tank Battalion on Highway 7, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of Nasiriyah. One of Peeples' tankers noticed American vehicles in the road ahead. Peeples ordered his tanks forward to rescue as many soldiers as possible. They rolled up on ten beleaguered soldiers from the five disabled vehicles of the second element of the convoy (known in the official U.S. Army report as Group 2) which had also managed to escape the ambush and set up a defensive perimeter about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the city. In heavy fighting, several Iraqi platoon-sized units, two ZSU-23-4
"Shilka" anti-aircraft weapons and several mortar and artillery positions were destroyed by a combined force of M1 Abrams
tanks, Cobra
helicopter gunships and the artillery of 1st Battalion, 10th Marines.
, 2nd Marines, were killed and eight Amphibious Assault Vehicle
s disabled in heavy fighting with Iraqi forces around the Saddam Canal. The Marines were engaged by RPGs, mortar and artillery fire, as well as four Iraqi tanks hidden behind a building.
A friendly-fire incident occurred when two A-10s
from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard
strafed the Amphibious Assault Vehicles of Charlie Company by mistake, killing at least one Marine and wounded as many as 17 over the course of multiple passes at the canal and in Ambush Alley proper.. The A-10 strike was cleared by the battalion's forward air controller, who was with Bravo Company, bogged down on the eastern outskirts of the city and did not have contact with Charlie Company and was unaware that Marines were so far north.
Two other Marines, from the 6th Engineer Support Battalion
, Corporal Evans James and Sgt. Bradley S. Korthaus drowned while trying to cross the Saddam Canal under fire the following day. A third Marine from the Marine Air Control Group 28
died from hostile fire.
took advantage of the worsening weather to attack the battalion from every direction. Using a combination of direct and indirect fire, as well as close air support, the battalion was able to defeat the Iraqi attack. The last attack was beaten off around dawn and a large number of Iraqi prisoners were taken. The battalion estimated that between 200 and 300 Iraqi soldiers were killed, with no U.S. casualties.
Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (the "Thundering Third", commanded by Lt. Col. Craparotta) held open Ambush Alley as the rest of RCT-1 passed through Nasiriyah on the night of 24–25 March.
Partly as a result of RCT-1's delay, Colonel Joe Dowdy was later relieved of command of RCT-1.
militia were hiding throughout the city and would launch attacks on Marine patrols with small arms and RPGs. These attacks were uncoordinated and the resulting firefights were lop-sided, with large numbers of militiamen killed.
During the morning of 27 March, two recon Marines found a sunken M1 tank at the bottom of the river. The tank had been missing since the night of March 24–25. Navy Seabee
s spent two days retrieving the flooded tank and three Marines from the 1st Tank Battalion were found inside.
According to a captain in the Republican Guard
, morale amongst Republican Guard units was bolstered by the resistance offered by the regular army's
45th brigade in the city.
Iraqi casualties were 359-431 dead. More than 300 were wounded and 1,000 captured. U.S. losses were 32 dead, 60 wounded, and 6 captured.
. On April 3, The Washington Post
ran a front-page story which read: "Lynch, a 19-year-old supply clerk, continued firing at the Iraqis even after she sustained multiple gunshot wounds and watched several other soldiers in her unit die around her". The Post quoted an unnamed official who said "She was fighting to the death [...] She did not want to be taken alive."
This description soon came under question. On April 4, the Associated Press
ran a story which stated that Lynch's father had heard from the doctors attending her, who said that "she had not been shot or stabbed during her ordeal." April 15, the Post ran a story questioning the accuracy of its own account from April 3, saying "Lynch's story is far more complex and different than those initial reports [...] She was neither shot nor stabbed."
On April 24, Private Lynch testified before Congress. She called the earlier reports a "lie", and said that she had in fact never fired her weapon, because she was knocked unconscious when her vehicle crashed.
The Jessica Lynch affair evolved into a scandal for the Bush presidency. As first concocted —"a petite blond supply clerk [who] fearlessly mows down Fedayeen terrorists with her M16 until she runs out of ammo, whereupon she is shot, stabbed, captured, tortured and raped." Through the efforts of "master propagandist" Jim Wilkinson, spokesman for General Tommy Franks
, The Washington Post was granted exclusive access to this now-discredited story.
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Marine Wing Support Squadron 371
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. Heavy fighting took place in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah
Nasiriyah
Nasiriyah is a city in Iraq. It is on the Euphrates about 225 miles southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. It is the capital of the province of Dhi Qar...
between Iraqi forces and U.S. Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
over control of key bridges over the Euphrates River and the Saddam Canal.
The battle began early on 23 March when a supply convoy of the U.S. Army
507th Maintenance Company
The 507th Maintenance Company was a unit of the U.S. Army which provided maintenance support to 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery , based at Fort Bliss, Texas...
took a wrong turn into the city and was ambushed. Eleven soldiers were killed and six soldiers, including Private Jessica Lynch
Jessica Lynch
Jessica Dawn Lynch is a former Private First Class in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps. Lynch served in Iraq during the 2003 invasion by U.S. and allied forces. On March 23, 2003 she was injured and captured by Iraqi forces but was recovered on April 1 by U.S...
, were captured.
Some soldiers escaped the ambush. Forming a screen around their wounded, they fought off Iraqi counterattacks for several minutes, until being rescued by the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. After rescuing the soldiers who managed to escape the ambush, the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, under the call sign Task Force Tarawa
Task Force Tarawa
Task Force Tarawa was the name given to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They were a Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanded by Brigadier General Richard F...
, attacked north into the city, seizing two major bridges along "Ambush Alley". Eighteen Marines were killed in heavy urban fighting, including at least one Marine who was killed when A-10s
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
mistakenly strafed a company of Marines north of the Saddam Canal.
On the night of March 24–25, the bulk of the Marines of Regimental Combat Team 1 passed through the city over the bridges and attacked north towards Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. However fighting continued in the city until 1 April when Iraqi resistance in the city was finally defeated.
The ambush of the 507th Maintenance Company was re-created at the beginning of the 2003 NBC television film Saving Jessica Lynch
Saving Jessica Lynch
Saving Jessica Lynch is a 2003 American television film that aired on NBC and featured Canadian actress Laura Regan in the title role. The film begins with the ambush of Jessica Lynch's convoy in the middle of an Iraqi city and follows a version of events that credits an Iraqi citizen, Mohammed...
. The ongoing battle for Nasiriyah is the backdrop for the rest of the events of the film. The battle is also featured in the 2008 HBO miniseries Generation Kill
Generation Kill (TV series)
Generation Kill is a 2008 HBO television miniseries based on the book of the same name by Evan Wright about his experience as an embedded reporter with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion of the United States Marine Corps during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It was adapted for television by David Simon,...
, in episode 2, "The Cradle of Civilization."
Prelude
In late March Task Force Tarawa, the ground force for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, with the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division on their left and the 1st Marine Division on their right, advanced on Nasiriyah. The main target of Task Force Tarawa was the three bridges over the Euphrates River. The western bridge on Highway 1 had already been captured by the 3rd Infantry Division, however the two eastern bridges were inside the city itself.The original plan was for Task Force Tarawa to take & hold the two bridges inside Nasiriyah
Nasiriyah
Nasiriyah is a city in Iraq. It is on the Euphrates about 225 miles southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. It is the capital of the province of Dhi Qar...
, creating a corridor for the RCT1 to pass north through the city along Route 7.
Nasiriyah was the headquarters of the Iraqi Army's 3d Corps, composed of the 11th ID, 51st Mech ID, and 6th Armored Division
6th Division (Iraq)
The 6th Division is a formation of the Iraqi Army, first formed after 1959, converted to armoured status by 1973, but disbanded in 2003. It was reformed as part of the new army in August 2005....
— all at around 50 percent strength. The 51st operated south covering the oilfields, and the 6th was north near Al Amarah, which left three brigade-sized elements of the 11th ID to guard the An Nasiriyah area.
U.S. Army convoy ambushed
At around 0600 on the morning of 23 March, an 18-vehicle convoy of 31 soldiers of the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's 507th Maintenance Company
507th Maintenance Company
The 507th Maintenance Company was a unit of the U.S. Army which provided maintenance support to 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery , based at Fort Bliss, Texas...
and two soldiers of the 3rd Forward Support Battalion
Forward Support Battalion
A forward support battalion was an Army of Excellence combat service support unit designed to support a Brigade. In divisions, it was part of the Division Support Command .It was composed of:...
of the 3rd Infantry Division made a wrong turn along Highway 7 into the city. The convoy was led by Captain Troy King, a supply officer with no training as a combat officer. Iraqi technical vehicles
Technical (fighting vehicle)
A technical is a type of improvised fighting vehicle, typically a civilian or military non-combat vehicle, modified to provide an offensive capability similar to a military gun truck...
began shadowing the convoy as it passed an Iraqi checkpoint near the Euphrates River. After passing the Al-Quds headquarters on the northern outskirts of the city, King realized that he was lost and the convoy began turning around to retrace its steps through the city.
At around 0700 the convoy began taking small arms, RPG, mortar fire, and fire from Iraqi tanks, and in the resulting ambush 11 soldiers were killed and a number of soldiers, including Private Jessica Lynch
Jessica Lynch
Jessica Dawn Lynch is a former Private First Class in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps. Lynch served in Iraq during the 2003 invasion by U.S. and allied forces. On March 23, 2003 she was injured and captured by Iraqi forces but was recovered on April 1 by U.S...
, became prisoners of war. At least 15 of the 18 American transport vehicles in the convoy, ranging from Humvees
High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle , better known as the Humvee, is a military 4WD motor vehicle created by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles formerly served by smaller Jeeps such as the M151 MUTT, the M561 "Gama Goat", their M718A1 and M792 ambulance versions, the CUCV,...
to Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
The Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck series is a range of eight-wheel drive diesel-powered off-road capable trucks, used by the US military. Formally described as "Truck, Cargo: 10-Ton, 8x8", it has been nicknamed the "Dragon Wagon". HEMTT trucks first went into service with the U.S...
s (HEMTTs), were destroyed by small-arms fire, RPGs, mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
rounds, and tank gunfire. Some of them swerved out of the road or crashed while attempting to avoid incoming Iraqi fire. One truck was crushed by the traversing gun barrel of a Type 69-QM tank.
ZSU-23-4
The ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" is a lightly armored, self-propelled, radar guided anti-aircraft weapon system . ZSU stands for Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka , meaning "anti-aircraft self-propelled mount". The "23" signifies the bore diameter in millimeters. The "4" signifies the number of gun barrels. It...
"Shilka" anti-aircraft weapons and several mortar and artillery positions were destroyed by a combined force of M1 Abrams
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...
tanks, Cobra
AH-1 Cobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...
helicopter gunships and the artillery of 1st Battalion, 10th Marines.
Ambush Alley
The bloodiest day of the operations for the Marines was also 23 March, when 18 men of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion1st Battalion 2nd Marines
1st Battalion, 2nd Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina consisting of approximately 900 Marines and Sailors...
, 2nd Marines, were killed and eight Amphibious Assault Vehicle
Amphibious Assault Vehicle
The Assault Amphibious Vehicle —official designation AAV-7A1 is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems .The AAV-7A1 is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps...
s disabled in heavy fighting with Iraqi forces around the Saddam Canal. The Marines were engaged by RPGs, mortar and artillery fire, as well as four Iraqi tanks hidden behind a building.
A friendly-fire incident occurred when two A-10s
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard
Pennsylvania Air National Guard
The Pennsylvania Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state.-Overview:The...
strafed the Amphibious Assault Vehicles of Charlie Company by mistake, killing at least one Marine and wounded as many as 17 over the course of multiple passes at the canal and in Ambush Alley proper.. The A-10 strike was cleared by the battalion's forward air controller, who was with Bravo Company, bogged down on the eastern outskirts of the city and did not have contact with Charlie Company and was unaware that Marines were so far north.
Two other Marines, from the 6th Engineer Support Battalion
6th Engineer Support Battalion
The 6th Engineer Support Battalion , is an engineering battalion of the Marine Forces Reserve. Their headquarters are based in Portland, Oregon and they fall under the command of the 4th Marine Logistics Group.-Current Units:...
, Corporal Evans James and Sgt. Bradley S. Korthaus drowned while trying to cross the Saddam Canal under fire the following day. A third Marine from the Marine Air Control Group 28
Marine Air Control Group 28
Marine Air Control Group 28 is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point that is currently composed of 5 squadrons and a battalion that provide the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing with airspace coordination, air control, immediate air...
died from hostile fire.
RCT-1 pushes through Ambush Alley
The advance of Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) through Nasiriyah was delayed by fighting there. On the evening of 24 March, the LAVs of 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (2nd LAR, commanded by Lt. Col. Eddie Ray) pushed north of the Saddam Canal, leading RCT-1 through Ambush Alley. With Apache Company in the lead, 2nd LAR attacked north on Highway 7, coming under fire from a heavily defended compound north of the city. Two anti-aircraft guns protected the approach to the compound. After coming under fire from LAVs, M1A1 tanks, Cobra gunships and artillery, Iraqi resistance subsided and at dusk, 2nd LAR established a perimeter 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of Nasiriyah. However, a huge sandstorm rolled in and a force of Iraqi reinforcements coming south from KutKut
Al-Kūt is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about 160 kilometres south east of Baghdad. the estimated population is about 374,000 people...
took advantage of the worsening weather to attack the battalion from every direction. Using a combination of direct and indirect fire, as well as close air support, the battalion was able to defeat the Iraqi attack. The last attack was beaten off around dawn and a large number of Iraqi prisoners were taken. The battalion estimated that between 200 and 300 Iraqi soldiers were killed, with no U.S. casualties.
Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (the "Thundering Third", commanded by Lt. Col. Craparotta) held open Ambush Alley as the rest of RCT-1 passed through Nasiriyah on the night of 24–25 March.
Partly as a result of RCT-1's delay, Colonel Joe Dowdy was later relieved of command of RCT-1.
Aftermath
By 27 March, most of the resistance in the city had been subdued and the focus of the battle shifted from full combat to cordon-and-search operations. Small groups of Fedayeen SaddamFedayeen Saddam
Fedayeen Saddam was a paramilitary organization loyal to the former Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein. The name was chosen to mean "Saddam's Men of Sacrifice". At its height, the group had 30,000-40,000 members.-Irregular forces:...
militia were hiding throughout the city and would launch attacks on Marine patrols with small arms and RPGs. These attacks were uncoordinated and the resulting firefights were lop-sided, with large numbers of militiamen killed.
During the morning of 27 March, two recon Marines found a sunken M1 tank at the bottom of the river. The tank had been missing since the night of March 24–25. Navy Seabee
Seabee
Seabees are members of the United States Navy construction battalions. The word Seabee is a proper noun that comes from the initials of Construction Battalion, of the United States Navy...
s spent two days retrieving the flooded tank and three Marines from the 1st Tank Battalion were found inside.
According to a captain in the Republican Guard
Iraqi Republican Guard
The Iraqi Republican Guard was a branch of the Iraqi military during the presidency of Saddam Hussein. It later became the Republican Guard Corps, and then the Republican Guard Forces Command with its expansion into two corps....
, morale amongst Republican Guard units was bolstered by the resistance offered by the regular army's
Iraqi Army
The Iraqi Army is the land component of the Iraqi military, active in various forms since being formed by the British during their mandate over the country after World War I....
45th brigade in the city.
Iraqi casualties were 359-431 dead. More than 300 were wounded and 1,000 captured. U.S. losses were 32 dead, 60 wounded, and 6 captured.
Private Lynch
Initial reporting of the battle emphasized the supposed heroism of Private Jessica LynchJessica Lynch
Jessica Dawn Lynch is a former Private First Class in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps. Lynch served in Iraq during the 2003 invasion by U.S. and allied forces. On March 23, 2003 she was injured and captured by Iraqi forces but was recovered on April 1 by U.S...
. On April 3, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
ran a front-page story which read: "Lynch, a 19-year-old supply clerk, continued firing at the Iraqis even after she sustained multiple gunshot wounds and watched several other soldiers in her unit die around her". The Post quoted an unnamed official who said "She was fighting to the death [...] She did not want to be taken alive."
This description soon came under question. On April 4, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
ran a story which stated that Lynch's father had heard from the doctors attending her, who said that "she had not been shot or stabbed during her ordeal." April 15, the Post ran a story questioning the accuracy of its own account from April 3, saying "Lynch's story is far more complex and different than those initial reports [...] She was neither shot nor stabbed."
On April 24, Private Lynch testified before Congress. She called the earlier reports a "lie", and said that she had in fact never fired her weapon, because she was knocked unconscious when her vehicle crashed.
The Jessica Lynch affair evolved into a scandal for the Bush presidency. As first concocted —"a petite blond supply clerk [who] fearlessly mows down Fedayeen terrorists with her M16 until she runs out of ammo, whereupon she is shot, stabbed, captured, tortured and raped." Through the efforts of "master propagandist" Jim Wilkinson, spokesman for General Tommy Franks
Tommy Franks
Tommy Ray Franks is a retired general in the United States Army. His last Army post was as the Commander of the United States Central Command, overseeing United States Armed Forces operations in a 25-country region, including the Middle East...
, The Washington Post was granted exclusive access to this now-discredited story.
US military & UK support
- Regimental Combat Team 2
- 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion is a mechanized battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon system is the Amphibious Assault Vehicle and they are part of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force...
, 2nd Marine Division (Alpha and Charlie Co.) - 1st Battalion1st Battalion 2nd Marines1st Battalion, 2nd Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina consisting of approximately 900 Marines and Sailors...
, 2nd Marines - 3rd Battalion3rd Battalion 2nd Marines3rd Battalion 2nd Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors...
, 2nd Marines - 2nd Battalion2nd Battalion 8th Marines2nd Battalion, 8th Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina consisting of approximately 900 Marines and Sailors...
, 8th Marines - 1st Battalion1st Battalion 10th Marines1st Battalion 10th Marines is an artillery battalion comprising four firing batteries and a headquarters battery. The battalion is stationed at Camp Lejune, North Carolina and falls under the command of the 10th Marine Regiment, part of the 2nd Marine Division...
, 10th Marines - Alpha Company, 2d Reconnaissance Battalion,
- Alpha Company, 8th Communication Battalion,
- 2d Radio Battalion,
- Combat Service Support Battalion 22 2nd FSSG
- 8th Tank Battalion (Alpha Co.)
- 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion
- Regimental Combat Team 1
- 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion is a mechanized infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon system is the LAV-25 and they fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and II Marine Expeditionary Force. The unit is based out of the Marine Corps Base...
, 2nd Marine Division - 3rd Battalion3rd Battalion 1st Marines3rd Battalion 1st Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Horno on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California...
, 1st Marines - Charlie Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion2nd Combat Engineer Battalion2nd Combat Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force....
- 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
- 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company2nd Force Reconnaissance CompanyThe Second Force Reconnaissance Company was the deep reconnaissance/direct action that was assigned to the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic and its subordinate elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force.-Mission:...
, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic- Charlie Company, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion4th Reconnaissance BattalionThe 4th Reconnaissance Battalion is a reserve reconnaissance battalion in the United States Marine Corps. It falls under the 4th Marine Division and Marine Forces Reserve.-Organization:...
, Marine Forces Reserve
- Charlie Company, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion
- Marine Aircraft Group 29Marine Aircraft Group 29Marine Aircraft Group 29 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station New River that is currently composed of four CH-53E Super Stallion squadrons including the Fleet Replacement Squadron, three Light Attack Squadron flying AH-1W SuperCobras and UH-1N Twin Hueys,...
- HMM-162
- HMLA-269HMLA-269Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269 is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopters and UH-1N Huey utility helicopters...
- 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit15th Marine Expeditionary UnitThe 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel...
- Battalion Landing Team 2/12nd Battalion 1st Marines2nd Battalion, 1st Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Nicknamed "The Professionals," the battalion consists of approximately 1000 Marines and Sailors...
- Battalion Landing Team 2/1
- 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit24th Marine Expeditionary UnitThe 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel...
- Battalion Landing Team 2/22nd Battalion 2nd Marines2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines is a light infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Also known as "Warlord", it consists of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors and normally falls under the command of the 2nd Marine Regiment and...
- Battalion Landing Team 2/2
- Elements of 507th Maintenance Company507th Maintenance CompanyThe 507th Maintenance Company was a unit of the U.S. Army which provided maintenance support to 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery , based at Fort Bliss, Texas...
(US Army) (including two soldiers from 3rd Combat Support Battalion - Elements of 183rd Maintenance Company (US Army))
- Battery G, 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Artillery in the British Army. It serves in the field artillery role with 16 Air Assault Brigade, and is equipped with the L118 Light Gun.- History :...
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Marine Wing Support Squadron 371
Iraqi forces
- Iraqi Army 11th Division
- 23rd Brigade
- 45th Brigade
- 47th Brigade
- 21st Tank Regiment (elements)
- Unidentified Commando battalion
- Fedayeen SaddamFedayeen SaddamFedayeen Saddam was a paramilitary organization loyal to the former Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein. The name was chosen to mean "Saddam's Men of Sacrifice". At its height, the group had 30,000-40,000 members.-Irregular forces:...
paramilitary forces - Al Quds Army
See also
- Justin LeHewJustin LeHewJustin D. LeHew is a highly decorated United States Marine serving in the War on Terror. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on 23 and 24 March 2003 during the initial 2003 invasion of Iraq. He was hand picked to spearhead the rescue operation and recovery of the U.S...
- One of the most highly decorated US Servicemen serving in the war on terror. Recipient of the Navy Cross for action during the Battle of NasiriyahBattle of NasiriyahThe Battle of Nasiriyah was one of the first major battles of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Heavy fighting took place in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah between Iraqi forces and U.S. Marines over control of key bridges over the Euphrates River and the Saddam Canal.The battle began early on 23...
in 2003. Recipient of the Bronze Star with combat "V" for heroic actions during the battle of Najaf 2004. - Luis FonsecaLuis FonsecaFor the Venezuelan long-distance runner with the same name see Luis Fonseca Luis E Fonseca Jr. is a decorated United States Navy Corpsman serving in the War on Terror...
– U.S. Navy corpsman who was awarded the Navy CrossNavy CrossThe Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for actions during the battle