page_title: 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines
section_title: Operation Iraqi Freedom
hierarchical_section_title: 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines / History / Global War on Terror (GWOT) / Operation Iraqi Freedom
caption_attribution_description: English: Ramadi, Iraq (Jan. 28, 2006) - Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Dr. Donald C. Winter addresses Marines assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines about their missions and to find out how things are going. SECNAV is in the Middle East to see first-hand the conditions, morale, and equipment in use by Navy and Marine Corps personnel deployed to the region. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Journalist Craig P. Strawser (RELEASED)
context_page_description: The 3rd Battalion 7th Marine Regiment is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and consist of approximately 800 Marines. The battalion falls under the command of the 7th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division. The battalion has seen combat in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and was a part of the main effort during the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003. In the Global War on Terror, the battalion has seen eleven sequential combat deployments; five in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, three in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and three in support Operation Inherent Resolve. The unit has a long, decorated history with countless achievements. Its members were described as "true professionals" by embedded reporters during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
context_section_description: 2003 - 1st Tour
  3/7 was part of the main effort, and took a major role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.  The premier infantry combat unit in the world, they originally deployed in January 2003, moved north in March and reached Baghdad by April – securing several cities, military bases, terrorist training facilities, and various other objectives along the way. They then moved south for a five-month security assignment doing stabilizing operations in Karbala until September 2003. During the assignment, India Company, 3rd Battalion 7th Marines operated in Mahmudiyah, Iraq in support of Task Force Scorpion during July and August 2003. Lima Company, 3rd Battalion 7th Marines were tasked out with the training of the Iraqi Police force, intelligence gathering, disruption and dismantling of the black market weapons trade, and both daytime and clandestine operations in coalition with CIA, Delta Force, and various other units in support to carry out special assignments. Lima Company's 3rd platoon, 2nd squad, is responsible for capturing and detaining some of the highest ranking Ba'ath Party members to date during covert operations south of Baghdad. India Company's training in the Kuwaiti desert and the subsequent invasion was covered in the TV documentary Virgin Soldiers which often airs on Discovery Times and Military Channel.
  2004 - 2nd Tour
  After returning to the United States in September 2003, the battalion re-deployed in February 2004 to Al Qaim—in western Al Anbar Province, abutting the Syrian border.  Their area of responsibility included Husaybah, the primary border-crossing point between Syria and Iraq. Increased military presence resulted in continuous fighting, including large-scale operations to retake the city of Husaybah from insurgents and local fighters in April. The Medal of Honor was posthumously awarded to Kilo Company squad leader Jason Dunham for actions in the city of Karabilah. They returned from that deployment in September 2004.
  2005 - 2006 - 3rd Tour
  From September 2005 to March 2006 3/7 was stationed in Ar Ramadi and made FOB Hurricane Point (HP) and Camp Ramadi their main base of operations; however most infantry units operated out of firm bases and outposts within the city. 3/7 oversaw and provided security for elections at multiple locations in Ramadi near the end of the deployment, which proved highly successful and resulted in little conflict. Elements of the battalion were engaged in firefights and rocket, mortar, and IED attacks daily throughout the entire deployment.
  2007 - 4th Tour
  From May 2007 to November 2007 3/7 was once again stationed in Ar Ramadi and made FOB Hurricane Point (HP) and Camp Ramadi their main base of operations.  They dispersed throughout the city to increase contact with the local residents. Since the prevalence of the Anbar Awakening, 3/7 Marines began conducting counter-insurgency (COIN) missions rather than the more "kinetic" operations on previous tours.
  2008 - 2009 - 5th Tour
  3/7 re-deployed in support of OIF again in August 2008, once again to the Al Qaim area—in western Al Anbar Province, abutting the Syrian border.  Their area of responsibility was much larger than any other time, including Husaybah to the west, all the way east to Hit.  Due to status of forces agreements with the Iraqi government, operations were very limited and the battalion served in an "operational overwatch" role for the Iraqi forces.  They returned from that deployment in March 2009.
caption: Members of the battalion in Ramadi, Iraq in 2006
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "060128-N-2568S-090 Ramadi, Iraq (Jan. 28, 2006) - Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Dr. Donald C. Winter meets with Marines from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines to discuss their missions and find out how things are going.  SECNAV is in the Middle East to see first-hand the conditions, morale, and equipment in use by Navy and Marine Corps personnel deployed to the region.  U.S. Navy photo by Chief Journalist Craig P. Strawser (RELEASED)", "Image Make": "NIKON CORPORATION", "Image Model": "NIKON D2X", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "300", "Image YResolution": "300", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop CS2 Macintosh", "Image DateTime": "2006:01:30 15:13:14", "Image Artist": "JOC Craig P. Strawser", "Image WhitePoint": "[313/1000, 329/1000]", "Image PrimaryChromaticities": "[16/25, 33/100, 21/100, 71/100, 3/20, 3/50]", "Image YCbCrCoefficients": "[299/1000, 587/1000, 57/500]", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ExifOffset": "844", "GPS GPSVersionID": "[2, 2, 0, 0]", "Image GPSInfo": "1476", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "1590", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "6201", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/250", "EXIF FNumber": "10", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "250", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2006:01:28 04:17:09", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2006:01:28 04:17:09", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "4", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "2/3", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "4", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Flash", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire", "EXIF FocalLength": "22", "EXIF SubSecTime": "49", "EXIF SubSecTimeOriginal": "49", "EXIF SubSecTimeDigitized": "49", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "Uncalibrated", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "4288", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "2848", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF CVAPattern": "[0, 2, 0, 2, 0, 1, 1, 2]", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Manual", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "1", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "33", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF GainControl": "None", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal", "EXIF SubjectDistanceRange": "0", "EXIF Gamma": "11/5"}