![NFL players in Iraq](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/NFL_players_in_Iraq.jpg)
Majid al Tamimi Airbase, officially known as the Tikrit Air Academy and formerly as FOB Speicher, COB Speicher, and Al Sahra Airfield (under
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein ( ; ar, صدام حسين, Ṣaddām Ḥusayn; 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolutio ...
) is an air installation near
Tikrit
Tikrit ( ar, تِكْرِيت ''Tikrīt'' , Syriac: ܬܲܓܪܝܼܬܼ ''Tagrīṯ'') is a city in Iraq, located northwest of Baghdad and southeast of Mosul on the Tigris River. It is the administrative center of the Saladin Governorate. , it h ...
in northern
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
. The installation is approximately 170 kilometers (105 mi) north of
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon. I ...
and 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) west of the
Tigris River
The Tigris () is the easternmost of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, and empties into the P ...
. Prior to 2003, Al Sahra Airfield was the main base of the
Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiyah al Iraqiyyah}) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well ...
Air Academy.
The
Marines
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
from
Task Force Tripoli
Task Force Tripoli (TFT) was a United States Marine Corps air-ground task force formed after the fall of Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This ad-hoc formation was tasked with continuing the attack north to secure the city of Tikrit. It ...
captured the base from the
Iraqi Army during the
2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and turned it over the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
who used it as the headquarters of the
United States Division–North (USD-N, formerly Multinational Division, North, (MND-N)). The airfield is served by two main runways measuring long with a shorter runway measuring . The Americans named the airfield after Captain
Michael Scott Speicher
Michael Scott Speicher (July 12, 1957 – January 17, 1991) was a naval aviator in the United States Navy who was shot down over Iraq during the Persian Gulf War becoming the first American combat casualty of the war. His fate was not known ...
, a
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
who was
killed in action in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
during the
1991 Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases ...
.
Early history
The base was one of several Iraqi Air Force airfields in the mid-1970s which were re-built under project "Super-Base" in response to the experiences from Arab–Israeli wars in
1967
Events
January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 5
** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...
and
1973
Events January
* January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union.
* January 15 – Vietnam War: ...
.
American presence (2003–2011)
Overview
During the start of the Iraq War in 2003, the main runway and some taxiways were cut by bomb hits, and the large main hangar structure was destroyed. The remains of the other large hangar next to it burned down in a large fire in July 2003. The original unit to take control of the base was Aco 14th Engineer BN, 555th Engineer Group, 1-10th Cavalry of the
4th Infantry Division. The base was then handed over to the 4th Aviation Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division in the second week of the war.
The Americans originally christened the base Forward Logistics Base (FLB) Sycamore,
but the name was later changed to Forward Operating Base Speicher
and then Contingency Operating Base Speicher.
The name was changed in honor of Scott Speicher, an American pilot who was shot down in 1991 during the
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
.
American soldiers, civilians, and contractors had access to a variety of amenities over the course of the American presence at the base. The base had a large
Post Exchange
An exchange is a type of retail store found on United States military installations worldwide. Originally akin to trading posts, they now resemble contemporary department stores or strip malls. Exact terminology varies by armed service; some examp ...
(PX), as well as several American
fast food restaurants, including
Subway,
Burger King, and
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and dessert a ...
.
Units
Aviation
*
4th Infantry Division – Combat Aviation Brigade –
4th Aviation Regiment – 1st Battalion (Attack/Reconnaissance) –
Boeing AH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache () is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vis ...
s. 8/229 Attack Helicopter Battalion (OIF III).
* 4th Infantry Division – Combat Aviation Brigade – 4th Aviation Regiment – 2d Battalion (General Support) –
Boeing CH-47 Chinooks.
* 1st Combat Aviation Brigade – 1st Infantry Division – 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion
Ground units
Units that have been based at COB Speicher include:
Unknown
* 1st_Battalion,_5th_US_Cavalry,_2nd_Brigade_Combat_Team,_1st_Cavalry_Division
*_42nd_Infantry_Division_(United_States).html" ;"title="5th Cavalry Regiment">1st Battalion, 5th US Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
*
42nd_Infantry_Division_(Mechanized)*_4th_Infantry_Division_(United_States).html" ;"title="42nd Infantry Division (United States)">42nd Infantry Division (Mechanized)*
4th_Infantry_Division_(Mechanized)
*_13th_Corps_Support_Command.html" ;"title="4th Infantry Division (United States)">4th Infantry Division (Mechanized)
* 13th Corps Support Command">4th Infantry Division (United States)">4th Infantry Division (Mechanized)
* 13th Corps Support Command
* B Co. 3/58th Aviation Battalion (Pathfinders)
* C Btry 1/44 Air Defense Artillery (Red Tight)
* 287th Transportation Company (HET)
* 528th Navy Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant Supply Company (528 NAVPOLSUPCo) (NAVELSF Fwd B) (Sand Squids)
* 50th Main Support Battalion; Company B, 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
* 434th Main Support Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, HHC
* Company A and Company B, 136th Signal Battalion (Texas Army National Guard)
* Company D, 111th Signal Battalion (South Carolina Army National Guard), HHC
* Company B, Company D, 57th Signal Battalion, 141st Medical Company (GA)
* Connecticut Army National Guard unit,
Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division
The Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division is a combat aviation brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. It is a subordinate unit of the 10th Mountain Division.
Reactivated in 1988, the 10th Mountain Division's C ...
, 555th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, 232d CSB and others.
* 743rd Maintenance Company Florida National Guard.
* 164th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron from the Ohio Air Guard.
2003
*
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
* 1058th Transportation Company (Massachusetts Army National Guard)
* The 1404th Transportation Company (PLS) from the Arizona Army National Guard was stationed there in 2003 under the 4th Infantry Division,
* 300th Quartermaster Company from the United States Army Reserved based out of Peru, Illinois, & stationed there from 2003–2004 under the 4th Infantry Division.
* 64th Corps Support Group from Fort Hood, TX was stationed there from April 2003 to April 2004 under the 4th Infantry Division.
* 28th Combat Support Hospital from the United States Army Ft. Bragg, NC
* 553rd Corps Support Battalion from Fort Hood, TX was stationed there from April 2003 to April 2004 under the 4th Infantry Division.
* 846th Transportation Unit (North Carolina Army Reserve – Salisbury, NC) stationed in 2003 under numerous divisions. End of deployment under 4th Infantry Division.
* A Co 14th Engineer Battalion, 555 Engineer Group, 4th ID Ft Lewis, WA
* 244th ECB(H) Denver Colorado, 555 Engineer Brigade, 4th ID
* 743rd (Non-Divisional) Direct Support Maintenance Company, Florida Army National Guard, Ft. Lauderdale FL
* 475th QM Co.; Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; From April 2003 to April 2004
* 140th QM Co. from Ft. Totten, NY. July 2003-Feb. 2004
2004
*
1st Infantry Division (Mechanized)
The 1st Infantry Division is a combined arms division of the United States Army, and is the oldest continuously serving division in the Regular Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917 during World War I. It was off ...
* HHC 264th ENG GP, Wisconsin Army National Guard (WIARNG) design and coordinate execution of all 1ID DIVENG construction projects and roadside security operations of subordinate units, 141 ECB NDARNG and 216 ECB OHARNG.
* HHC and B Co 141st ECB North Dakota Army National Guard performing Trailblazer operations through Feb 2005
* 323rd Maintenance Company (Jan 2004 – Jan 2005) (U.S. Army Reserve, Fort Devens MA)
*
167th Corps Support Group/94th RRC
* 12th Chemical Company, 701st MSB, 1st Infantry Division
* 1st Infantry Division supported transportation and logistic units based at FOB Speicher supported US units in Kirkuk, Mosul and 5 subordinate bases.
* The 467th Engineer Battalion from the U.S. Army Reserves were stationed here under both the 42nd Infantry Division and 3rd Infantry Division between 2004 and 2005, as was the 313th Medical Company of the Nebraska National Guard.
* A Co. 1/140th Aviation Battalion, California National Guard
* B Co. 1/140th Aviation Battalion, California National Guard
* C Co. 1/140th Aviation Battalion (Ghostwarriors), California National Guard
* Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment 835th Corps Support Battalion, Missouri Army National Guard
* The 232nd Corps Support Battalion of the Illinois Army National Guard, 323rd Maintenance Company (DS), 454th Transportation Company from the U.S. Army Reserve, the 283rd Transportation Company of the U.S. Army Reserve, Navy Reserve 528 NAVPOLSUPCo, and elements of USAF 1058th Air Expeditionary Force Transportation Company of the
13th Corps Support Command
In music or music theory, a thirteenth is the Musical note, note thirteen scale degrees from the root (chord), root of a chord (music), chord and also the interval (music), interval between the root and the thirteenth. The interval can be ...
of the Multi-National Corps, Iraq.
* Elements of the Ohio National Guard's
16 Engineering Brigade were stationed here from 2003 through 2005 and helped bring the structures and roadways of the base to livable conditions.
* Elements of the
Kentucky National Guard (including the 149th Infantry Brigade, 2113th Transportation Company) were stationed at FOB Speicher from 2004 though 2006.
* 88th RRC was stationed here from 2004 to 2005.
* 63rd Ordnance Company (PLS/MOADS) a conventional ammunition company from Fort Lewis Washington maintained accountability of all ammunition at the Ammunition Holding Area while providing security at the main gate from February–April 2004 and was quartered in the old Iraqi Air Force Officers Club.
2005
* HHS/6-27 FA (HET) was stationed at COB Speicher from October 2005 to September 2006 and conducted a handover with the 1461st CBT HET of the Michigan Army National Guard was stationed here
* 223rd Medical Detachment (Preventive Medicine) was stationed at COB Speicher (under the Command of Major James Flanagan) from September 2005 to September 2006, under the 61st Multifunctional Medical Battalion in Balad, Iraq with its higher Headquarters being 30th Medical Brigade
* 366th MP Detachment (CID) was stationed at COB Speicher from September 2005 until December 2005. Prior to that, the 366th was located at FOB Danger from December 2004. The move was facilitated by the fact that FOB Danger was turned over to the Iraqi Army.
2006
* HHS/6-27 FA (HET) provided support for the troop surge in the stabilization of Iraq during 2006–2007.
*
Task Force ODIN
Task Force ODIN, whose name is an acronym for observe, detect, identify, and neutralize, is a United States Army aviation battalion created in August 2006 to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) operations to combat ...
(21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas) occupied the airfield and supported ground units needed during the remainder of the conflict. Task Force Odin remained on this base for the remainder of the war. ODIN was for Observe, Detect, Identify, and Neutralize.
* 25th Infantry Division (United States), 25th Infantry Division (Light) 2006–2007
2007
* In 2007–2008, the 111th Engineer Brigade of the West Virginia Army National Guard was headquartered within the "Badgerville" section of COB Speicher. Serving under the 25ID and later the 1AD, the 111th Engineer Brigade conducted engineer missions throughout Multi-National Division North (MND-N).
* Task Force Odin (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas)
2008
* 10th Mountain Division, 2-10th Assault Helicopter Battalion. October 2008 Start.
* 10th Mountain Division, 277th Aviation Battalion. October 2008 Start.
* Task Force Odin (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas)
2009
*
3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized)
The 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) (nicknamed Rock of the Marne) is a combined arms division of the United States Army based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. It is a direct subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps and U.S. Army Forces Command. Its cu ...
, 2009-2010.
* 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, 2009-2010.
* 10th Mountain Division, 2-10th Assault Helicopter Battalion. October 2009 End.
* 10th Mountain Division, 277th Aviation Battalion. October 2009 End.
* 422 Civil Affairs BN
* 25th Infantry Division
* 264th Combat Sustainment Support BN, Fort Bragg, NC
* 2025th Transportation Company, Jacksonville, AL NG (HET) from July 2009 to May 2010.
* 1083rd Transportation Company, Camp Minden, LA NG from July 2009 to May 2010.
* 65th Engineer Battalion
*
Task Force ODIN
Task Force ODIN, whose name is an acronym for observe, detect, identify, and neutralize, is a United States Army aviation battalion created in August 2006 to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) operations to combat ...
(21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas) Task Force ODIN, whose name is an acronym for observe, detect, identify, and neutralize, is a United States Army aviation battalion created in August 2006 to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) operations to combat insurgent operators of improvised explosive devices in Iraq.
* 155th BCT (MSARNG)
* 363rd Military Police Company (Army Reserve Unit, Grafton, WV)
2010
* 220th Transportation Company (New Hampshire Army Reserve)
* Elements of the 3rd Squadron of the Tennessee National Guard's 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment were stationed at COB Speicher under the
13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)
The 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)—the "Lucky 13th"—is a U.S. Army modular sustainment command which serves as a forward presence for expeditionary operations for a theater, or in support of a regional combatant commander. Expedit ...
as convoy security units from February 2010 until July 2010.
* Task Force Odin (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas)
* 256th Combat Support Hospital (Army Reserve Unit, Twinsburg, Ohio)
2011
* 275th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Virginia Reserve Unit)
* Task Force Odin (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas)
The US Army left COB Speicher and handed it over to the Government of Iraq on 20 October 2011 as part of the
general withdrawal of US Forces. Camp Speicher is currently used by the Iraqi Army and Air Force.
ISIL period
By mid June 2014, Tikrit was overrun by the militant group
Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...
(ISIL).
Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiyah al Iraqiyyah}) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well ...
cadets reported that many of the camp's officers fled as ISIS approached, and, as a result, several thousand
Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mo ...
cadets and other personnel abandoned their uniforms and began to walk toward Baghdad.
Several miles from the camp, they were confronted and taken prisoners by approximately fifty ISIL militants in armored vehicles.
Following their capture, about 1,700 were killed in
mass shooting executions. A video released by ISIL in July showed the executions done in several locations including shooting the cadets in trenches and then throwing the bodies in the
River Tigris
The Tigris () is the easternmost of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, and empties into the ...
. In early September, corpses were seen floating on the surface. Very few managed to escape unharmed and survive.
Iraqi period
Camp Speicher was contested throughout the summer of 2014. ''The Daily Telegraph'' reported in June that Speicher was at one point under the control of ISIL,
but according to later accounts, ISIL never captured the airfield.
On 17 July, following the Iraqi Army's defeat in the
First Battle of Tikrit
The First Battle of Tikrit was a battle for the Iraqi city of Tikrit following the city's capture by the Islamic State and Ba'athist Loyalists during the 2014 Northern Iraq offensive. The battle took place between 26 and 30 June 2014.
In ...
, insurgents launched an assault on the camp, where an estimated 700 government soldiers and 150 Iranian or Iraqi Shia militiamen were besieged.
The assault included snipers and suicide bombers and the militants quickly managed to reach the runway, at which point Iraqi special forces joined the battle.
The base was bombarded and mortared all night. By the next morning, according to various sources, the final pocket of government troops had collapsed.
At least 25–35 insurgents were also killed.
Iraqi forces attempted to save the base's aircraft by flying them out,
but according to ISIL 8–9 helicopters were destroyed on the ground or shot down, with several armored vehicles destroyed as well.
The Iraqi Army denied the alleged capture of the base with soldiers from the front line reporting that Speicher was still under their control,
with only three soldiers being killed,
one helicopter destroyed and two damaged.
A Tikrit resident also reported continued fighting around the base. Two days later, the military reported that Iraqi special forces had re-secured the base.
See also
*
List of airports in Iraq
This is a list of airports in Iraq, grouped by type and sorted by location.
__TOC__
List
See also
* Transport in Iraq
* List of airports by ICAO code: O#OR - Iraq
* Wikipedia: WikiProject Aviation/Airline destination lists: Asia#Iraq
...
*
List of United States Military installations in Iraq
The United States Department of Defense has a large number of temporary military bases in Iraq, most a type of forward operating base (FOB).
Depending on their size or utility, the installations were called: Camp, Forward Operating Base (FOB), C ...
*
United States Forces – Iraq
United States Forces – Iraq (USF-I) was an American military sub-unified command, part of U.S. Central Command. It was stationed in Iraq as agreed with the Government of Iraq under the U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement. USF–I repla ...
Notes
References
;Bibliography
*
External links
globalsecurity.org – Al Sahra Airfield* Further reading –
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction
The Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) (October 2004 - October 2013) was created as the successor to the Coalition Provisional Authority Office of Inspector General (CPA-IG). SIGIR was an independent government ...
, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, April 30, 2013, p. 9, on status of Tikrit airfield
{{authority control
1973 establishments in Iraq
Installations of the United States Army in Iraq
Iraqi Air Force bases
Saladin Governorate