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Operation Phantom Fury
Part of the Iraq War
USMC 469.jpg
US Marines fight in the city of Fallujah during Operation Phantom Fury/Operation Al Fajr (New Dawn)
Date November 7, 2004 – December 23, 2004
Location Fallujah, Iraq
Result Decisive Coalition Victory
Belligerents
United States United States
Flag of Iraq 2004-2008.svg Iraq
United Kingdom United Kingdom
Flag of the Ba'ath Party.svg Mujahideen Shura
Flag of al-Qaeda in Iraq.svg Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Commanders
United States Richard F. Natonski Flag of the Ba'ath Party.svg Abdullah al-Janabi
Flag of al-Qaeda in Iraq.svg Omar Hussein Hadid
Strength
10,000 - 15,000 US troops
2,000 Iraqi troops[1]
850 British troops[2]
~3,000 Insurgents[3]
Casualties and losses
U.S.:
95 killed, 560 wounded[4][5]
Iraqi:
11 killed, 43 wounded
UK:
3 killed, 8 wounded[6][7]
1,350+ killed (U.S. est.)
1,500 captured[8][9][10]
~800 civilians killed[11]

The Second Battle of Fallujahcode-names Operation Al-Fajr (Arabic, "the dawn") and Operation Phantom Fury — was a joint U.S.-Iraqi -British offensive in November and December 2004. It was led by the U.S. Marine Corps against the Iraqi insurgency stronghold in the city of Fallujah and was authorized by the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Interim Government. The U.S. military called it "some of the heaviest urban combat U.S. Marines have been involved in since the Battle of Huế City in Vietnam in 1968."[12]

This operation was the second major operation in Fallujah. Earlier, in April 2004, Coalition Forces fought the First Battle of Fallujah in order to capture or kill insurgent elements considered responsible for the deaths of a Blackwater Security team. When Coalition Forces (a majority being U.S. Marines) fought into the center of the city, the Iraqi government requested that control of the city be turned over to an Iraqi-run local security force, which then began stockpiling weapons and building complex defenses across the city in mid-2004.

Contents

Background

In the months after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Fallujah was one of the most peaceful areas of the country. There was very little looting, and the new mayor of the city, Taha Bidaywi Hamed, selected by local tribal leaders, was staunchly pro-American. However, events were soon to heat up to the boiling point. The pre-operation timeline is as follows:

On April 28, 2003, a crowd of 200 people defied a local curfew and gathered outside a local school to protest the presence of foreign forces in the city. The protest escalated as gunmen reportedly fired upon U.S. troops from the protesting crowd and U.S. Army soldiers from the 3rd Battalion of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division returned fire, killing 17 people and wounding more than 70 of the protesters. There were no Army or Coalition casualties in the incident. U.S. forces said that the shooting took place over 30–60 seconds.[citation needed]

In February, 2004, control of Fallujah, and the surrounding area in the Al-Anbar province, was turned over to the 1st Marine Division; the Army's 82nd Airborne Division was relieved of their command.

On March 31, 2004, Four American private military contractors were ambushed and killed in the city. Images of their mutilated bodies were broadcast around the world.

Within days, U.S. Marine Corps forces launched Operation Vigilant Resolve (April 4, 2004) to take back control of the city from insurgent forces. On April 28, 2004, Operation Vigilant Resolve ended with an agreement that the local population would keep the insurgents out of the city. The Fallujah Brigade, composed of local Iraqis under the command of Muhammed Latif, a former Baathist general, was allowed to pass through coalition lines and take over the city.

Insurgent strength and control began to grow to such an extent that by September 24, 2004, a senior U.S. official told ABC News that catching Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, said to be in Fallujah, was now "the highest priority," and estimated his troops at 5,000 men, mostly non-Iraqis.[13]

Timeline

  • November 7, 2004: U.S. Marines stage just north of Fallujah. In the city, now under complete insurgent control with no American presence since April, there are a large numbers of booby traps and IEDs constructed and set in place. Additionally, elevated sniper positions have been created along with heavily fortified defensive positions throughout the city, in preparation for a major offensive. American UAVs observed insurgents conducting live-fire exercises in the city in preparation for the coming attack.
  • November 8, 2004: Operation Phantom Fury begins.
  • November 16, 2004: American spokesmen describe fighting in the city as mopping up isolated pockets of resistance.
  • December 23, 2004: Last pockets of resistance are neutralized. Three Marines are killed in the last skirmish, along with 24 insurgents. Operation Phantom Fury ends as the bloodiest battle in the Iraq War to date.
  • January, 2005: U.S. Marines begin leaving the city.

Preparations

U.S. forces

Marines from Mike Battery, 4th Battalion, 14th Marines an activated reserve artillery unit, operate the 155 mm M198 howitzer in November 2004. The battery was based at Camp Fallujah, Iraq and was supporting Operation Phantom Fury.

Before beginning their attack, U.S. and Iraqi forces had established checkpoints around the city to prevent anyone from entering the city and to intercept insurgents attempting to flee.

In addition, overhead imagery was used to prepare maps of the city for use by the attackers. American units were augmented by Iraqi interpreters to assist them in the planned fight. After weeks of withstanding air strikes and artillery bombardment, the militants holed up in the city appeared to be vulnerable to direct attack.

Insurgent forces

In April Fallujah was defended by about 500 "hardcore" and 2,000+ "part time" insurgents. By November it was estimated that the numbers had doubled. Another estimate put the number of insurgents at 3,000; however a number of insurgent leaders escaped before the attack[14]. There were significant numbers of "part time" insurgents out of that 3,000 that stayed behind to fight the Marine and Army Forces. U.S. military officials estimated that 70-90% of the 300,000 civilians in the city had fled before the attack.[14] Intelligence briefings given prior to battle reported that Coalition forces would encounter Chechen, Filipino, Saudi, Iranian, Italian, and Syrian combatants, as well as native Iraqis.[15]

The battle

Diversion

Ground operations began on the night of November 7, 2004. Attacking from the west and south, The Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion with their U.S. Army Special Forces advisers and the U.S. Marine Corps 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, reinforced by Bravo Company from the Marine Corp Reserve's 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, and supported by Combat Service Support Company 113, from Combat Service Support Battalion 1, captured Fallujah General Hospital and villages opposite the Euphrates River along Fallujah's western edge[16].

The same unit, operating under the command of the U.S. Army III Corps, then moved on the western approaches to the city, securing the Jurf Kas Sukr Bridge[16]. These initial attacks, however, were little more than a diversion, intended to distract and confuse the rebels defending the city.

Attack

U.S. soldiers from TF 2-7 CAV, prepare to enter a building during fighting in Fallujah.
A M1 Abrams, fires its main gun into a building to provide suppressive counter fire against insurgents

Subsequent to Navy Seabees from NMCB-23 shutting off electrical power at the substation located just northeast of the city, two Marine Regimental Combat Teams, Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) and Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT-7) launched their attack along the northern edge of the city. There were also two U.S. Army heavy battalion-sized units, the 2nd Squadron, 7 Cavalry Regiment, and 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment(Mechanized). These two battalions were to be followed by four infantry battalions that would clear the buildings. The Army's mechanized Second Brigade, First Cavalry Division, augmented by the Marine's Second Reconnaissance Battalion and, for a few days, the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment [Stryker], was tasked to surround the city[17]. The British Black Watch Battalion patrolled the main highways to the east.

The six battalions of Army-Marine-Iraqi forces, moving under the cover of darkness, began the assault in the early hours of November 8, 2004 with an intense bombing followed by an attack on the main train station that was used as a staging point for follow-on forces. By that afternoon, under the protection of intense air cover, Marines had entered the Hay Naib al-Dubat and al-Naziza districts.The Marines were followed in by the Navy Seabees of NMCB-4 who bulldozed the streets clear of debris from the bombardment that morning. Shortly after nightfall on November 9, 2004, Marines were reportedly along Highway 10 in the center of the city. While most of the fighting subsided by November 13, 2004, Marines continued to face determined resistance from the enemy in and around the city.

By November 16, 2004, after nine days of fighting, the Marine command described the action as mopping up pockets of resistance. Sporadic fighting continued until December 23, 2004.

Despite its success, the battle was not without controversy. On November 16, 2004, NBC News aired footage that showed a U.S. Marine, with 3rd Battalion 1st Marines, shooting dead a wounded Iraqi fighter. In this video, the Marine was heard claiming that the Iraqi was "playing possum". U.S. Navy investigators NCIS later determined that the Marine was acting in self-defense.[18] The AP reported that military-age males attempting to flee the city were turned back by the U.S. military.[19]

By late January 2005, news reports indicated U.S. combat units were leaving the area, and were assisting the local population in returning to the now heavily-damaged city.

The US Army's 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for actions during the battle[20] Additionally, Operation Phantom Fury yielded a nominee for the Medal of Honor, Sergeant Rafael Peralta who was a Marine with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines. Sgt. Peralta was later awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest award a Marine can receive.[21]

Aftermath

A building in Fallujah destroyed by air strike during the battle.

Fallujah suffered extensive damage to residences, mosques, city services, and businesses. The city, once referred to as the "City of Mosques", had over 200 pre-battle mosques of which 60 or so were destroyed in the fighting. Many of these mosques had been used as arms caches and weapon strongpoints by Islamist forces. Perhaps half the homes suffered at least some damage. Of the roughly 50,000 buildings in Fallujah, between 7,000 and 10,000 were estimated to have been destroyed in the offensive and from half to two-thirds of the remaining buildings had notable damage.[22][23]

While pre-offensive inhabitant figures are unreliable, the nominal population was assumed to have been 200,000–350,000. One report claims that both offensives, Operation Vigilant Resolve and Operation Phantom Fury, created 200,000 internally displaced persons who are still living elsewhere in Iraq.[24] Reports claim that up to 6000 civilians died throughout the operation.[25] While damage to mosques was heavy, Coalition forces reported that 66 out of the city's 133 mosques had been found to be holding significant amounts of insurgent weapons[26].

In mid-December, residents were allowed to return after undergoing biometric identification, provided they wear their ID cards all the time. Reconstruction progressed slowly and mainly consisted of clearing rubble from heavily-damaged areas and reestablishing basic utilities. Only 10% of the pre-offensive inhabitants had returned as of mid-January, and only 30% as of the end of March 2005.[27]

The recapture of the city itself proved to be largely a success for U.S. forces, with a large number of local insurgent fighters being killed, and the momentum the Sunni rebellion had gained from controlling the city being dashed in the face of overwhelming U.S. firepower. Furthermore, al-Qaeda's foothold in Iraq had been seriously degraded, even though its leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi managed to escape. Insurgent elements almost immediately began to attempt to re-group their power base in the city, with limited success.

Nevertheless the battle proved to be less than the decisive engagement that the U.S. military had hoped for. Some of the nonlocal insurgents were believed to have fled before the military assault along with Zarqawi, leaving mostly local militants behind. Subsequent U.S. military operations against insurgent positions were ineffective at drawing out insurgents into another open battle, and by September 2006 the situation had deteriorated to the point that the Al-Anbar province that contained Fallujah was reported to be in total insurgent control by the U.S. Marine Corps, with the exception of only pacified Fallujah, but now with an insurgent-plagued Ramadi[28][29]

After the U.S. military operation of November 2004, the number of insurgent attacks gradually increased in and around the city, and although news reports were often few and far between, several reports of IED attacks on Iraqi troops were reported in the press. Most notable of these attacks was a suicide car bomb attack on June 23, 2005 on a convoy that killed 6 Marines. Thirteen other Marines were injured in the attack. However, fourteen months later insurgents were again able to operate in large numbers.

A third and ultimately successful push was mounted from September 2006 and lasting until mid-January 2007. Tactics developed in what has been called the "Third Battle of Fallujah," when applied on a larger scale in Ramadi and the surrounding area led to what became known as "the Great Sunni Awakening." After four years of bitter fighting, Fallujah was turned over to the Iraqi Forces and Iraqi Provincial Authority during the Fall of 2007.

White phosphorus controversy

A US M-109A6 self-propelled howitzer fires at insurgent positions in Fallujah

On November 26, 2004, independent journalist Dahr Jamail was perhaps the first to report on the use of "unusual weapons" used in the November 2004 Battle of Fallujah.[1] U.S. media watchdog group Project Censored awarded Jamail's story as contributing to the #2 under-reported story of the year, "Media Coverage Fails on Iraq".[2] On November 9, 2005 the Italian state-run broadcaster RAI ran a documentary titled "Fallujah, The Hidden Massacre" depicting what it alleges was the United States' use of white phosphorus (WP) in the attack causing insurgents and civilians to be killed or injured by chemical burns. The effects of WP were claimed to be very characteristic. Bodies were shown which were partially turned into what appears to be ash, but sometimes the hands of the bodies had skin or skin layers peeled off and hanging like gloves instead. The documentary further claims that the United States used incendiary MK-77 bombs (similar to napalm). While the use of incendiary weapons against civilians is illegal by Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (1980), this is not binding on the United States because it is not a signatory. The documentary stated:

"WP proved to be an effective and versatile munition. We used it for screening missions at two breaches and, later in the fight, as a potent psychological weapon against the insurgents in trench lines and spider holes when we could not get effects on them with HE. We fired 'shake and bake' missions at the insurgents, using WP to flush them out and HE to take them out. .. We used improved WP for screening missions when HC smoke would have been more effective and saved our WP for lethal missions."[3]

The US State Department initially denied using white phosphorus as a munition, a claim later contradicted by the Department of Defense when bloggers discovered a US Army magazine had run a story detailing its use in Fallujah. According to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), quoted by the RAI documentary, WP is allowed as an illumination device, not as an offensive weapon if its chemical properties are put to use. The OPCW has also stated that it is the toxic properties of white phosphorus that are prohibited and the use of its heat may not be prohibited.[30][31] The US government maintains its denial of WP use against civilians, but has admitted its use as an offensive weapon against enemy combatants.[32] An article in Washington Post exactly a year before also pointed out the use of white phosphorus in the battle, but attracted little attention.

White phosphorus, when used for screening or as a marker, or used as an incendiary against combatant forces, is not banned by Protocol III of the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. But if used as a weapon in a civilian area, it would be prohibited. The protocol specifically excludes weapons whose incendiary effect is secondary, such as smoke grenades. This has been often read as excluding white phosphorus munitions from this protocol, as well. The United States is among the nations that are parties to the convention but have not signed Protocol III.[citation needed]

Graphic visual footage of the weapons allegedly being fired from helicopters into urban areas is displayed, as well as detailed footage of the remains of those apparently killed by these weapons, including children. Questions have been raised concerning this footage since white phosphorus can not be delivered by helicopters in the manner shown in the film. The helicopters in the film are more likely dispensing illumination flares or counter measures to divert heat seeking surface to air missiles. The filmmakers interview ex-US military soldier Jeff Englehart of Colorado, who discusses the American use of white phosphorus, nicknamed "Willie Pete" (codification of "WP" - White Phosphorus) by U.S. servicemembers, in built-up areas, and describes the Fallujah offensive as "just a massive killing of Arabs."

Participating units

U.S. forces

Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) built around the 1st Marine Regiment:

Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT-7) built around the 7th Marine Regiment:

2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (US Army)

1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry, 36th Infantry Division (US Army)

  • CROWS Team One

US Army Special Operations Command (embedded)

Iraqi forces

British forces

Films

Games

Books

  • No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah, by Bing West (2005) (ISBN 9780553804027)
  • We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah, by Patrick O'Donnell (2006) (ISBN 9780306814693)
  • Fighting For Fallujah: A New Dawn for Iraq, by John R. Ballard (2006) (ISBN 9780275990558)
  • Fallujah With Honor: First Battalion, Eighth Marine's Role in Operation Phantom Fury, by Gary Livingston (2006) (ISBN 192872406X)
  • Battle of Fallujah: Occupation, Resistance And Stalemate in the War in Iraq, by Vincent L. Foulk (2006) (ISBN 0786426772)
  • Among Warriors In Iraq: True Grit, Special Ops, and Raiding in Mosul and Fallujah, by Mike Tucker (2006) (ISBN 9781592287321)
  • Iraq 1941: The Battles For Basra, Habbaniya, Fallujah and Baghdad, by Robert Lyman (2006) (ISBN 9781841769912)
  • My Men Are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story, by Brad Kasal as told to Nathaniel R. Helms (2007) (ISBN 0696232367)
  • On Call In Hell: A Doctor's Iraq War Story, by Cdr. Richard Jadick (2007) (ISBN 0451220536)
  • House to House: An Epic Memoir of War, by SSG David Bellavia (2007) (ISBN 9781416574712)
  • The Navy Cross: Extraordinary Heroism in Iraq, Afghanistan and Other Conflicts, by James E. Wise, Scott Baron (2007) (ISBN 1591149452)
  • Marakat Al-Fallujah: Hazimat Amrika Fi Al-Iraq, by Ahmad Mansur (2008) (ISBN 9789774273094)
  • Sunrise over Fallujah: A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008 (2008) (ISBN 9780439916257)
  • Fallujah: Shock & Awe (2009) (ISBN 9780851247069)
  • Inside Fallujah: The War on the Ground, Ahmed Mansour (2009) (ISBN 9781566567787)
  • The Daily Thoughts of a Fallujah Marine: by Josh Daugherty (2009) (ISBN 9781608360444)
  • Once a Marine: An Iraq War Tank Commander's Inspirational Memoir of Combat, Courage, and Recovery, by Nicholas Popaditch, with Mike Steere (2008) (ISBN 9781932714470)
  • Operation Phantom Fury: The Assault and Capture of Fallujah, Iraq, by Dick Camp (2009) (ISBN 9780760336984)

Music

See also

References

  1. ^ Operation al-Fajr (Dawn) / Phantom Fury [Fallujah]
  2. ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/black-watch-ordered-to-join-us-cordon-for-assault-on-fallujah-544600.html
  3. ^ Operation al-Fajr (Dawn) / Phantom Fury [Fallujah]
  4. ^ Iraq Coalition Casualties: US Fatalities
  5. ^ US and War Mental Health disorders effecting returning troops. George Galloway The WE News Archives
  6. ^ Iraq Coalition Casualties: UK Fatalities
  7. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3984575.stm Dead Black Watch soldiers named
  8. ^ DefenseLink News Article: Fallujah Secure, But Not Yet Safe, Marine Commander Says
  9. ^ Deseret Morning News | Fighting erupts in Fallujah as refugees return; three Marines killed in action
  10. ^ Online NewsHour: Fallujah Citizens Return to Homes in Wake of Fighting - December 23, 2004
  11. ^ http://www.democracynow.org/2004/11/17/red_cross_estimates_800_iraqi_civilians
  12. ^ ScanEagle Proves Worth in Fallujah Fight, DefenseLINK News
  13. ^ Tracking Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi
  14. ^ a b Filkins, Dexter; James Glanz (2004-11-08). "With Airpower and Armor, Troops Enter Rebel-Held City". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/08/international/08CND_IRAQ.html?_r=1&ex=1114401600&en=2bb5b33cda9ccdd9&ei=5070. Retrieved 2008-12-27. 
  15. ^ Bellavia, David & Bruning, John. House to House: An Epic Memoir of War Free Press. (2007) ISBN 1-4165-7471-9.
  16. ^ a b Wise p.75
  17. ^ Gilbert, Michael (2004-11-18). "Stryker troops rejoin comrades in Mosul". Stryker Brigade News. http://www.strykernews.com/archives/2004/11/18/stryker_troops_rejoin_comrades_in_mosul.html. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  18. ^ Marine cleared in videotaped shooting
  19. ^ U.S. Won't Let Men Flee Fallujah
  20. ^ a b Liewer, Steve (2005-05-18). "Troops Honored for Efforts at Fallujah". Stars and Stripes. http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,SS_051805_Honor,00.html. Retrieved 2008-12-21. 
  21. ^ Fuentes, Gidget (2008-09-22). "Peralta to be given Navy Cross posthumously". Marine Corps Times. http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/09/marine_peralta_091708/. Retrieved 2008-12-21. 
  22. ^ Still locked down, Fallujah slow to rebuild
  23. ^ Increased Security In Fallujah Slows Efforts to Rebuild
  24. ^ The legacy of Fallujah
  25. ^ Anderson, Ronib (2006): A Century of Media. A Century of War Peter Lang New York (p.270). See also: http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/pwork/0412/041204.htm and http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/pwork/0412/041205.htm
  26. ^ "Telling the Fallujah Story to the World" (PPT). IMEF and MNCI Effects Exploitation Team. 2004-12-03. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2004/d20041203entire.ppt. Retrieved 2008-12-28. 
  27. ^ Fallujah Four Months Later
  28. ^ .Situation Called Dire in West Iraq
  29. ^ US lost control of al-Anbar province
  30. ^ OPCW agrees with US Military that use of white phosphorus as incendiary agent is not prohibited
  31. ^ OPCW Spokesman Peter Kaiser elucidates the OPCW position on white phosphorus
  32. ^ U.S. official admits phosphorus used as weapon in Iraq
  33. ^ "History of the 1st Marine Regiment" (DOC). MNF-West. http://www.mnfwest.usmc.mil/Public%2FInfolineMarines.nsf/0/3943F40BC1B52B26432573D30047AFF9/$File/1st%20Marines%27%20History.doc. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  34. ^ Roggio, Bill (2004-11-12). "Retooling". Long War Journal. http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2004/11/retooling.php. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  35. ^ a b c d e f "Forces Retake Key Civic Centers in Fallujah". U.S. Department of Defense. 2004-11-10. http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/nov2004/a111004a.html. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  36. ^ Brown, Colin (2004-10-22). "Black Watch ordered to join US cordon for assault on Fallujah". Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/black-watch-ordered-to-join-us-cordon-for-assault-on-fallujah-544600.html. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 

External links



Operation Phantom Fury
Part of the Iraq War
File:USMC
US Marines fight in the city of Fallujah during Operation Phantom Fury/Operation Al Fajr (New Dawn)
Date November 7, 2004 – December 23, 2004[1]
Location Fallujah, Iraq
Result Decisive Coalition Victory
Belligerents
United States
File:Flag of Iraq Iraq
United Kingdom
File:Flag of the Ba'ath Mujahideen Shura
File:Flag of al-Qaeda in Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Commanders and leaders
Richard F. Natonski File:Flag of the Ba'ath Abdullah al-Janabi
File:Flag of al-Qaeda in Omar Hussein Hadid
Strength
10,000 - 15,000 US troops
2,000 Iraqi troops[2]
850 British troops[3]
~3,000 Insurgents[2]
Casualties and losses
U.S.:
95 killed, 560 wounded[4][5] (51 killed Nov.8-16 in initial invasion)[6][7]

Iraqi:
11 killed, 43 wounded
UK:
3 killed, 8 wounded[8][9]

1,350+ killed (U.S. est.)
1,500+ captured[10][11][12]
~800 civilians killed[13]

The Second Battle of Fallujahcode-names Operation Al-Fajr (Arabic, "the dawn") and Operation Phantom Fury — was a joint U.S.-Iraqi -British offensive in November and December 2004. It was led by the U.S. Marine Corps against the Iraqi insurgency stronghold in the city of Fallujah and was authorized by the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Interim Government. The U.S. military called it "some of the heaviest urban combat U.S. Marines have been involved in since the Battle of Huế City in Vietnam in 1968."[14]

This operation was the second major operation in Fallujah. Earlier, in April 2004, Coalition Forces fought the First Battle of Fallujah in order to capture or kill insurgent elements considered responsible for the deaths of a Blackwater Security team. When Coalition Forces (a majority being U.S. Marines) fought into the center of the city, the Iraqi government requested that control of the city be turned over to an Iraqi-run local security force, which then began stockpiling weapons and building complex defenses across the city in mid-2004. To date, it is the bloodiest battle of the war in Iraq.

Contents

Background

In the months after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Fallujah was one of the most peaceful areas of the country. There was very little looting, and the new mayor of the city, Taha Bidaywi Hamed, selected by local tribal leaders, was staunchly pro-American. However, events were soon to heat up to the boiling point. The pre-operation timeline is as follows:

On April 28, 2003, a crowd of 200 people defied a local curfew and gathered outside a local school to protest the presence of foreign forces in the city. The protest escalated as gunmen reportedly fired upon U.S. troops from the protesting crowd and U.S. Army soldiers from the 3rd Battalion of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division returned fire, killing 17 people and wounding more than 70 of the protesters. There were no Army or Coalition casualties in the incident. U.S. forces said that the shooting took place over 30–60 seconds, however other sources indicate that shooting continued for half an hour.

In February, 2004, control of Fallujah and the surrounding area in the Al-Anbar province was transferred from the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division to the 1st Marine Division. Shortly afterward, on March 31, 2004, four American Blackwater USA contractors were ambushed and killed in the city. Images of their mutilated bodies were broadcast around the world.[15]

Within days, U.S. Marine Corps forces launched Operation Vigilant Resolve (April 4, 2004) to take back control of the city from insurgent forces. On April 28, 2004, Operation Vigilant Resolve ended with an agreement that the local population would keep the insurgents out of the city. The Fallujah Brigade, composed of local Iraqis under the command of Muhammed Latif, a former Baathist general, was allowed to pass through coalition lines and take over the city.

Insurgent strength and control began to grow to such an extent that by September 24, 2004, a senior U.S. official told ABC News that catching Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, said to be in Fallujah, was now "the highest priority," and estimated his troops at 5,000 men, mostly non-Iraqis.[16]

Timeline

  • November 7, 2004: U.S. Marines stage just north of Fallujah. In the city, now under complete insurgent control with no American presence since April, there are a large numbers of booby traps and IEDs constructed and set in place. Additionally, elevated sniper positions have been created along with heavily fortified defensive positions throughout the city, in preparation for a major offensive. American UAVs observed insurgents conducting live-fire exercises in the city in preparation for the coming attack.
  • November 8, 2004: Operation Phantom Fury begins.
  • November 16, 2004: American spokesmen describe fighting in the city as mopping up isolated pockets of resistance.
  • December 23, 2004: Last pockets of resistance are neutralized. Three Marines are killed in the last skirmish, along with 24 insurgents.[17] Operation Phantom Fury was the bloodiest battle of the Iraq War.
  • January, 2005: U.S. Marines begin leaving the city.

Preparations

U.S. forces

File:4-14 Marines in
Marines from Mike Battery, 4th Battalion, 14th Marines an activated reserve artillery unit, operate the 155 mm M198 howitzer in November 2004. The battery was based at Camp Fallujah, Iraq and was supporting Operation Phantom Fury.

Before beginning their attack, U.S. and Iraqi forces had established checkpoints around the city to prevent anyone from entering the city, and to intercept insurgents attempting to flee.

In addition, overhead imagery was used to prepare maps of the city for use by the attackers. American units were augmented by Iraqi interpreters to assist them in the planned fight. After weeks of withstanding air strikes and artillery bombardment, the militants holed up in the city appeared to be vulnerable to direct attack.

Total U.S., Iraqi, and British forces totaled about 6,000. U.S. troops were grouped in two Regimental Combat Teams. Regimental Combat Team 1 was comprised of 3rd Battalion/1st Marines, 3rd Battalion/5th Marines and the U.S. Army's 2nd Battalion/7th Cavalry. Regimental Combat Team 7, made up of the 1st Battalion/8th Marines, 1st Battalion/3th Marines, and the U.S. Army's 2nd Battalion/2nd Infantry. About 2,000 Iraqi troops assisted with the assault. All were supported by aircraft and Marine and Army artillery battalions.

Insurgent forces

In April Fallujah was defended by about 500 "hardcore" and 2,000+ "part time" insurgents. By November it was estimated[who?] that the numbers had doubled. Another estimate put the number of insurgents at 3,000; however a number of insurgent leaders escaped before the attack[18]. There were significant numbers of "part time" insurgents out of that 3,000 that stayed behind to fight the Marine and Army Forces.

The Iraqi insurgents and foreign mujahadeen present in the city prepared fortified defenses in advance of the anticipated attack. They dug tunnels, trenches, prepared spider holes, and built and hid a wide variety of IEDs. In some locations they filled the interiors of darkened homes with large numbers of propane bottles, large drums of gasoline, and ordnance, all wired to a remote trigger that could be set off by an insurgent when troops entered the building. They blocked streets with Jersey barriers and even emplaced them within homes to create strong points behind which they could attack unsuspecting troops entering the building.[19] Insurgents were equipped with a variety of advanced small arms, and had stolen a variety of U.S. armament, including M14s, M16s, body armor, uniforms and helmets.[19]

They booby-trapped buildings and vehicles, including wiring doors and windows to grenades and other ordnance. Anticipating U.S. tactics to seize the roof of high buildings, they bricked up stairwells to the roofs of many buildings, creating paths into prepared fields of fire which they hoped the troops would enter.[19]

Intelligence briefings given prior to battle reported that Coalition forces would encounter Chechen, Filipino, Saudi, Iranian, Italian, and Syrian combatants, as well as native Iraqis.[20]

Civilian presence

Meanwhile, most of Fallujah’s civilian population fled the city, which greatly reduced the potential for noncombatant casualties.[19] U.S. military officials estimated that 70-90% of the 300,000 civilians in the city fled before the attack.[18]

The battle

Diversion

Ground operations began on the night of November 7, 2004. Attacking from the west and south, The Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion with their U.S. Army Special Forces advisers and the U.S. Marine Corps 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, reinforced by Bravo Company from the Marine Corps Reserve's 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, and supported by Combat Service Support Company 113, from Combat Service Support Battalion 1, captured Fallujah General Hospital and villages opposite the Euphrates River along Fallujah's western edge[21]. Troops from the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines fired 81mm mortar in an operation in south Fallujah. The same unit, operating under the command of the U.S. Army III Corps, then moved to the western approaches to the city and secured the Jurf Kas Sukr Bridge[21]. These initial attacks, however, were a diversion intended to distract and confuse the insurgents holding the city.

Attack

File:US 1stCavDiv
U.S. soldiers from TF 2-7 CAV, prepare to enter a building during fighting in Fallujah.
File:Fallujah 2004 M1A1
A M1 Abrams, fires its main gun into a building to provide suppressive counter fire against insurgents

After Navy Seabees from NMCB-23 at the substation located just northeast of the city shut off electrical power to the city, two Marine Regimental Combat Teams, the Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) and Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT-7) launched an attack along the northern edge of the city. There were assisted by two U.S. Army heavy battalion-sized units, the 2nd Squadron, 7 Cavalry Regiment, and 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment (Mechanized). These two battalions were followed by four infantry battalions who were tasked with clearing the remaining buildings. The Army's mechanized Second Brigade, First Cavalry Division, augmented by the Marine's Second Reconnaissance Battalion and, for a few days, the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment [Stryker], was tasked to surround the city[22]. The British Black Watch Battalion patrolled the main highways to the east.

The six battalions of Army, Marine and Iraqi forces, moving under the cover of darkness, began the assault in the early hours of November 8, 2004 prepared by an intense artillery barrage and air attack. This was followed by an attack on the main train station that was then used as a staging point for follow-on forces. By that afternoon, under the protection of intense air cover, Marines entered the Hay Naib al-Dubat and al-Naziza districts. The Marines were followed in by the Navy Seabees of NMCB-4 who bulldozed the streets clear of debris from the bombardment that morning. Shortly after nightfall on November 9, 2004, Marines were reportedly reached Phase Line Fern at Highway 10 in the center of the city.

While most of the fighting subsided by November 13, 2004, Marines continued to face determined isolated resistance from insurgents hidden throughout the city. By November 16, 2004, after nine days of fighting, the Marine command described the action as mopping up pockets of resistance. Sporadic fighting continued until December 23, 2004.

Despite its success, the battle was not without controversy. On November 16, 2004, NBC News aired footage that showed a U.S. Marine, with 3rd Battalion 1st Marines, killing a wounded Iraqi fighter. In this video, the Marine was heard claiming that the Iraqi was "playing possum". U.S. Navy investigators NCIS later determined that the Marine was acting in self-defense.[23] The AP reported that military-age males attempting to flee the city were turned back by the U.S. military.[24]

By late January 2005, news reports indicated U.S. combat units were leaving the area, and were assisting the local population in returning to the now heavily-damaged city.

Recognition

The US Army's 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for actions during the battle[25] Additionally, Operation Phantom Fury yielded a nominee for the Medal of Honor, Sergeant Rafael Peralta who was a Marine with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines. Sgt. Peralta was later awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest award a Marine can receive.[26]

Aftermath

File:Fallujah
A building in Fallujah destroyed by air strike during the battle.

Fallujah suffered extensive damage to residences, mosques, city services, and businesses. The city, once referred to as the "City of Mosques", had over 200 pre-battle mosques of which 60 or so were destroyed in the fighting. Many of these mosques had been used as arms caches and weapon strongpoints by Islamist forces. Perhaps half the homes suffered at least some damage. Of the roughly 50,000 buildings in Fallujah, between 7,000 and 10,000 were estimated to have been destroyed in the offensive and from half to two-thirds of the remaining buildings had notable damage.[27][28]

While pre-offensive inhabitant figures are unreliable, the nominal population was assumed to have been 200,000–350,000. One report claims that both offensives, Operation Vigilant Resolve and Operation Phantom Fury, created 200,000 internally displaced persons who are still living elsewhere in Iraq.[29] Reports claim that up to 6000 civilians died throughout the operation.[30][dubious ] While damage to mosques was heavy, Coalition forces reported that 66 out of the city's 133 mosques had been found to be holding significant amounts of insurgent weapons[31].

In mid-December, residents were allowed to return after undergoing biometric identification, provided they wear their ID cards all the time. Reconstruction progressed slowly and mainly consisted of clearing rubble from heavily-damaged areas and reestablishing basic utilities. Only 10% of the pre-offensive inhabitants had returned as of mid-January, and only 30% as of the end of March 2005.[32]

The recapture of the city itself proved to be largely a success for U.S. forces, with a large number of local insurgent fighters being killed, and the momentum the Sunni rebellion had gained from controlling the city being dashed in the face of overwhelming U.S. firepower. Furthermore, al-Qaeda's foothold in Iraq had been seriously degraded, even though its leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi managed to escape. Insurgent elements almost immediately began to attempt to re-group their power base in the city, with limited success.

Nevertheless the battle proved to be less than the decisive engagement that the U.S. military had hoped for. Some of the nonlocal insurgents were believed to have fled before the military assault along with Zarqawi, leaving mostly local militants behind. Subsequent U.S. military operations against insurgent positions were ineffective at drawing out insurgents into another open battle, and by September 2006 the situation had deteriorated to the point that the Al-Anbar province that contained Fallujah was reported to be in total insurgent control by the U.S. Marine Corps, with the exception of only pacified Fallujah, but now with an insurgent-plagued Ramadi[33][34]

After the U.S. military operation of November 2004, the number of insurgent attacks gradually increased in and around the city, and although news reports were often few and far between, several reports of IED attacks on Iraqi troops were reported in the press. Most notable of these attacks was a suicide car bomb attack on June 23, 2005 on a convoy that killed 6 Marines. Thirteen other Marines were injured in the attack. However, fourteen months later insurgents were again able to operate in large numbers.

A third and ultimately successful push was mounted from September 2006 and lasting until mid-January 2007. Tactics developed in what has been called the "Third Battle of Fallujah," when applied on a larger scale in Ramadi and the surrounding area led to what became known as "the Great Sunni Awakening." After four years of bitter fighting, Fallujah was turned over to the Iraqi Forces and Iraqi Provincial Authority during the Fall of 2007.

White phosphorus controversy

[[File:|thumb|right|A US M-109A6 self-propelled howitzer fires at insurgent positions in Fallujah]]

On November 26, 2004, independent journalist Dahr Jamail was perhaps the first to report on the use of "unusual weapons" used in the November 2004 Battle of Fallujah.[1] U.S. media watchdog group Project Censored awarded Jamail's story as contributing to the #2 under-reported story of the year, "Media Coverage Fails on Iraq".[2] On November 9, 2005 the Italian state-run broadcaster RAI ran a documentary titled "Fallujah, The Hidden Massacre" depicting what it alleges was the United States' use of white phosphorus (WP) in the attack causing insurgents and civilians to be killed or injured by chemical burns. The effects of WP were claimed to be very characteristic. Bodies were shown which were partially turned into what appears to be ash, but sometimes the hands of the bodies had skin or skin layers peeled off and hanging like gloves instead. The documentary further claims that the United States used incendiary MK-77 bombs (similar to napalm). While the use of incendiary weapons against civilians is illegal by Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (1980), this is not binding on the United States because it is not a signatory.[citation needed] The documentary stated:

"WP proved to be an effective and versatile munition. We used it for screening missions at two breaches and, later in the fight, as a potent psychological weapon against the insurgents in trench lines and spider holes when we could not get effects on them with HE. We fired 'shake and bake' missions at the insurgents, using WP to flush them out and HE to take them out. .. We used improved WP for screening missions when HC smoke would have been more effective and saved our WP for lethal missions."[3]

The US State Department initially denied using white phosphorus as a munition, a claim later contradicted by the Department of Defense when bloggers discovered a US Army magazine had run a story detailing its use in Fallujah. According to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), quoted by the RAI documentary, WP is allowed as an illumination device, not as an offensive weapon if its chemical properties are put to use. The OPCW has also stated that it is the toxic properties of white phosphorus that are prohibited and the use of its heat may not be prohibited.[35][36] The US government maintains its denial of WP use against civilians, but has admitted its use as an offensive weapon against enemy combatants.[37] An article in Washington Post exactly a year before also pointed out the use of white phosphorus in the battle, but attracted little attention.

White phosphorus, when used for screening or as a marker, or used as an incendiary against combatant forces, is not banned by Protocol III of the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. But if used as a weapon in a civilian area, it would be prohibited. The protocol specifically excludes weapons whose incendiary effect is secondary, such as smoke grenades. This has been often read as excluding white phosphorus munitions from this protocol, as well. The United States is among the nations that are parties to the convention but have not signed Protocol III.[citation needed]

Graphic visual footage of the weapons allegedly being fired from helicopters into urban areas is displayed, as well as detailed footage of the remains of those apparently killed by these weapons, including women and children. Questions have been raised concerning this footage since white phosphorus can not be delivered by helicopters in the manner shown in the film. The helicopters in the film are more likely dispensing illumination flares or counter measures to divert heat seeking surface to air missiles. The filmmakers interview ex-US military soldier Jeff Englehart of Colorado, who discusses the American use of white phosphorus, nicknamed "Willie Pete" (codification of "WP" - White Phosphorus) by U.S. servicemembers, in built-up areas, and describes the Fallujah offensive as "just a massive killing of Arabs." However, Englehart did not take part in the battle, he had only escorted an officer outside of the city on one occasion.

Participating units

U.S. forces

Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) built around the 1st Marine Regiment:

Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT-7) built around the 7th Marine Regiment:

2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (US Army)

1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry, 36th Infantry Division (US Army)

  • CROWS Team One

US Army Special Operations Command (embedded)

Iraqi forces

British forces

Films

Video Games

Books

Music

See also

United States Marine Corps portal
Iraq portal
Iraq War portal

References

  1. ^ [http://www.motorbooks.com/Store/ProductDetails_42280.ncm Operation Phantom Fury: The Assault and Capture of Fallujah, Iraq }
  2. ^ a b Operation al-Fajr (Dawn) / Phantom Fury [Fallujah]
  3. ^ "Black Watch ordered to join US cordon for assault on Fallujah". The Independent (London). October 22, 2004. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/black-watch-ordered-to-join-us-cordon-for-assault-on-fallujah-544600.html. Retrieved May 23, 2010. 
  4. ^ US and War Mental Health disorders effecting returning troops. George Galloway The WE News Archives
  5. ^ Fallujah-Iwo Jima Comparison Raises Eyebrows
  6. ^ Who Won the Battle of Fallujah?
  7. ^ [ http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/conflictiniraq/p/fallujah.htm Iraq War: Second Battle of Fallujah]
  8. ^ Iraq Coalition Casualties: UK Fatalities
  9. ^ Dead Black Watch soldiers named
  10. ^ DefenseLink News Article: Fallujah Secure, But Not Yet Safe, Marine Commander Says
  11. ^ Deseret Morning News | Fighting erupts in Fallujah as refugees return; three Marines killed in action
  12. ^ Online NewsHour: Fallujah Citizens Return to Homes in Wake of Fighting - December 23, 2004
  13. ^ Red Cross Estimates 800 Iraqi Civilians Killed in Fallujah
  14. ^ ScanEagle Proves Worth in Fallujah Fight, DefenseLINK News
  15. ^ "Frontline: Private Warriors: Contractors: The High-risk Contracting Business". Frontline. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/contractors/highrisk.html. 
  16. ^ Tracking Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi
  17. ^ "Who Won the Battle of Fallujah?". http://www.usni.org/getthegouge/insider/waronterror/stories-archive.asp?ID=264. Retrieved September 23, 2010. [dead link]
  18. ^ a b Filkins, Dexter; James Glanz (2004-11-08). "With Airpower and Armor, Troops Enter Rebel-Held City". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/08/international/08CND_IRAQ.html?_r=1&ex=1114401600&en=2bb5b33cda9ccdd9&ei=5070. Retrieved 2008-12-27. 
  19. ^ a b c d Bellavia, David (2008). House to House: A Tale of Modern War. Pocket Books. pp. 336. ISBN 1847391184. 
  20. ^ Bellavia, David & Bruning, John. House to House: An Epic Memoir of War Free Press. (2007) ISBN 1-4165-7471-9.
  21. ^ a b Wise p.75
  22. ^ Gilbert, Michael (2004-11-18). "Stryker troops rejoin comrades in Mosul". Stryker Brigade News. http://www.strykernews.com/archives/2004/11/18/stryker_troops_rejoin_comrades_in_mosul.html. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  23. ^ Marine cleared in videotaped shooting
  24. ^ U.S. Won't Let Men Flee Fallujah
  25. ^ a b Liewer, Steve (2005-05-18). "Troops Honored for Efforts at Fallujah". Stars and Stripes. http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,SS_051805_Honor,00.html. Retrieved 2008-12-21. 
  26. ^ Fuentes, Gidget (2008-09-22). "Peralta to be given Navy Cross posthumously". Marine Corps Times. http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/09/marine_peralta_091708/. Retrieved 2008-12-21. 
  27. ^ Still locked down, Fallujah slow to rebuild
  28. ^ Increased Security In Fallujah Slows Efforts to Rebuild
  29. ^ The legacy of Fallujah
  30. ^ Anderson, Ronib (2006): A Century of Media. A Century of War Peter Lang New York (p.270).
  31. ^ "Telling the Fallujah Story to the World" (PPT). IMEF and MNCI Effects Exploitation Team. 2004-12-03. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2004/d20041203entire.ppt. Retrieved 2008-12-28. 
  32. ^ Fallujah Four Months Later
  33. ^ .Situation Called Dire in West Iraq
  34. ^ US lost control of al-Anbar province
  35. ^ OPCW agrees with US Military that use of white phosphorus as incendiary agent is not prohibited
  36. ^ OPCW Spokesman Peter Kaiser elucidates the OPCW position on white phosphorus
  37. ^ U.S. official admits phosphorus used as weapon in Iraq
  38. ^ "History of the 1st Marine Regiment" (DOC). MNF-West. http://www.mnfwest.usmc.mil/Public%2FInfolineMarines.nsf/0/3943F40BC1B52B26432573D30047AFF9/$File/1st%20Marines%27%20History.doc. Retrieved 2008-12-22. [dead link]
  39. ^ Roggio, Bill (2004-11-12). "Retooling". Long War Journal. http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2004/11/retooling.php. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  40. ^ a b c d e f "Forces Retake Key Civic Centers in Fallujah". U.S. Department of Defense. 2004-11-10. http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/nov2004/a111004a.html. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  41. ^ Brown, Colin (2004-10-22). "Black Watch ordered to join US cordon for assault on Fallujah". London: Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/black-watch-ordered-to-join-us-cordon-for-assault-on-fallujah-544600.html. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 

External links

Coordinates: 33°21′N 43°47′E / 33.35°N 43.783°E / 33.35; 43.783








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