page_title: 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines
section_title: Al Anbar Province (2006–2008)
hierarchical_section_title: 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines / Iraq War (2006–2009) / Al Anbar Province (2006–2008)
caption_attribution_description: English: Original Caption: As the sun begins to set in western Al Anbar Province, Iraq, U.S. Marines from the Hawaii-based Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment patrol through back alleys in Haqlaniyah, Iraq, June, 1, 2006. The Marines were searching for insurgents and contraband in the city of 30,000, which is nestled along the Euphrates River northwest of Baghdad. Marines and Iraqi soldiers frequently patrol Haqlaniyah, where arguably some of the fiercest violence by insurgents against Coalition Forces occurs. Since their arrival more than two months ago, the Marines have engaged insurgents frequently. Most recently, the Marines fought insurgents hiding in an abandoned hotel, which was later bombed by U.S. military aircraft.
context_page_description: 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, abbreviated as, is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps, based out of Kāne'ohe, Hawai'i. Known as either "Trinity" or "America's Battalion", the unit falls under the command of the 3rd Marine Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division. The unit consists of approximately 1124 U.S. Marines and United States Navy sailors.
context_section_description: In March 2006, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines conducted its first Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment to Al Anbar Province in western Iraq. They relieved the 3rd Battalion 1st Marines in the Haditha area and were based out of the Haditha Dam. This deployment was particularly sensitive, coming around the same time that news of the Haditha killings (where Marines had killed 24 civilians in the same area the previous November) broke in the United States. Once it arrived in Iraq, the 3rd Battalion began the mission of "fighting insurgents, working with locals to improve local economy and quality of life, and training Iraqi soldiers." The Battalion was also partnered up with the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade of the 7th Iraqi Army Division. 3rd Battalion attempted to secure Haditha by using an approach of "constant presence". The battalion operated from a series of forward operating bases in the local cities of Haditha, Barwanah, Haqlaniyah, and Baghdadi from which its rifle and weapons companies sent out constant patrols to keep the insurgent groups off balance. However, the battalion was unable to create a working local police force, due to the overwhelming intimidation by insurgent groups. Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Norman Cooling observed, "We didn't have the manpower to control the [main roads] and hold Haditha.  The Iraqi Army was as blind as we were.  The insurgents killed anyone who spoke to us." One group of 15 police volunteers was murdered by insurgents in Baghdadi in May. Then in June a Marine mistook a local tribal leader driving near a convoy for a possible suicide bomber and killed him. Another groups of Marines in the same city had more success when they cornered a band of insurgents in the Haqlaniyah Hotel and destroyed it. By June, attacks against Marines in Haqlaniyah had become common, with their base getting mortared about twice a week and some insurgents getting close enough to throw grenades over the wall into the base. On 3 June three insurgents opened fire on the Haqlaniyah base but were quickly killed after a group of Marines led by Gunnery Sergeant Jim Lanham launched a hasty counterattack. In early September, 3rd Battalion launched a second effort to recruit police called Operation Guardian Tiger IV. This recruitment drive was more successful than its predecessors and also detained 30 suspected insurgents. This second recruitment effort succeeded in locating an individual named "Colonel Farouk," who would play a key role in the counterinsurgency campaign in the region subsequent to 3/3's departure, when the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Marine Regiment, 3/3's sister battalion, continued counterinsurgency efforts in the area of operations. Farouk would prove critical to these continuing efforts. Al Qaeda in Iraq was ultimately defeated in the region, due in great measure to 3/3's returning Farouk, who built a robust police force during 2/3's tenure, to the Haditha region. During their time in Haditha the Marines from 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines conducted more than 8,000 patrols, located 54 weapons caches and detained more than 800 suspected insurgents. The battalion suffered 11 Marines killed and 85 wounded. On 6 October, 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines returned to Kaneohe Bay.
  The following year in August 2007, the battalion made its second Iraq deployment, this time to the Fallujah area where they served under the Regimental Combat Team 6 during the closing phases of Operation Alljah. Their mission was to complete the Clear Hold Build operation in the areas of Karmah and Zaidon which the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines and 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines had begun two months earlier. Karmah had become an important insurgent stronghold due its proximity both Baghdad and Fallujah.  Unlike other cities, Karmah had no definable perimeter to hold, making it easy for outsiders to access.  In addition, as insurgents were pushed out of Baghdad by other offensives they found it easy to flee to Karmah. In early September, Kilo Company moved into a cluster of villages northeast of Karmah that was the last major insurgent stagin
caption: Kilo Company Marines patrolling the Haditha Triad in Iraq, 2006.
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