Ministry of Information building, the Fedeyeen Headquarters, Uday Hussein's Headquarters, and

the Ministry of Oil building. After the battalion crossed the LD, it engaged a charging vehicle,

destroying the vehicle and killing its two occupants. By 0930Z, they had secured the Fedeyeen

compound. Elements of the battalion also engaged suspected Fedeyeen who fired on them from

the tenth floor of the Ministry of Information building. Two TOW missiles silenced the enemy

weapons. Fedeyeen sniping continued against all elements of the Battalion, including the Alpha

and Bravo command groups, the 81mm mortar platoon, and the logistics train. Under the

direction of the battalion Executive Officer, Major Anthony Henderson, elements of the battalion

returned fire, killing a number of enemy fighters. Kilo Company attacked to clear the Ministry

of Information, a twelve-story tower. One platoon secured the perimeter while two platoons

alternated clearing floors. The training the Marines had received in urban warfare paid off in

confidence and flawless execution. Lance Corporal Mark Enos remembers:

The thing that impacted me the most was when we began to clear the twelve-story

building. Knowing in the back of my mind that there was a really big possibility that there

was enemy in the buildings, we used our MOUT tactics and depended on one another/br our

own safety. Our squad leader knew exactly what to do and what had to be done.

The RCT-7 TAC moved in on the heels of 3/7 and set-up just below the Ministry of

Information building, while the building was still being cleared. A firefight raged in front as 3/7

security elements blocked the entrances to the compound.

Lima Company, 3/7, attacked to seize the Ministry of Oil building after finding that its first

two targets already burning.

Uday Hussein's office on the

top floor of a nearby building

was engulfed in flames, likely

started by irate civilians

seeking revenge on the Regime

after years of brutal repression.

The building burned for several

days. One platoon secured the

sprawling Oil Ministry

structure, while the remaining

two platoons cleared two floors

at a time. By 1410Z both the

Ministries of Information and

Oil were secured. Companies

Iraqi children welcome the Marines with shouts and waves, begin to back-clear the

buildings top to bottom.

Late that afternoon 3/7 also engaged two enemy "technicals" and one civilian vehicle that

attempted to drive through a checkpoint. All three vehicles were destroyed. While the enemy

soldiers were all killed, the Marines managed to pull two civilians from their car and affect an

immediate CASEVAC. Shortly afterward, two Marines were injured when an Iraqi POV filled

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with gasoline drums attempted to ram a Marine vehicle. Fortunately, the gasoline did not ignite.

These last acts of resistance, however, were overshadowed by the swell of popular support

received by the Marines. Everywhere they went, the Marines continued to be bombarded with

waves, shouts, and kisses. No Marine went through that 'fire' without being effected.

As RCT-7 pushed into southeast Baghdad from the Southeast, RCT-1 operated on their right

flank, to the northeast of the Army Canal. Inchon had pushed past Phase Line Andrew at

Highway 5 the previous day, and was at the edge of the government center and the outskirts of

Saddam City. They faced light resistance all morning, as 1/4 and 2/23 commenced the attack

into the RCT's portion of Baghdad.

Lieutenant Colonel Geffrey Cooper's 2/23

pushed forward through the center of the zone,

looking for the headquarters of the Iraqi

Directorate for General Security. While

pushing toward the suspected location, the

RCT's Alpha command group found the

headquarters thanks to its Iraqi defenders.

The otherwise non-descript government

buildings were not at the location described on

the map, but were readily identified when the

Alpha command began to take intense enemy

The DGS Headquarters received a cruise missile fire from their vicinity. Fox Company, 2/23,

the first night of the war. This facility would soon led by Major Jonathan E. Kirkpatrick,

house the Division Headquarters, attacked in order to clear the high-walled

compound that housed approximately 100

defenders. The defense increased in intensity upon the Company's approach, and Highway 5

soon was a maelstrom of RPG, sniper, and machinegun fire.

Civilian vehicles loaded with armed men in civilian attire began assailing Fox Company's

lines. One such vehicle came barreling into the position drawing fire from all friendly positions.

The vehicle came to a halt at Sergeant Scott Montoya's position on the firing line. Sergeant

Montoya saw that the enemy driver was reaching under the seat (for what was later found to be

hidden explosives.) Sergeant Montoya dashed out into the street under fire and eliminated the

threat. From his vantage point in the street, Sergeant Montoya saw Lance Corporal Segovia, a

rifleman from 3d platoon, lying in the open on Highway 5 and bleeding profusely from the inner

thigh. Rushing to the Marine's side under the crossfire of friendly and enemy bullets, Sergeant

Montoya stripped the Marine of his gear, hoisted him upon his shoulders, and carried him 500

meters to safety. As the engagement continued, Sergeant Montoya repeatedly left the relative

safety of his covered position to assist three more wounded Marines and an Iraqi civilian to a

casualty collection point.

Second Platoon received a barrage of hostile fire including rockets, machineguns, and small

arms the preponderance of which was directed at Corporal Robert Tomczak's machinegun team.

Realizing that his position was critical to the platoon's security, Corporal Tomczak remained in

place and countered the heavy volume of fire with his own highly accurate and effective fire,

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disrupting an attempted flank assault. Under the barrage of fire, Corporal Tomczak maneuvered

from his sand bag fortifications and deployed an AT-4 to silence an RPG position. When an

armed gunman in a vehicle attempted to ram his position, Corporal Tomczak steadily returned

fire, dodging the closing vehicle by inches as it crossed the curb and impacted his bunker.

During the height of the battle, several civilian vehicles were caught in the deadly crossfire

between the Marines and the enemy positions. Observing several wounded civilians in disabled

vehicles, Chief Warrant Officer Frank Castiglia organized a squad size element to rescue the

wounded. During a lull in the engagement, he led the rescue team from covered positions into

the exposed intersection to bring the civilians into friendly lines. They came under intense

machinegun and rocket propelled grenade fire. Chief Warrant Officer Castiglia advanced his

Marines under the suppressive fires of the company, and recovered a wounded Iraqi civilian.

During the engagement, nine Marines were wounded. The DGS compound had been the primary

facility for Saddam Hussein's secret internal police. The records captured inside this facility

were a significant intelligence find and would help document the crimes Saddam had committed

against his own people.

First Battalion, 4th Marines, attacked

in zone, clearing the northern sector up

to the immediate outskirts of Saddam

City. Enemy contact was sporadic and

light. Those who chose to stay, put up

minimal resistance and were quickly

overwhelmed by the assault units.

Killing several enemy fighters and

capturing over 25 EPWs, 1/4 secured all

objectives, to include the most dominant

building in its sector, a cigarette factory.

The battalion established its CP in this

building, and employed scout snipers

and a Naval Special Warfare (NSW)

counter-sniper team with a commanding

view from the roof Responding to Marines from RCT-1 apprehend an Iraqi man who stole a

indications that there had been UN vehicle.

significant rioting in the streets of Saddam City, RCT-1 also tasked 1/4 to enter this vast Shia

neighborhood to restore order. The surveillance platforms that detected the rioting could not

ascertain whether the mobs of civilians on the streets were celebrating, looting, or exacting

revenge on those who had cooperated with the Regime before. Moving into this Shia hotbed, 1/4

was unsure if they would be welcomed or taken under fire. The Marines' dominance of the zone

was made clear to the inhabitants by a program of saturation patrolling; swarming the streets for

short intervals, then moving to another area to repeat the process. On their first combat patrol

into the city, thousands of well-wishers greeted the Marines with flowers and cheers ofjoy.

Showing that they were 'No better friend' to the Iraqi people, RCT- 1 provided assistance and

support to an International Committee of the Red Cross hospital site in their zone. With all of

the destruction and misery in the city, it was important to get as many hospitals functioning as

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quickly as possible. At the Red Cross hospital, there had been a significant threat from looters.

This threatened the patients currently in the hospitals, as well as the ability of the Iraqis to restore

medical services to the population. Leaving the facility unsecured was not an option for the

Marines, and they took action:

"On 10 April, the 'Jump' CP of 3" Assault Amphibian Battalion was coordinating with 1st

Marines, when the battalion civil affairs officer, Lieutenant Colonel Mike Van Nordhiem asked

to drive by the HQs for the International Committee of the Red Cross. They found the location

and had a great, very informative meeting with the ICRC director. The director's greatest

concern was the safety of the Medical City complex. With the collapse of organized resistance,

looters and Iraqi Fedeyeen fighters were threatening to destroy the facility. The greatest

concern was all the hundreds ofpatients on lfe support throughout the three hospitals. Ifpower

was lost, or equipment was not safeguarded, those Iraqis would die. Lieutenant Colonel Abbott

and his interpreter, Sergeant Danny Hamler found and met with one of the Iraqi doctors, a Dr

Au and explained that the Marines were coming to protect the hospital complex. The doctor was

visibly shaking with fear and was absolutely convinced that we were going to murder the

patients in their beds. That's what the government had told them. After nearly hyperventilating

and chain smoking an entire pack of cigarettes, he calmed down and explained that the looters

had gotten away with ambulances and some medical equipment. The appearance of the Marines

had frightened away the boldest looters, but they would be back.

The Jump CP only consisted of two soft skinned HMMWVs and eight Marines with no heavy

weapons. As the security force had not arrived yet, the Jump Marines began aggressively

patrolling the complex to give the appearance of a much larger force. Amongst the tall hospital

buildings, external communications were limited to chance, as one in forty tries to get through

on an Iridium phone. As the sun went down and there was still no infantry, the desperately

exposed nature of the situation became quite apparent to everyone. Backlit by burning cars,

shadowed figures moved along the perimeter. Medical City was on a bluff looking west across

the Tigris River. The Marines watched as the 3" ID battled Iraqi forces on the west side with

tracers, explosions and fireballs

arching through the night.

Around 2300, another Iraqi

doctor came by and announced

that more Americans had arrived

at one of the hospitals. The AA V

Marines linked up with the taskorganized platoon of tanks, AA Vs

and mechanized infantry from 3(1

Battalion, 4th Marines.

Lieutenant Colonel Abbott,

Sergeant Hamler and Doctor Au

led the infantry team leader,

First Lieutenant David M Bann

of 2d platoon, India Company,

3/4 on the recon of Medical City Marines patrol the narrow streets of Saddam City. . in order to rapidly effect the

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relief in place. It was surreal as the small group walked the perimeter, discussing security

priorities while the battle went on around them. 3/4 remained in place and continued to

safeguard the complex. The next day, we heard on the short wave radio how the military was

supposedly negligent for not protecting hospitals, but we knew there were at least three large

hospitals where Marines had risked their lives to protect innocent Iraqi civilians."

The Sailors and Marines of all of the RCTs helped to the extent they were able, with

supplies, security, and even medical help. Where medical supplies stored by the former Regime

could be located, they were distributed to the civilian hospitals. Until widespread medical aid

could be flown in, however, the few operating medical facilities did the best they could under

difficult circumstances.

During one of their patrols,

RCT-1 discovered a food

storage warehouse, and set up a

food distribution site to get it to

those who needed it the most.

The food distribution operation

aired as a story on CBS news.

RCT-l's actions this day

continued in the fashion of the

'Three Block War'. While

2/23 was engaged in an intense

MOUT fight, other Marines of

the RCT were deterring looters,

while yet a third group were

handing out food and

supporting the local hospital. Marines assist in humanitarian missions from the moment they arrive.

The experience of RCT- 1 this day and others also served as a visible demonstration of the

balanced and flexible capability of the Marine Air Ground Task Force. Since crossing the LD,

nearly every function of the MAGTF had been committed to the fight, and every one had proved

itself indispensable at one point or another. Balance in capability is what brought the Division

success. All capabilities were used in concert, but each, in turn, came to the fore. Engaging in

the Three Block War required large numbers of trained infantrymen. The tanks and artillery that

had been central to victory on the southern desert ceded their dominant position to dismounted

riflemen in the urban area. Aviation, which had been critical to the shaping effort, had ceded

their precedence to tanks on the ground near Al Basrah. Tanks had been supplanted as the most

critical capability by engineers building and improving key bridges in An Nasiriyah. The

engineers had enabled the LAVs to conduct a rapid advance along a route of unknown quality

until the enemy's strength was located. The LAVs stepped aside as mechanized infantry pushed

through the enemy's defenses. Artillery covered fire support tasks as fierce sandstorrns

grounded aviation fires. Logistics brought by KC-130 and new MTVR trucks enabled

expeditionary logistics to fill-in for a slower-moving logistics support system. Modern

communications equipment had enabled a swift command and control capability that allowed

rapid tempo throughout, without requiring an operational pause while waiting for the

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headquarters to catch-up. Even with all of these technological capabilities, however, the primary

weapon for the fight for Baghdad, stabilization operations and civil military interaction, was the

Marine Corps' most basic core competency, the individual US Marine.

Recon's Secnrity Zone Operations in Baqubah

On the morning of 9 April, while the Division was conducting its attacks into the heart of

Eastern Baghdad, Recon Battalion continued its attack to Baqubah back on the east side of the

Diyala River north of Baghdad. Captain Gil Juarez's Charlie Company, 1st LAR was able to

push forward through the (now abandoned) positions that Lieutenant McCab&s platoon had

attacked the previous evening, and proceeded up the road. Charlie Company again moved north

along the road to Baqubah. The earlier positions had been abandoned, but the Recon Marines

were on the hunt and the enemy was soon located a short distance up the road.

As the battalion

continued north, Iraqi

civilians informed them of a

company-size enemy force

set in another ambush in tall

grass just ahead. The

battalion attacked to this area

and once again mortar fire

erupted just off the road. At

the same time, the Marines

began receiving direct fire

from uniformed Republican

Guard forces who were firing

from both sides of the road

and from nearby buildings.

Saddam 'sforces are unable to hide from US artillery and air fires. LAR' s White platoon

returned fire with their 25mm

cannon and mounted M240G machine guns, engaging the enemy sometimes as close as 10

meters away. The LAy-AT s launched several missiles into the nearby houses where the most

concentrated fires were coming from.

The company's FiST went into action, led by the FAC, Captain William "Chocka"

Bartolomea. The team dismounted their LAV under fire and obtained a 10-digit grid utilizing

the LASER Viper. The team returned to their LAV and called in a IDAM strike and then

finished the enemy strongpoint off with Hellfire missiles from AH- 1 Cobra gunships. As Charlie

LAR, Bravo Recon, and Delta Recon Companies continued to push up the main road, Alpha

Recon and Charlie Recon companies pushed up a flanking route to the east. While Captain

Brian Gilman's Charlie Company protected the east flank of the movement, Major Brian

Patterson (he had been promoted since the Al Gharraf fight) led his Alpha Company to a berm

just to the north of the enemy defenders. As the flanking force got into place, and more Cobras

appeared overhead, the enemy decided he had had enough. Uniformed enemy soldiers

disappeared into culverts and buildings, 'miraculously' reappearing as unarmed young men in

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civilian clothes mixed with local civilians. This was the same tactic used by Fedeyeen in Ad

Diwaniyah days before. As Captain Gilman describes it, "Whenever rotary wing air showed up

these guys would just bug out. It was one of the most frustrating experiences I've ever had

watching these guys walk away, but they'd disappear and suddenly reappear with no weapons,

wearing civilian clothes. It was tough, but the Marines showed incredible restraint. We didn't

want more civilians getting killed." The Recon Marines' discipline was sufficient to prevent

On 9 April, one of the strangest things I saw during the war occurred. We were

ambushed at the same spot as the night before, and were called to a halt. I was the lead

vehicle at the time. As mortar rounds impacted all around us, I saw a family of one

mother, a daughter, and two men in their late teens walk right by my vehicle straight

towards the enemy positions. My platoon began firing on troops in the open, enemy

vehicles, and emplacements to our north on the right side of the road. As the 25 mm fire

flew over the family 's heads, they just continued walking as f impervious to all that was

occurring around them. The enemy mortars continued to fall all around the family and

my platoon continued to shoot over the top of them. They only broke stride once to

move to the other side of the road because the fire obviously was too intense to stay on

the side they were walking. I curiously watched them walk all the way to the enemy

positions and out of view. They must have been the luckiest Iraqis I've ever seen. Or

maybe they got killed once they were near the enemy positions where all the impacts

were landing. I'll never know.

harm to the innocent by not continuing to engage even when they had good reason to believe that

enemy troops were in civilian disguise amongst the locals.

Alpha Company Recon arrived at the berm and observed a BMP firing at them from the other

side. The Marines were able to get a section of F-15s and had them drop two JDAMs on the

target. The first landed only 300 meters from the Marines' position (due to a weapons

malfunction) but the second obliterated the BMP. The attack continued. The Reconnaissance

Battalion destroyed a total of 3 BMPs and 2 abandoned T-72s as they continued to advance to

the east of Baqubah.

As the last resistance between the advancing reconnaissance force and the city fell, the Recon

Battalion commander called back to the Division CP over the secure Iridium phone. Over the

phone, the Division G-2 and the Recon Battalion Commander were able to react to the changing

situation on the ground. The G-2 recommended direct observation of the garrison of the Al Nida

Division headquarters, and the headquarters of the 41st Brigade. Charlie Company Recon

conducted a daring daylight operation into both of these facilities, confirming the enemy had

abandoned them. Charlie Company cleared both the Division and Brigade Headquarters while

the remainder of the force conducted roadblocks along Highway 5. As no further enemy

resistance or forces were identified, the battalion returned to Baghdad and was integrated into the

Division's operations there.

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10 April

On to the Next Fight

In Baghdad, the Division continued its attacks into the eastern half of the city. The list of

Regime targets was slowly whittled down as the day proceeded. All four regiments were able to

conduct a physical linkup at the edges of their zones, and the enemy resistance existed only in

pockets around the city. With the Division in a 35 km cordon around the city, the Division Main

CP found itself out of position to adequately communicate with its widely spaced elements. The

Main CP moved to a site farther north along the Diyala from which it could better communicate

with the widely dispersed elements of the Division. The site, between the banks of the Tigris

and the Dead General Crossroads, was certainly better than the rendering field they had been in

previously. The Division Forward CP in the Fedeyeen Stadium briefly took control, while the

Marines of the Division Main conducted the teardown and displaced away from the animal

bones, hair, and teeth in record time.

The Division had marked

every mission success with a

new assignment, and the

securing of eastern Baghdad

was no exception. As

quickly as it began to

position itself for successful

completion of combat tasks

in eastern Baghdad, the

Division was tasked to plan a

mission for securing the

oilfields in Kirkuk, 200 km to

the north. These key oilfields

of the north, which

contributed approximately

one-third of Iraq's oil

production, originally fell The Division Forward CF at Rasheed Fedeyeen Stadium. This was

into the battlespace of US some of thefirst green grass the Marines had seen since leaving the US.

forces attacking from the

north. Because the Coalition's northern option had been greatly reduced by Turkey's reluctance

to support the war effort, US forces had not yet secured these fields. Blue Diamond had already

secured almost two-thirds of Iraq's oil production capability during the Opening Gambit in the

south, and was now given a warning order to attack to secure another third.

The town of Kirkuk was not only a considerable distance away, but also was defended by at

least a brigade of RG and elements of three Iraqi RA Divisions. Given the Division's recent

experience, it was known that the enemy's strength on the ground was probably significantly

lower than the strict order of battle published on paper. The planners agreed it was an acceptable

risk to send a light force to attack this refflaining threat, and the Division immediately turned to

the task. As the warning order cotttained no supporting intelligence, the Division scrambled to

assemble a study of the enemy, routes, objectives, and oilfield infrastructure to support the

315
attack. Obtaining maps for an objective this far away was an immediate challenge. The 0-2

planners quickly designed and began to print specialized maps using its organic Topographic

capability, and dispatched an officer to Kuwait to quickly obtain standard maps from the MLC.

The Division expected to have about 48 hours to prepare before having to cross the LD.

Undeterred by the challenges, the Division began to assemble a light task force that could rapidly

close the distance to Kirkuk, would have enough combat power when it got there, would

communicate by satellite, and could be re-supplied by air. The Division's infantry battalions

were largely consumed in seizing and controlling the major eastern Baghdad metropolitan area,

with its several million inhabitants. Balancing the various Division missions and the forces

available, Warning Orders went out to the three LAR Battalions as the principal units that would

make up the task force, and Brigadier General John Kelly was assigned to command what would

be a de-facto Light Armored Reconnaissance Regiment (Reinforced). Even as much remained to

be done in Baghdad, the Division planners rapidly began to look to Kirkuk.

Downtown Objectives

Saddam City was made up almost exclusively

of poverty stricken Shia Muslims and had been a

hot bed of anti-Saddam fervor. It was key for the

St Marine Division to provide a presence not only

to show Iraqi support for the Coalition forces but

also to mitigate the looting that was rampant in

the city. RCT-l planned to form zones by

splitting Saddam City in half The urban area was

split between 1/4 and 3/1, and each occupied its

respective zone. The attack met little resistance

and the Shia populace was extremely happy to see

the Marines. They openly waved and cheered the

Marines during patrols that were conducted

throughout the city. People lined the streets to see Above and Below: Ammo caches in Baghdad

their liberators first-hand. The sound of gunfire

was replaced by the same repeated phrases offered

by the young and old alike, "Good, mister, good,"

and "Bush good; Saddam donkey."

Later that day, RCT- 1 conducted an attack to

the north side of Saddam City in response to

enemy indirect fires received earlier and located

by 1 1th Marine's counter-battery radar. The local

population was found to be very supportive and

aided in uncovering weapons caches and

identifying locations of the last holdouts among

the Regime forces. The Shia populace had no love for Saddam and the Baathist thugs who had

terrorized them for so long. This was especially evident during one of 1/4's counter-mortar

patrols in Saddam City. After uncovering and disposing numerous weapons caches, the rifle

companies were ordered back to their outposts. As the forward command group turned a corner,

316
a group of Iraqis began to gesture and

point down the street, tipping off a

potential enemy ambush. Gunner fname

Parks sprung from his vehicle and began

to fire-on the would-be assailants. The

enemy returned fire, broke contact, and

ran down an alley. The assailants ducked

into a house and locked the door behind

them. The Gunner attached a grenade to

the doorknob and forced an entry into the

building with Lieutenant Colonel Mayer

and Private First Class Cobb following

close behind. They were greeted by the

screams of women and children who were

being used as shields to hide the assailants, The Division Main CP operates in the abandoned DGS

facility in Baghdad. who were captured without firing a shot.

During multiple counter-mortar

patrols, RCT- 1 uncovered four FROG missiles, and a number of other strategic missiles and

weapons caches. Because of the on-going search for chemical and biological weapons, one of

the missile systems was tested for the presence of WMD agents. RCT- 1 also found what

appeared to be a mobile, chemical weapons lab. The RCT called in an exploitation team to have

it tested. The tests came out negative, but the RCT and all Division elements remained vigilant

in their search for evidence of WMD. The ubiquity of weapons caches showed that the Iraqi

Regime had prepared to fight for the city block by block. It was obvious that the battle for the

city could have been a lot worse if the Iraqi Army had chosen to stay and fight or the Iraqi people

had fought against their liberators. The rapidity and violence of the Division attack on the city,

coupled with the firepower brought to bear by 3' MAW and 1 1thi Marines, had crushed the

enemy's ability to resist. The seeds of popular uprising

againstth e Americans had been crushed by the Regime itself during their years of brutal

repression of the Iraqi people. The recently liberated Iraqis were not eager to fight to regain their

shackles.

After the operations that

morning, RCT-1 controlled an

area from the Diyala River

through Saddam City. RCT-5

controlled the area from

northwest of Saddam City to

central Baghdad north of the

Tigris. RCT-7 controlled the

downtown area along the Tigris

in central Baghdad. The Cannon

Cockers controlled the Rasheed

complex and all of the

surrounding neighborhoods.

Marines stop n'eapons smugglers at checkpoints throughout the city.

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