Diwaniyah. Battlespace handover was executed smoothly, and on 21 April the last elements of

the Task Force Tripoli repositioned from Tikrit to Ad Diwaniyah. By 22 April, all elements had

returned to Ad Diwaniyah, and the Task Force had been stood down.

Marines investigate Saddatn elaborate palace

complexes.

Closing the door on Saddain last hideout.

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2-5 May

Tripoli Rides Again

In late April, the Division continued its duties of stabilization and security for five of the

southern Iraqi Governates. During the execution of this follow-on mission, the Division CG

received intelligence that violent religious extremism and illegal drug shipments were finding

their way across the Saudi Arabian border into the Division's southernmost area of

responsibility. It was assessed that if these actions were allowed to continue unmolested they

would help serve to undermine stabilization operations, directly threaten the restoration of order

and inhibit the security conditions for a free Iraq. Additionally, the concern of local leaders

about the influx of extremists of all types and the need to demonstrate the sovereignty of Iraq's

borders dictated a response by the Marines. The CG determined that a show of force in the

southern zone would help to assert coalition authority in an area previously untouched by combat

or presence operations.

The CG and ADC determined that the pre-existing framework of Task Force Tripoli would

best serve the mission requirements for this long-range reconnaissance and show of force. With

minor changes, the Task Force (minus 2d LAR) was stood up again on 1 May. Colonel Dunford,

the incoming Division Chief of Staff, took command of the Task Force. First and 3d LAR

Battalions would serve as the combat elements of the Task Force. Combat Service Support

Company Tripoli (CSSC-Tripoli) was reestablished, and began acquiring sufficient Class I, III,

and TX-block supply items for five days in the desert without re-supply. As the Task Force

would be operating over 150 miles from the nearest Division outpost, a Shock Trauma Platoon

and a Forward Resuscitative Surgical Support (FRSS) element were attached in order to provide

immediate on-site medical support. Facilitating MEDEVAC and local re-supply were two CH53Es in direct support. Additionally, sufficient assets were attached to provide the full spectrum

of data and voice communications to the commander and his subordinate elements.

On 2 May, a P-3 Patrol aircraft was assigned to support the mission, and immediately began

to reconnoiter the battlespace. Based on imagery and map analysis, two approach routes were

identified for the combat elements; designated Routes BLUE and WHITE. The G-3 tasked the

combat elements to conduct a reconnaissance in zone to identify and detain smugglers, conduct

route analysis, and establish a presence along the Iraqi-Saudi Arabian border. Task Force

objectives included the airfield and town of Salman along Route WHITE, including a possible

WMD site at the airfield.

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On 4 May, the Task Force crossed the Line of Departure and began its reconnaissance down

Routes BLUE and WHITE. First LAR, traveling down Route BLUE, did not encounter either

enemy forces or any significant civilian population. The route was a difficult unpaved road,

covered with sharp rocks and boulders. The poor quality of the road forced the battalion to keep

the rate of movement at 15 kph or less for over 200 km. Highlander went through over 25

vehicle tires during this single movement to the border. Meanwhile, 3d LAR, the command

The routes depicted above (BLUE and WHITE) outline the patrol area for Task Force Tripoli's mission to

investigate reported foreign insurgents moving into Iraq from the Saudi Arabian border.

element, and CSSC-Tripoli moved by serial down Route WHITE to secure the Task Force

objectives, and eventually reached the border. The Marines were greeted intermittently by

smiling and waving Bedouin animal herders on the sides of the road, but no enemy forces or

smugglers were detected during the movement. Wolfpack moved on the airfield in force to

discover that the facility had long-since been abandoned. Structures had been bulldozed to the

ground, and Iraqi forces had deliberately cratered the airfield. Other elements of 3d LAR entered

the town of As Salman, where more Bedouin greeted them. The town itself was assessed to be

friendly, and no signs of enemy or illegal activity were present. The attached HET interviewed

several people and helped to spread printed copies of (CENTCOM Commander) General Franks'

message to the Iraqi people.

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Upon reaching the border with Saudi Arabia, Wolfpack observed Saudi Border Patrol units

aggressively patrolling on the other side of the berm. The Saudis spotted the Americans and

waved. First LAR completed its movement along Route BLUE and established inspection and

observation points along the main (illegal) crossing points on a cliff running along the border. A

former Iraqi Border Patrol post was discovered in the 1st LAR zone. The two-story concrete

structure was littered with abandoned boots, uniforms, and gas masks. No Iraqi forces were

identified in the area. The general security situation was stable, and the Saudis had tight control

of the border area.

After conducting a personal inspection of the border area on 5 May, Colonel Dunford

determined that the mission of the Task Force had been accomplished. During the day of 5 May,

both LAR battalions began retrograde operations. The Task Force began movement to Ad

Diwaniyah along Route WHITE. Local Iraqi leaders were reassured that fundamentalists were.

not infiltrating the border, and the Marines had established a baseline for future security

operations along the border. Task Force Tripoli was disestablished once again, this time

permanently.

Tripoli Marines patrol the barren open expanses near the Saudi

Arabian border

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Chapter 8

Security and Stabilization Operations

By the middle of April the 1St Marine Division had fought spectacularly from the sands of

Kuwait, across the dusty Fertile Crescent, and into the 'mean streets' of Baghdad. Task Force

Tripoli had extended this success 150 miles further north to Bayji on the upper Tigris River, and

removed the organized remnants of the Regime there. However successful these past operations

were, however, the Division had paid a price. As the Marines contemplated their battlefield

victory, they realized that that price, though heavy, might have been much worse. Now, the

Division faced the possibly even greater challenges of providing security, stability, and

humanitarian assistance to a country and a people devastated by decades of brutal repression and

neglect. The Marines would experience this transition first in Baghdad, and then in several of

the governates of southern Iraq. As many of the combat units of the Division began to return

home, Marines who remained behind opened an entirely new chapter.

There was a doctrinal definition for the tasks that lay ahead of the Division Marines. 'Security

and Stability Operations (SASO)' made the job seem very clear cut. Doctrine rarely captures the

brutal realities of the situation on the ground, however, and the Marines of Blue Diamond were

about to embark on a set of tasks that, although planned for in general terms, noone could have

foreseen. With the removal of the Regime leadership, an enormous power vacuum opened up.

Because of the etimic, religious, tribal, and cultural fissures that run through the Iraqi people, it

was quite possible that an unstable security situation could quickly degenerate into bloody civil

conflict. Even before combat operations had ended, various factions in Iraq had begun jockeying

for a piece of the post-Saddam power structure. The Marines had to fill the security void

quickly, before this anarchy or civil conflict erupted. There was no time to rest on the laurels of

a successful attack to Baghdad, as looters, factional violence, and even tribal vendettas had

begun. The fissures that ran through the Iraqi people were already beginning to widen as the

Marines stepped into this new mission. Fortunately, the Marines of Blue Diamond were

prepared. The 1st Marine Division remained mindful of its motto, 'No better friend, no worse

enemy.' The Division would help restore a sense of normalcy to the lives of ordinary Iraqis, and

help set the conditions for restoring the public services, infrastructure, and food supplies. Yet,

the attention paid to these new tasks did not detract the Marines from remaining combat tasks.

There were still a great number of Former Regime Loyalists, foreign terrorists, and jihadis who

actively worked to degrade the security situation. For those who sought a return to brutal

repression or who sought to bring violence back to the streets of Iraq, Blue Diamond Marines

would unhesitatingly unleash its offensive strength. The Marines and Sailors of the Division

were mentally prepared for the new mission requirements, a mental agility that spoke highly of

their professionalism, training, and humanity.

SASO Operations in Baghdad

The Marines began their mission transition by continuing to build on the successes they had

already achieved in Baghdad. The 11th Marines CMOC had already been established, and was

doing a booming business. In their zones, Marines continued their aggressive routine of patrols,

searches, and roadblocks. The Marines remained a visible presence on the streets, deterring

looters, maintaining order, and defusing potentially violent situations.

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Our mission was to do security patrols, clear out weapon caches, and have security posts

at a food bank. Three posts, two hours apiece, two hours relief and a quick reaction force

(QRF) team ready. I was on the QRF, with my squad leader being Sergeant Capitol, and we

got called early in the shfl this day for a situation down at the food bank. The situation

turned out to be three women and a man attempting to scale one of the walls to get some food

from the food bank. We had just cleared this area earlier of looters and weren 't too happy to

be called back into action for this. Anyway, these four people became extremely shocked and

frightened once they saw a squad of Marines running over to them with rifles at the ready.

Instantly, it became a game of "charades," really the only way we had of communicating

with them.... So after a few minutes of pointing and gesturing, the one man kept saying,

"thank you, thank you! ", to our squad leader, Sergeant Capitol. The man even went as far

as attempting to kiss Sergeant Capitol on the cheek, which I guess is fairly common in their

culture. Well, what started out as a strange day turned even stranger, as Sergeant Capitol,

accepted and then returned the gesture. Our mouths all dropped, and nobody, not even

Sergeant Capitol said a word until we got back to the gates at the CF. Finally, I just couldn '1

take is anymore, and I asked Sergeant Capitol, "So Sergeant, what was your boyfriend's

name anyway?" Eveiyone died laughing, andlspent the following week pulling extra watch,

but it was worth it. Since then we are quick to remind him of his "Arabian Night Love

Affair" with the Iraqi man.

Each RCT established checkpoints to

regulate and screen movement within their

sectors. They augmented these checkpoints

with mobile and foot patrols, frequently

relocating checkpoints to prevent the former

regime holdouts or terrorists from targeting

them. The patrols were intended to both

promote good will between Marines and the

residents of Baghdad, and provide a tactical

function as well. According to Captain Sean

Blodgett, Commander of Charlie Company, 1/5,

Marines have a hard time adjusting to some Arab "The Division needed to return a normal sense

customs, of life to people, as quickly as possible, but soon

realized it could not import enough food and

water for the entire city." The Division,

consequently, worked at restoring Baghdad's public safety, food supplies, health services,

transportation, and basic utilities, in order that the city might support itself By restoring

normalcy and rooting out remaining perpetrators of violence, the Division began to gain the trust

of the people. As the citizens of Baghdad began to enjoy the fruits of the Marine's security

operation, they began to help identify and eliminate those who still wished to promote violence

against the Americans or within the civilian community. The Division systematically denied the

remaining enemy sanctuary from which to operate against the Marines or the civilian population.

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The task of coordinating the resumption of these critical services remained with the CivilMilitary Operations Center (CMOC), established by the "cannon cockers" of 1 1th Marines. The

11th Marines found themselves solving problems ranging from neighborhood squabbles to

reported terrorists, to alleged chemical weapons caches. The Marines really had their 'finger in

the dike' as parts of one division of Marines tried to step in the place of a mature city government

for several million people. Restoring a functioning city bureaucracy became one of the first

orders of business. The Marines could not govern the city; that would have to be done by Iraqis.

The Marines hoped to restore the conditions of normalcy that would allow the influx of NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs), civil authority, and provisional civilian government. It

was especially hoped that NGOs would coordinate their efforts with the CMOC to rapidly begin

working on critical projects. Initial CMOC meetings were specifically designed to take place

with Baghdad's secular and religious leaders, who were expected to be full partners in the effort

to repair and rebuild the city. The first order of business was to contract English-speaking Iraqi

citizens to serve as interpreters and advisers on local customs.

Meanwhile, during the course of their security patrols Marines uncovered huge caches of

weapons, ordnance, and terrorist materiel. Most of the caches included a staggering number of

small arms and RPGs, but many also included artillery, anti-aircraft guns, demolitions, missiles,

and rockets. In fact, there were weapons stashed caches in almost every block and on every

street in the city. Had the Iraqi military chosen to defend the city in any kind of organized and

determined way, the cost would have been much higher as the regime certainly had the

equipment to drive up the butcher's bill. A Marine from 3/4 recalled:

On 1] April the Main CF moved to the ministry compound, establishing what would become

the central node of operations for the remainder of 3/4 's time in Baghdad. Ultimately, CPs,

Combat Trains, Bravo Company, HET, and a Force Reconnaissance platoon would be

stationed there. Kilo moved to establish a company CF in a traffic circle southeast of the

hotels. The mortar platoon consolidated around two hospitals in its zone, conducting patrols

and liaison with local citizens for the remainder of the operation. The engineers soon

undertook the demanding task of collecting and transporting those weapons caches they did

not destroy themselves, and can very well attest to the staggering quantity of weapons the

Iraqi regime had hidden throughout the urban area.

The RCTs shifted positions as the Division received tasks to assume additional missions.

RCT- 1 conducted a Relief in Place (RIP) with RCT-5 to allow Grizzly to move to the north of

the city to provide support for Task Force Tripoli's operations in the Tikrit area. While this

relief was the RIP was underway, RCT-7 secured several major sources of food. They

coordinated the redistribution of these critical food supplies to the local population through the

CMOC. During this time, units relentlessly hunted members of the former regime. Many of

these figures began to turn themselves in, or were pointed out by local citizens. Included in the

catch was Iraqi Lieutenant General Amir Hamudi Hasan Alssaadi, Presidential Advisor for

Scientific and Technical Affairs. He was taken into custody at the Palestine Hotel in the center

of eastern Baghdad. On 13 April, he was transferred into the hands of US governmental agency

representatives and transported to Baghdad International Airport for further exploitation.

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During all this the Iraqi people were clearly pleased the Marines were pursuing and

eliminating the tenorist infrastructure, and providing the city much needed law and order. Lance

Corporal Dane Jensen, India Company, 3/7 remembers:

In Baghdad, I witnessed many American flags being flown or displayed with pride and

courage. In other ways of expressing gratitude, some Iraqis even went out of their way to

greet Marine patrols with flowers and other souvenirs. I believe the media's assumption of

the Iraqi citizens to be totally wrong. Yes, there were people some people who didn 't want us

in Iraq. However, I felt that this smallfraction couldn 't compare to the Iraqi 's who are

overwhelmed with joy for our presence.

In this environment, the vast majority of Iraqis welcomed the Marines as liberators and

friends, but a wary eye and lightening quick life-and-death decisions were required of every

member of the force; regardless of rank, age, or occupational specialty. There was no front, no

rear, no secured area; only reliance on your brother to cover your "six," and the professional

maturity to know when and how to act.

Iraqi children are fascinated by the Marines, and the Marines return their attention with

kindness and good-natured humor.

With literally no help or even guidance from an outside agency the CMOC established

functional areas for police, fire, electricity, water, and medical care. It appointed an interim

police chief and opened an Iraqi Police Academy in RCT-7's zone. The Red Cross assessed the

water system at only 40% capacity due to the lack of power. Electrical engineers worked

furiously to restore the power grid, as it was central to restoring the most basic of human services

to the people of Baghdad. Agencies like CARE, Red Crescent, the World Food Program, and

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many others arrived and willingly joined the Division's efforts. These organizations were the

first and most knowledgeable people on the ground to set the city and its people right. After

RCT-7 secured the major Red Cross medical supply warehouse, the distribution of critical

medical supplies to the major care centers began to flow to those who needed them most.

The Division also took on the pressing, and often-times very violent issue of crime, then

running rampant throughout the city. After three decades of terror and repression, members from

every segment of society sought revenge not only against symbols of the former government, but

also against individuals associated with the previous regime by vandalizing their homes and

businesses. As the looting spread from government buildings to private businesses, it was

apparent that this wanton destruction would severely impede the nation's recovery. Crime

spread rapidly to the commercial and banking centers of the city. Local thugs, using recently

stolen military weapons, took advantage of the general breakdown in public order. Armed

criminal gangs were formed, which began to rob banks, hijack vehicles, and steal whatever they

could get their hands on. These gangs brazenly held proprietors at bay while they looted their

establishments. Major combat operations with Iraqi military units were all but over, but the

Marines of Blue Diamond began to combat this criminal element throughout the city.

The Division began to produce and disseminate Psychological Operations messages via

broadcast and leaflets to assist in protecting the innocent civilians of eastern Baghdad. Lebanese

Television, covering the daily CMOC-NGO meetings, provided reliable third person objective

reporting regarding the level of effort and progress being made restoring services. Radio

broadcasts also assisted local leaders and security forces by appealing to the citizens of Baghdad

that for their own safety they remain in their homes between evening and morning prayers.

Private First Class Devin Schmitt, Weapons Company, 1/7, recalled the situation in Baghdad at

the time:

In Baghdad, people would always come to us for help. They would yell "Ali Babba"

and point in a direction. We could not understand a word they said except that someone

was stealing stuff

The CMOC's activities accelerated in the face of these and many more challenges. By

identifying and meeting with key leaders, civil and military authorities began to plan the

restoration of the city's services and repair of its infrastructure in a comprehensive way. Colonel

Marletto also made liaison with the US Army's 3td Infantry Division to ensure the

synchronization of Civil-Military operations on both sides of the Tigris River.

Most important of these early contacts were with Iraqi electrical engineers who would

eventually restore the power grid. The CMOC's 'electrical' section chaired a meeting with Dr.

Karim Hasan, Directing General of Iraq for Electrical Affairs, along with 50 key plant managers

and engineers. A major issue concerned jump-starting a 2-megawatt generator for the eastern

Baghdad grid. Jump-starting the generator required more power than existed in I MEF's

generation capacity. The engineers coordinated a plan to bring several substations on line to

provide the massive jolt needed to re-establish Baghdad's service. The issue of electricity was

significant, not only for the restoration of lights and power, but also as it was the required

380
resource for generation of fresh water supplies. The Red Cross Water and Habitat managers

reported that the water supply was adequate for the current Baghdad population, but would

collapse under the strain as refugees returned to the city. With the onset of summer temperatures

of 120 degrees, the demand for water and electricity for air conditioning would skyrocket.

The CMOC medical committee optimistically forecast that the medical system could provide

basic emergency care and services if medical professionals of all categories returned to their

places of work. Commander Kevin Moore, the Division Surgeon, coordinated with various

NGOs and identified 14 hospitals that were necessary to be restored in order to provide even

basic medical services to millions of people ravaged by war. The CMOC worked feverously to

restore them to full operations. Requests for volunteers were made on local media broadcasts,

and several hundred volunteers arrived at the Palestine Hotel to provide assistance. Medical

support improved with the addition of four Qatari physicians, and the arrival of critically needed

supplies.

By 15 April, the Division was well into preparations for the turnover of eastern Baghdad to

the US Army's 3rd Infantry Division. The 358th Civil Affairs Command Deliberate Assessment

Team arrived first and evaluated the needs of the city. As part of its preparations Colonel Jim

Howcroft, the Division's senior Intelligence officer, prepared a detailed sector-by-sector analysis

of the enemy threat for the commanders of the 'Rock of the Marne' Division. In each functional

area, staff coordination surged forward. These two proud Divisions had fought side-by-side

from Kuwait to Baghdad, and both had similar mindsets about both combat operations and

SASO. Without written orders, instructions, or doctrine of any kind, the members of these proud

Divisions who had fought side-by-side in the assault on Baghdad, quickly worked out the details

of an urban reconstruction effort without precedent. After detailed staff work and commander

interaction at every level was completed, the relief was initiated.

On 18 April, the relief in place with the 1st and 2' BCTs of the 3rd Infantry Division began.

Both 3/7 and 3/4 turned over their areas to the Army units, then and headed south to the RCT

staging area just north of Al Iskandariyah. The following day, the remainder of RCT-7

completed its battle-hand over and moved to the assembly area. On 20 April, the remaining

elements of Blue Diamond began movement to an intermediate TAA south of Baghdad. By 21

April, the Division planted its colors in the vicinity of Ad Diwaniyah, and continued its RIP with

V Corps and movement into its Phase IV (SASO) positions. The Commanding General, 1St

Marine Division personally coordinated the historical close out of the battle space with Major

General "Buck" Blount, General Officer Commanding, 3rd Infantry Division. Blue Diamond

continued to move to its new zone in southern Iraq.

Into the Shia Heartland

The men and women of Blue Diamond had already begun their journey south to their

designated Phase TV (SASO) zone. In what amounted to be the entire southern half of the

country (excluding only the British zone to the east around Basra), the area contained nearly half

of Traq's population. It was bounded by borders with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the

southern suburbs of Baghdad.

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Blue Diamond conducts Security and Stabilization Operations in seven southern governates of

Iraq. This zone included much of the Shia heartland, including the holy cities of Karbala and

An Najaf Most of the supply routes for US Army forces operating in Baghdad and to the north

also ran through this zone.

The first unit to move into the southern zone was RCT-5, ordered to conduct a relief in place

with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) of the 82'' Airborne Division. The RCT, and

subordinate battalion command groups, moved to an area southwest of Ad Diwaniyah and

established an Assembly Area for the entire Division in an abandoned Iraqi military facility

there. The Division's composite quartering party began to receive units in its area co-located

with RCT-5. The next day, RCT-5(-) moved to an intermediate TAA south of Baghdad with its

remaining infantry battalions, 2/5 and 3/5, moving from over 100 km north from the city of

Samarra where it had supported TF Tripoli's actions, and joined on its parent unit the next day in

Ad Diwaniyah and As Samawah. To avoid adding to the friction already caused by the

thousands of Shia faithful participating in the Arba'een Pilgrimage, RCTs 1 and 7 delayed

movement into their Phase IV positions until the Pilgrimage was completed. The fact that

thousands of Shias were, for the first time in decades, able to participate freely in one of their

most highly regarded traditions was a historic event. The smooth conduct of this pilgrimage,

with US forces handing out water and providing medical services, greatly aided the relationship

with the Shia populace in the south.

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