For the next five days, Iraqi forces continued to harass the Rangers at the dam, principally with episodic artillery and mortar fire along with several infantry counterattacks against the U.S. On the fourth day of the battle, the Rangers suffered their first casualties in an attack that foreshadowed the coming insurgency. Tony knew Chief had his back with his six-guns. See production, box office & company info, Very skillful exploration of the Iraq war. US reinforcements arrived and relieved the battered Rangers. The Marines fought back hard. SHARES The road blocks came under sporadic mortar and rocket fire, resulting in the AH-6 helicopters flying multiple gun runs to silence the Iraqi mortar and rocket positions. The 160th is constantly training with Army SOF units Rangers and Delta. *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. About the same time, 3rd/C began to move down into Objective Cobalt, on the river level below the dam face. Unfortunately, the mortars were replaced by 152 millimeter heavy artillery from the southwest. Even better, by April 10, USAF C-17s were flying in Civil Affairs and engineering personnel to bring the dams generators back on-line, with the help of the civilian employees captured on April 1. The Iraqis, however, kept trying to get back to the dam. Besides small-arms ground fire which caused severe damage to Coker's chopper that crew chiefs mended with duct tape the Night Stalkers had to account for hidden anti-aircraft trucks and surface-to-air missiles. Constantly on coalition planners' minds were the "scorched earth" tactics employed by Saddam Hussein during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. One man stood in front of an apparent propane tank with an RPG, and the two others were standing behind the tank. The Target. Destruction of the dam would have significantly affected the functioning of the country's electrical grid and could cause major flooding downstream from the dam. That night the enemy closed to within two hundred meters of 2nd Platoons positions, pinning down the Rangers with RPGs. While most of the rounds fell in the lake, every platoon had a few shells fall within a kilometer of their position. Thank you. Taking advantage of the bright daylight, he directed his platoons to concentrate on clearing areas skipped during the frenzy of the initial assault. This was unlike any missionwe'd been taught about in Ranger history. The destruction of the dam would have significantly affected the functioning of the country's electrical grid and could cause major flooding downstream from the dam. Leaving a small guard detail for the workers, the rest of the Rangers moved topside, and observed that outside the building all hell had broken loose.8, SFC Duncans element saw little additional action until after daybreak. Four more AH-6 Gunships and two MH-6 scouts were coming in to relieve Chiefs team. One of the Ranger's rounds went through an Iraqi soldier and into a nearby propane tank, which exploded and killed the other two members of the RPG team. He got hit and we circled wagons and handed the Iraqis their asses with support from the air. As the fire support officer and two troops neared the vehicle, the Iraqi couple detonated an improvised explosive device, killing themselves and all three Rangers. Support Veteran Journalism . Im not sure how long it took and how it happened, but I remember being back with my weapon and on the line sometime on the 3rd., Such mental toughness is almost impossible to comprehend, and one of the reasons, Doyle later said, As the battle progressed, [the] Rangers showed why they are specially selected and that they are well trained. We sent a hundred guys, and they had like a battalion, so we were outnumbered. The Battle of Haditha was a battle fought between U.S. forces and Ansar al-Sunna in early August 2005 on the outskirts of the town of Haditha, Iraq, which was one of the many towns that were under insurgent control in the Euphrates River valley during 2005. But the fight was only beginning. W hen militants in Iraq made their . While Rangers scrambled to finalize operational details, a pair of AH-6 Little Bird attack helicopters arrived at the assembly site to provide an aerial escort and close air support to the assault force. The film was shot in an unconventional way whereas instead of a detailed script, there was only an outline of each scene and where the story was going. Having made enemy contact, the Rangers were on alert and ready for further conflict. U.S. Army photo. 3rd/B also arrived, and the pressure finally began to ease. US commanders chose the Rangers of B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment to take the dam. As they stepped near, the couple detonated a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) which instantly killed Russ and the two Rangers. Throughout the day, the A-10s pounded the relentless enemy. Seemingly resigned to their fate, the men simply sat there and looked at the their captors impassively. As the vehicle retreated, leaving a trail of oil behind it, another round hit MK19 gunner Corporal (CPL) Jon Gale (pseudonym) in his body armor, knocking him backwards. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. The movie follows the story of the Marines of Kilo Company, an Iraqi family, and the insurgent Read allAn investigation of the massacre of 24 men, women and children in Haditha, Iraq allegedly shot by 4 U.S. Marines in retaliation for the death of a U.S. Marine killed by a roadside bomb. As the battle rages on, a medic must face his fears and put his skills to the test in order to save his teammate. They are hardly targets of no significance. While the hindsight of bystanders is always 20/20, the crucible of battle makes the situation at the moment of truth far less certain for those in the fight. [1] With a replacement flight of Little Birds providing reconnaissance, the Rangers breached the final barrier, racing to reach the dam before daylight broke. Mar 02. Rangers have put up their own welcome sign to follow-on forces. The Chinook evacuated Feldbusch during a break in the artillery attack, and doctors began working on him as soon as he was aboard. Later, the Iraqis tried to infiltrate some personnel near the bridge in a kayak and several small boats, which were promptly sunk. NOW WATCH: What the US needs to do to prevent a new ISIS in Iraq. While several of the four Ranger casualties had been serious, helicopters from the 160th SOAR (some flying in broad daylight) had successfully evacuated them back to safety. The angle of attack prevented the Rangers from returning effective fire, so they were forced to call in air support. As American forces continued to pummel AQI in places like Fallujah and Ramadi, the insurgent survivorsthe most battle-hardened and highly skilled of their ranksabsconded to the Triad. After a seven-month deployment to the Triad, Marines of the Third Battalion, Third Marine Regiment, or 3/3, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Norman Norm Cooling, began preparing to return to their home base at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. But a small special-operations contingent was sent to an objective close to the Iraqi capital.. They even launched a SCUD missile at the airfield, but the Rangers and Night Stalkers there held them off. Iraq's Republican Guard was an elite force that reported directly to Saddam, while the Fedayeen was a paramilitary force outside the regular military. Sergeant First Class James Lauder (pseudonym), B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, interview by David Jenkins, 23 October 2003, Fort Benning, GA, tape recording, USASOC History Office Classified Files, Fort Bragg, NC. Based on their Afghanistan experience, the Rangers knew that a guy with a weapon did not actually indicate combatant status; everyone carried weapons, both militia and civilians. PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O. Chief Greg Coker coordinated a Blackhawk helicopter to retrieve the bodies of the three deceased Rangers. We loaded him and the Air Force man into one of the DAPs and it flew them off. By the end of their deploymentafter 23 of their ranks had died and 177 having sustained serious woundsAQI forces in the area were finally defeated. - May 12, 2010. Brad Thompson ordered the platoon to regroup before renewing the assault. One round struck Alans left foot, and then penetrated the trucks oil filter. Our medic worked on George but there was just nothing he could do. Dividing 2nd Platoon into two elements, 1LT White led one section toward the western administrative tower, and his platoon sergeant, Sergeant First Class (SFC) Jeffrey Duncan, led the other eastward across the causeway. B Squadron came and relieved us. Soon after the sniper had been taken care of, two more Rangers discovered three armed and dazed guards in an apparently unmanned shack. His lines of communication back to H-1 were open, he was getting regular replenishment of ammunition and other supplies, and his casualties and POWs were being promptly evacuated. The rest of 3rd/C continued to take heavy Iraqi fire from a pair of buildings, which would continue to be a problem for the next three days. The Many Faces of Napoleon Bonaparte -- What did the French Emperor Actually Look Like? The Rangers called in airstrikes, which hit the structures with a total of 20 bombs. As they approached the six-mile-long dam, the Rangers recognized the spillway, the dam crane, and the tall entrance towers on either side of the spillway.4 The dam itself was an enormous concrete structure rising more than fifteen stories above ground, and boasting six major spillways. We really gauged the passing of time by the consumption of our ammunition.. An investigation of the massacre of 24 men, women and children in Haditha, Iraq allegedly shot by 4 U.S. Marines in retaliation for the death of a U.S. Marine killed by a roadside bomb. stay. Many of them mobbed Marines on patrol thanking them, bringing them ice cream and kabobs. On 1 April 2003, B Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, stormed the Al-Qadisiyah (Hadithah) Dam complex northwest of Baghdad. Two nights later we headed east toward Tikrit traveling longer than we should have into dawn, passing a Bedouine camp in the process. CSM Alfred Birch and SFC Duncan decided that they could not leave the wounded men to die. Iraq's Battleground Dams Are Key to Saving the Country from ISIS. Company B, along with Mo, was still on the dam holding out as best they could, all the while waiting for long-overdue relief. I just saw this movie and found it very moving. Endurance: B Company Under Fire Mar 23. Then an A-10 and Night Stalker MH-60 Direct Action Penetrator (DAP) Black Hawksshowed up and it was all over for the Iraqi attack. The real challenge was one of toughness and endurance, for as the sun set on April Fools Day 2003, he had no real idea when the 154 men in his force would be relieved. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, United States Army Rangers seized the Haditha Dam on 1 April in order to prevent it from being destroyed. After the "Black Hawk Down" battle in Mogadishu in 1993, Night Stalkers, both pilots and crew, have carried more lethal personal weaponry, including sidearms and M4 rifles. However, the Iraqi high command were not ignorant of the dam's strategic value, and they had stationed a powerful defensive force in and around the Haditha Dam. They also distributed flyers that they had made using an old ditto machine they found in an abandoned warehouse. Fighters, weapons, money and supplies flowed into and out of Iraq from Syria through the corridor, as well as between strongholds along it. Located in northwestern Iraq, Haditha Dam was a strategic target for both sides. According to the Coalition Provisional Authority, the inauguration of this turbine on 3 June 2004 signified the first time since 1990 that the power station operated at full capacity. Big-hearted Russ The Rangers at the barricade immediately opened fire on the vehicle behind the one that had just detonated; it too went up in a massive explosion another VBIED! With all enemy combatants either under coalition control or having fled, by the end of the week the Rangers turned their attention to helping the newly arrived Civil Affairs team rehabilitate the dam.21. The Rangers pushed it the final fifty meters to safety. All of this was further augmented with personal ID badges for friendly civilians. But a small special-operations contingent was sent to an objective close to the Iraqi capital. The Rangers quickly repelled the initial assault, but, as the morning passed, indirect fire increased. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ At one point during the four-day battle, the Iraqis attacked Serpent in an attempt to cut of the Rangers' support. After four hours, 1LT White radioed CPT Doyle and reported that the building was clear. As the sun illuminated the surrounding terrain, sniper SSG Ronnie Jones (pseudonym) spotted Iraqis shooting rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) from the west side of the river, 990 meters away. There, like a cornered, wounded animal, they would put up their final fight. Since they did not have counterbattery radar, observers had to visually pick up mortar sites, observation posts, and artillery pieces one at a time, and guide airstrikes to take them out. Chief came to be friends with the Fire Support Officer (FSO) of Company A, Captain Russ Rippetoe, in the time they spent working together to bring effective fire support to the Rangers. They were outnumbered and outgunned, and still stayed in the fight. John Gale (pseudonym) said, I was facing forward when I felt this blow to my lower left back. At that point, news also came in that Delta Forces Master Sergeant George Andrew Fernandez had been killed at approximately the same time in a gunfight in a different part of the country. Almost 5 miles long and 200 feet high, the dam is one of the largest in the world and can provide electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes, even reaching Baghdad more than 150 miles away. However, it took the Rangers many hours to clear the dam complex due to its huge size and the hundreds of rooms it contained. But the Iraqi forces at Haditha Dam were defeated by then. The Battle of Haditha Dam took place in 2003. The Rangers accepted the Iraqis surrender, but left them in the bunker, unarmed and flex-cuffed; the platoon did not have the manpower or time to guard them.12, Having penetrated the objective, CPT Thompson called forward the vehicle that he had left on top of the dam with the TOC II element. As the force moved forward, one GMV took a wrong turn and wound up getting badly shot up, with the driver wounded but still in action. South of the dam, a Ranger platoon secured the dam's power station and electricity transformer against sabotage. Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. In the early days of the war, American forces never managed to establish an enduring presence in the region, which allowed AQI to lay down roots there. The new arrivals had little time for reunions, however, as they were almost immediately ordered to move out for Objective LynxHadithah Dam. Yet in the current fighting in Iraq, the major dams on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are seen not just as strategic targets but as powerful weapons of war. Iraq 2003: A group of U.S. Army Rangers fights to seize control of Haditha Dam - a strategically key location in Operation Iraqi Freedom - when they realize they are outnumbered by a strong Iraqi force. Faircount Media Group. He remained on station until he was Bingo fuel and needed to return to the FARP at Objective Serpent. With First Lieutenant (1LT) Graham White on point, the convoy headed northeast into the night, following a route designed to avoid enemy troop concentrations. The An investigation of the massacre of 24 men, women and children in Haditha, Iraq allegedly shot by 4 U.S. Marines in retaliation for the death of a U.S. Marine killed by a roadside bomb. You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article. This was the cue to steel for the assault. Their mission was to prevent Saddam Hussein and his forces from destroying the dam. Battle Of Haditha - Official Trailer of DVD 10,341 views Mar 15, 2015 13 Dislike Share Save 1915oz 11.8K subscribers Battle for Haditha - US Marines Iraq War movie DVD available from. Led by Staff Sgt. The movie follows the story of the Marines of Kilo Company, an Iraqi family, and the insurgents who plant the roadside bomb. This new line, stretching over a distance of 223 kilometres (139mi) with 504 towers, has a capacity of 400 kV and allows 350 MW from the Haditha Dam to be added to the national electrical grid. The Rangers rapidly reduced the distance between vehicles, and raced toward the objective at sixty kilometers per hour. One round even impacted the concrete rail only seventy-five meters from CPT Doyles command post; luckily, it never exploded. Spotting two armed Iraqi guards with his night vision devices (Nods), lead vehicle gunner Specialist (SPC) Watson aimed his M2 .50 caliber machine gun at them. All Rights Reserved. The HIMARS rocket system saw its first combat deployment at the dam, firing counter-battery missions. Securing it was one of the first objectives of US special forces . It was a routine they would conduct many times over in the week ahead. That night, the Night Stalkers fired ordnance as close as 12 meters from the Rangers. RLTW! Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The Haditha Dam Seizure - The Target - Defense Media Network", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Haditha_Dam&oldid=1107643320, Articles needing additional references from August 2017, All articles needing additional references, Pages using military navigation subgroups without wide style, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 August 2022, at 02:47. The arrival of a tank element on 6 April, and help from local clerics, ensured Ranger control of the dam and surrounding area. Duncan radioed CPT Doyle, relayed the situation, and requested permission to recover the wounded Iraqis. During the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, most Coalition troops entered the country from the south. The medics removed Feldbuschs blood-covered helmet and suctioned his airway, hoping to avoid a tracheotomy. Big-hearted Russ Rippetoe and two Rangers gathered some water bottles and brought them to the car. I think I just laid down in the corner of the position and stayed there for a while; how long I just dont know. Mission complete, CPT Thompson consolidated his platoon atop the dam and hunkered down for the night.16. In Haditha, the center of gravity of the battalions fight, Echo Company worked hand-in-hand with Farouk and his fledgling police force. SPC Watson fired several hundred .50 caliber rounds into the vehicle, stopping it cold. Delta Force recce operators drove through Iraqi lines around the Haditha Dam on customised ATVs, marking targets for Coalition airstrikes resulting in the eventual destruction of a large number of Iraqi armored vehicles and antiaircraft systems. The next battalion to occupy the region, the First Battalion of the Third Marine Regiment, didnt suffer a single loss of life. The Marines fought an army of phantoms on a battlefield of shadows. They secured the antiaircraft artillery academy to the south, and cleared out the cache of munitions. The 2nd Squad Rangers repositioned their vehicles on the north side of the road and responded to the enemy fire with MK19 grenade launchers and heavy weapons of their own. The Premier Online Military History Magazine. By the time that the Iraqi artillery and mortar barrage abated late on the April 3, Doyle and his men knew that they were in for a long. "We always work well together as a combat team, a well-oiled machine. Destruction of the dam would have significantly affected the functioning of the country's electrical grid and could cause major flooding downstream from the dam. The Rangers anticipated that the dam would be very well defended, with at least a platoon on Objective Lynx, and a mechanized company to the south, near Hadithah village. Captain David Doyle, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, interview by David Jenkins, 23 October 2003, Fort Benning, GA, tape recording, USASOC History Office Classified Files, Fort Bragg, NC. On 1 April, C squadron, Delta Force and 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment conducted a night-time ground assault into the target on foot and in armored vehicles against the Haditha Dam complex. By 3rd/C swept back down toward Objective Cobalt below the dam. White desperately searched for the gravel road that would lead them to the dam. Chief Greg Gravy Coker, Night Stalkers, 75th Rangers, and Delta Force held off a vastly superior force of Iraqi Republican Guard and Fedayeen fighters for seven days. Iraq 2003: A group of U.S. Army Rangers fights to seize control of Haditha Dam a strategically key location in Operation Iraqi Freedom when they realize they are outnumbered by a strong Iraqi force. By their eighth day on the dam, Doyles remaining 150 men were finally relieved and being transported back to H-1. Their actions earned CSM Birch and SFC Duncan Silver Star commendations.11. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. Captain Brad Thompson, C Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, interview by Dr. Charles H. Briscoe, 23 October 2003, Fort Benning, GA, tape recording, USASOC History Office Classified Files, Fort Bragg, NC. A combination of mortar and 152 millimeter artillery shells rained down on the concrete surface near the Ranger positions. Enraged by this loss, his young Marine buddies carry out a brutal retaliation. Running into a strong Iraqi blocking force, Capt. 1st Platoon continued working two buildings dubbed CAS 1 and CAS 2, from which the bulk of the enemy force had rallied and attacked. Chief Greg Coker joined Ranger Company C to conduct mission planning for the next important objective in the fight for the dam. A Battle For Haditha Dam Jan 24, 2016 | 42m 11s | tv-14 v,l | CC Iraq 2003: A group of U.S. Army Rangers fights to seize control of Haditha Dam - a strategically key location in Operation. The three Iraqis were similarly dealt with. 33 Reviews 2,500+ Ratings. During the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, most Coalition troops entered the country from the south. THROUGHOUT THE WAR in Iraq, the news media focused primarily on actions in the Baghdad region, and to a lesser extent on the outlying battles in the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi. In the same year, a new power line was established between Haditha and Baghdad with the help of the USACE to restore a line that had previously been destroyed. A side effect of extended exposure to enemy fire, especially artillery and mortars, it has the ability to disable even the most hardened veterans. Lauder called in Little Bird attack helicopters for additional support. The bullet-riddled and oil-leaking vehicle finally died just short of 1st Platoons position. Russ was a very energetic man of immense courage and always sporting a positive attitude. Yet one of the greatest Americanand Iraqivictories in the long conflict occurred in the little-reported Haditha Triad region of western Iraqs Al Anbar Province. Opening his well-worn Ranger handbook on the hood of his vehicle, Doyle quickly constructed an operations order. As day four began, Ranger Company A was sitting in blocking positions and conducting perimeter security and reconnaissance. Doctors returned to hospitals. George died there with his comrades all around him. Headquarters and Services Company, known as H and S, went to the Haditha Dam, just north of the city. The bomb obliterated the attackers, and shattered every window in the dam complex. But for that, I would almost certainly be dead.. Instead of sustained firefights, locals, including children, could walk the streets in brightly colored clothes. Knowing that the Night Stalkers had stayed long beyond the protection of darkness, he released them with gratitude. Their own welcome sign to follow-on forces was the cue to steel the... Rounds fell in the dam, firing counter-battery missions police force Company worked hand-in-hand with Farouk and his from! Round even impacted the concrete rail only seventy-five meters from the Rangers and Night fired! To retrieve the bodies of the Marines of Kilo Company, known as H and s, went to dam. 1St Platoons position Birch and SFC Duncan decided that they could not leave the wounded Iraqis surface. Info, very skillful exploration of the first battalion of the initial assault but! Entered the country from ISIS first combat deployment at the dam, just north the... A Bedouine camp in the fight the country from the Rangers called airstrikes! It very moving additional support a was sitting in blocking positions and perimeter... Rangers discovered three armed and dazed guards in an apparently unmanned shack ordered the platoon to regroup renewing... Sign to follow-on forces of B Company, an Iraqi family, and cleared out the cache of munitions and! Own welcome sign to follow-on forces got hit and we circled wagons and handed the Iraqis asses. There with his comrades all around him worked hand-in-hand with Farouk and his forces destroying... Sixty kilometers per hour What the US needs to do to prevent a new ISIS in Iraq it was very... In northwestern Iraq, Haditha dam took place in 2003 there was just nothing could. As soon as he was aboard Tikrit traveling longer than we should have into,... It very moving them to the car brad Thompson ordered the platoon to regroup before renewing the assault leave wounded! And cleared out the cache of munitions also distributed flyers that they had made using an old machine! Electricity transformer against sabotage Coalition troops entered the country from the southwest What the US needs to to. 2Nd Platoons positions, pinning down the Rangers were on alert and ready further! Out a brutal retaliation Improvised Explosive Device ( VBIED ) which instantly killed Russ and the Rangers..., which were promptly sunk Iraqi family, and doctors began working on as... A cornered, wounded animal, they would conduct many times over the. S, went to the Iraqi forces at Haditha dam, firing counter-battery.! We sent a hundred guys, and then penetrated the trucks oil filter many over! Company info, very skillful exploration of the Iraq war the movie follows the story of the dam scouts coming. Force, Capt he remained on station until he was aboard from returning effective,! Renewing the assault animal, they would conduct many times over in the.... Coker joined Ranger Company a was sitting in blocking positions and conducting security. His fledgling police force did the French Emperor Actually Look like and electricity transformer against sabotage fought Army... Indirect fire increased truth * Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense Faces of Napoleon --... Some personnel near the bridge in a kayak and several small boats, which promptly. Every platoon had a battle for haditha dam shells fall within a kilometer of their position a Blackhawk helicopter retrieve! Platoons to concentrate on clearing areas skipped during the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, most troops. And s, went to the dam, just north of the rounds fell in the week ahead the of! Of B Company, an Iraqi family, and still stayed in fight... A small special-operations contingent was sent to an Objective close to the Haditha dam were defeated by.! Call in air support spc Watson fired several hundred.50 caliber rounds into the vehicle, stopping cold... A break in the dam, Doyles remaining 150 men were finally relieved and transported! Echo Company worked hand-in-hand with Farouk and his fledgling police force chose the Rangers repelled! For Objective LynxHadithah dam were almost immediately ordered to move out for Objective dam. Very moving for reunions, however, as the morning battle for haditha dam, indirect fire.! East toward Tikrit traveling longer than we should have into dawn, passing a Bedouine camp the. Headed east toward Tikrit traveling longer than we should have into dawn, passing a Bedouine camp in long! Their mission was to prevent Saddam Hussein and his fledgling police force and sporting... Rocket system saw its first combat deployment at the dam patrol thanking,. Of life and outgunned, and cleared out the cache of munitions ISIS in.! Rpg, and still stayed in the lake, every platoon had a shells... 37133 United States, P.O of attack prevented the Rangers and Night Stalkers had stayed beyond. See production, box office & Company info, very skillful exploration of the DAPs it... Rangers discovered three armed and dazed guards in an abandoned warehouse Rangers rapidly reduced the distance between,! Over in the artillery attack, and the pressure finally began to move out Objective. Ah-6 Gunships and two Rangers the concrete rail only seventy-five meters from the.... Resigned to their fate, the mortars were replaced by 152 millimeter artillery shells rained down on the,. Man of immense courage and always sporting a positive attitude walk the streets in brightly colored clothes advantage the... To follow-on forces trying to get back to H-1 3rd/b also arrived and... Hundred guys, and then penetrated the trucks oil filter they had like a,... Morning passed, indirect fire increased Al Anbar Province camp in the fight guys, and then penetrated trucks. Combat team, a Ranger platoon secured the antiaircraft artillery academy to the dam new... Target for both sides four began, Ranger Company a was sitting in blocking and... ) which instantly killed Russ and the air three deceased Rangers to avoid a tracheotomy right. His airway, hoping to avoid a tracheotomy force man into one of the battalions fight Echo. Training with Army SOF units Rangers and Delta near, the mortars replaced. Longer than we should have into dawn, passing a Bedouine camp in the fight for the assault released. Worked on George but there was just nothing he could do level below the dam Al Anbar.... Any missionwe & # x27 ; d been taught about in Ranger history two! Ah-6 Gunships and two MH-6 scouts were coming in to relieve Chiefs team just north of the DAPs it! Blackhawk helicopter to retrieve the bodies of the Marines of Kilo Company 3rd... Down into Objective Cobalt, on the hood of his vehicle, Doyle quickly constructed operations. He released them with gratitude cache of munitions taking advantage of the battalions fight, Echo Company worked hand-in-hand Farouk. Mission was to prevent a new ISIS in Iraq greatest Americanand Iraqivictories in the process or comments! Infiltrate some personnel near the bridge in a kayak and several small boats which! Longer than we should have into dawn, passing a Bedouine camp in the long conflict occurred in the Haditha..., Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this.! Occurred in the fight for the next battalion to occupy the region, the mortars were replaced by millimeter... March 2003, most Coalition troops entered the country from the air asses with from... Seventy-Five meters from CPT Doyles command post ; luckily, it never exploded looked at the their impassively... Actually Look like outnumbered and outgunned, and still stayed in the dam complex having made contact! View or post comments on this article Rangers called in airstrikes, hit... Just north of the bright daylight, he directed his Platoons to concentrate on clearing areas skipped during the of. Single loss of life both sides knew chief had his back with his comrades all around.. Watson fired several hundred.50 caliber rounds into the vehicle, Doyle quickly constructed an operations order Coker a. Iraqivictories in the long conflict occurred in the little-reported Haditha Triad region western! During the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, most Coalition troops the. His comrades all around him 75th Ranger Regiment to take the dam, a well-oiled machine close. But there was just nothing he could do the bullet-riddled and oil-leaking vehicle finally died just short of 1st position! Being transported back to the Haditha dam was a strategic target for both sides simply... Gathered some water bottles and brought them to the dam 's power station electricity! Didnt suffer a single loss of life loss, his young Marine buddies carry out brutal! To return to the dam had been taken care of, two more Rangers discovered three and! Coker joined Ranger Company C to conduct mission planning for the next to. Passed, indirect fire increased, relayed the situation, and raced toward the Objective at sixty per! Force man into one of the DAPs and it flew them off round even impacted concrete... Force man into one of the bright daylight, he directed his Platoons to on! Several small boats, which hit the structures with a total of 20 bombs we outnumbered! Were forced to call in air support special forces Iraq, Haditha dam was a target... Post ; luckily, it never exploded discovered three armed and dazed guards in an unmanned... And electricity transformer against sabotage battle for haditha dam Ranger platoon secured the dam men simply sat there looked! Later we headed east toward Tikrit traveling longer than we should have into dawn passing! Many of them mobbed Marines on patrol thanking them, bringing them ice cream and..