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The Second Battle of Fallujah, codenamed Operation al-Fajr ( ar, الفجر, ) and Operation Phantom Fury, was an American-led offensive of the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
that lasted roughly 6 weeks, starting 7th November, 2004. Marking the highest point of the conflict against the
Iraqi insurgency Iraqi insurgency may refer to: * Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011), part of the Iraq War ** Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006), 2003–2006 phase of the Iraqi insurgency ** Iraqi civil war (2006–2008), multi-sided civil war in Iraq * Iraqi insurgency (2 ...
, it was a joint military effort carried out by the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
, the
Iraqi Interim Government The Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until the drafting of the new constitution following the National Assembly election conducted on January 30, 2005. T ...
, and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
. Within the city of
Fallujah Fallujah ( ar, ٱلْفَلُّوجَة, al-Fallūjah, Iraqi pronunciation: ) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Je ...
, the coalition was led by the
U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through co ...
and
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
, the battle was later described as "some of the heaviest
urban combat Urban warfare is combat conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both the operational and the tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the presence of civilians and ...
U.S. military have been involved in since the Battle of Huế City in
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...
in 1968".Ricks, Thomas E. (2007). ''Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2003–2005''. Penguin. p. 399. . Operation Phantom Fury was the second major coalition effort in Fallujah. Earlier, in April 2004, coalition forces fought the
First Battle of Fallujah The First Battle of Fallujah, code-named Operation Vigilant Resolve, was an operation against militants in Fallujah as well as an attempt to apprehend or kill the perpetrators of the killing of four U.S. contractors in March 2004. The chief ca ...
in an attempt to capture or kill insurgent elements who were considered responsible for the
2004 Fallujah ambush The 2004 Fallujah Blackwater incident occurred on March 31, 2004, when Iraqi insurgents attacked a convoy containing four American contractors from the private military company Blackwater USA who were conducting a delivery for food caterers E ...
, which resulted in the deaths of four private military contractors of Blackwater. When the coalition fought their way into the centre of the city, the Iraqi Interim Government requested that the city's control be transferred over to an Iraqi-run local security force, which then began stockpiling weapons and building complex defenses across the city through mid-2004.Ricks, (2007) pp. 343–346. The Second Battle of Fallujah was the bloodiest battle of the entire conflict for American troops, and is notable for being the first major engagement of the Iraq War that was fought solely against insurgents as opposed to the government military forces of the former
Ba'athist Iraq Ba'athist Iraq, formally the Iraqi Republic until 6 January 1992 and the Republic of Iraq thereafter, covers the History of Iraq, national history of Iraq between 1968 and 2003 under the rule of the Ba'ath Party (Iraqi-dominated faction), Arab S ...
.


Background

In February 2004, control of
Fallujah Fallujah ( ar, ٱلْفَلُّوجَة, al-Fallūjah, Iraqi pronunciation: ) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Je ...
and the surrounding area in the
Al Anbar Governorate Al Anbar Governorate ( ar, محافظة الأنبار; ''muḥāfaẓat al-’Anbār''), or Anbar Province, is the largest governorate in Iraq by area. Encompassing much of the country's western territory, it shares borders with Syria, Jordan, ...
was transferred from the U.S.
82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops Magazine'', 25 November 2012. Archived from tho ...
to the
1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). It is th ...
. Shortly afterward, on 31 March 2004, four American private military contractors from Blackwater – Wesley Batalona,
Scott Helvenston Stephen "Scott" Helvenston (June 21, 1965 – March 31, 2004) was a United States Navy SEAL. He was working as a security contractor for Blackwater Security when he was killed in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush within days of arriving in Iraq. ...
, Jerry Zovko, and Michael Teague – were ambushed and killed in the city. Images of their mutilated bodies were broadcast around the world. Journalist Jeremy Scahill later called this incident the
Mogadishu Mogadishu (, also ; so, Muqdisho or ; ar, مقديشو ; it, Mogadiscio ), locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port ...
moment of the Iraq War (referencing the Battle of Mogadishu, also known as the "Black Hawk Down" incident). Although tactical commanders in Iraq considered these deaths militarily insignificant, U.S. political leaders disapproved of a measured approach targeting the perpetrators and instead requested a larger assault into the city. A leak later revealed that the main factor behind this wasn't the killings themselves, but the circulation of images of the event which served as a symbol of opposition to American forces in Iraq. Within days, U.S. Marine Corps forces launched
Operation Vigilant Resolve The First Battle of Fallujah, code-named Operation Vigilant Resolve, was an operation against militants in Fallujah as well as an attempt to apprehend or kill the perpetrators of the killing of four U.S. contractors in March 2004. The chief cat ...
(5 April 2004) to take back control of the city from insurgent forces. On 28 April 2004, Operation Vigilant Resolve ended with an agreement where the local population was ordered to keep the insurgents out of the city. The Fallujah Brigade, composed of local Iraqis under the command of a former
Ba'athist Ba'athism, also stylized as Baathism, (; ar, البعثية ' , from ' , meaning "renaissance" or "resurrection"Hans Wehr''Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic'' (4th ed.), page 80) is an Arab nationalist ideology which promotes the creation a ...
officer named
Muhammed Latif Muhammed Latif ( ar, محمد لطيف ) is an Iraqi major general, and former member of the Baath Party. The city of Fallujah was handed over to Muhammed Latif, replacing the earlier U.S. choice, Jasim Mohammed Saleh, when it was discovered that ...
, took control of the city. Insurgent strength and control began to grow to such an extent that by 24 September 2004, a senior U.S. official told
ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast '' ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include morning news-talk show '' Good Morning America'', '' ...
that catching
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ( ar, أَبُو مُصْعَبٍ ٱلزَّرْقَاوِيُّ, ', ''Father of Musab, from Zarqa''; ; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh (, '), was a Jordanian jihadist who ran a t ...
, said to be in Fallujah, was now "the highest priority," and estimated his troops at 5,000 men, mostly non-Iraqis. However, the stated purpose of the military operation in Fallujah was to weaken the insurgency in preparation for the planned Iraqi elections in January 2005.


Preparations


Coalition forces

Before beginning their attack, U.S. and Iraqi forces had established checkpoints around the city to prevent anyone from entering, 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 An airstrike, air strike or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighters, heavy bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters and drones. The offic ...
and
artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during si ...
bombardment, the militants in the city appeared to be vulnerable to direct attack. U.S., Iraqi and British forces totaled about 13,500. The U.S. had gathered some 6,500 Marines and 1,500 Army soldiers that would take part in the assault with about 2,500 Navy personnel in operational and support roles. U.S. troops were grouped in two Regimental Combat Teams: Regimental Combat Team 1 comprised 3rd Battalion/1st Marines, 3rd Battalion/5th Marines, and U.S. Army 2d Battalion/7th Cavalry. Regimental Combat Team 7 comprised the 1st Battalion/8th Marines, 1st Battalion/3d Marines, U.S. Army 2d Battalion/2d Infantry, 2d Battalion/12th CavalryLowry, Richard S. (2010). ''New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah''. Savas Beatie. pp. 269–279. . About 2,000 Iraqi troops assisted with the assault. All were supported by Marine fixed and rotary-winged aircraft, Navy and Air Force fixed-wing aircraft; and USSOCOM Sniper Elements. The 850-strong 1st Battalion of the
Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regime ...
was ordered to help U.S. and Iraqi forces with the encirclement of Fallujah. As part of
Task Force Black Joint Special Operations Command Task Force in the Iraq War was a joint American and British special operations unit, of which little is publicly known. It is described as a "hunter-killer team" with its core made up of the United States Army's ...
, D Squadron of the British SAS prepared to take part in the operation, but British political nervousness about the possible scale of casualties stopped any direct UK involvement in the ground battle.


Insurgent forces

In April, Fallujah was defended by about 500 "hardcore" and 1,000+ "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. Fallujah was occupied by virtually every insurgent group in Iraq: al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI),
Ansar al-Sunna Jamaat Ansar al-Sunnah ( ar, جماعة أنصار السنه, Jama'at 'Anṣār as-Sunnah, lit= Assembly of the Helpers of Sunnah), also known as Jaish Ansar al-Sunna (Army of the Helpers of Sunnah), Ali ibn Abi Talib Battalion or simply as ...
, Army of Mohammed (AOM), the Army of the Mujahedeen and the Secret Islamic Army of Iraq. Three groups, (AQI, IAI and the National Islamic Army (1920 Revolution Brigade)) had their nationwide headquarters in Fallujah. An estimated 2,000 insurgents were from the Army of Mohammed (made up of ex
Fedayeen Saddam Fedayeen Saddam () was a paramilitary Fedayeen organization loyal to the Ba'athist Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein. The name was chosen to mean "Saddam's Men of Sacrifice". At its height, the group had 30,000–40,000 members. Irregular force ...
fighters), Ansar al-Sunna and various smaller Iraqi groups. Unlike what most cities in Iraq saw, the Battle of Fallujah did not have internal disputes between insurgents, The fighters consisted of both Sunnis and Shi'as, Soldiers of the
Mahdi army The Peace Companies ( ar, سرايا السلام, or Saraya al Salam) are an Iraqi armed group linked to Iraq's Shia community. They are a 2014 revival of the Mahdi Army ( ''Jaysh al-Mahdī'') that was created by the Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada a ...
fought alongside Sunni and Ba'athist groups against the United States. The Iraqi insurgents and foreign
Mujahideen ''Mujahideen'', or ''Mujahidin'' ( ar, مُجَاهِدِين, mujāhidīn), is the plural form of ''mujahid'' ( ar, مجاهد, mujāhid, strugglers or strivers or justice, right conduct, Godly rule, etc. doers of jihād), an Arabic term t ...
present in the city prepared fortified defenses in advance of the anticipated attack.Lowry, Richard S. (2010). ''New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah''. Savas Beatie. p. 20. . They dug tunnels, trenches, prepared
spider hole Illustration of a spider hole In military slang, a spider hole is a type of camouflaged one-man foxhole, used for observation. Etymology The term is usually understood to be an allusion to the camouflaged hole constructed by the trapdoor ...
s, 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 barrier A Jersey barrier, Jersey wall, or Jersey bump is a modular concrete or plastic barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing vehicle crossovers resu ...
s and even emplaced them within homes to create strong points behind which they could attack unsuspecting troops entering the building. Insurgents were equipped with a variety of advanced small arms, and had captured a variety of U.S. armament, including M14s, M16s, body armor, uniforms and helmets. They
booby-trap A booby trap is a device or setup that is intended to kill, harm or surprise a human or another animal. It is triggered by the presence or actions of the victim and sometimes has some form of bait designed to lure the victim towards it. The trap m ...
ped 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. Intelligence briefings given prior to battle reported that coalition forces would encounter Chechen, Filipino, Saudi, Libyan, and
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
n combatants, as well as native Iraqis.Bellavia, David & Bruning, John. ''House to House: An Epic Memoir of War'' Free Press. (2007) .


Civilian presence

Most of Fallujah's civilian population fled the city before the battle, which greatly reduced the potential for noncombatant casualties. U.S. military officials estimated that 70–90% of the 300,000 civilians in the city fled before the attack, leaving 30,000 to 90,000 civilians still in the city. The military used leaflets and broadcasts to encourage civilians to leave the city before the assault. However, multiple news agencies reported that military-aged males were prevented from leaving or entering the city by the U.S. military. Additionally, not all civilians had the means to leave Fallujah before the battle. Jane Arraf, who was embedded with U.S. troops said that some families wrote "We are family" on the doors of their homes, hoping the Marines would not attack during the battle.


The battle


Diversion

With Navy SEAL and Marine Recon Snipers providing reconnaissance and target marking on the city perimeter, ground operations began on the night of 7 November 2004. Attacking from the west and south, the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion with their U.S. Army Special Forces advisers, SEAL Sniper Task Elements from Naval Special Warfare Task Group Central and the U.S. Marine Corps Scout Platoon, 1st and 2nd Platoon Charlie Company, Manchu 1st Battalion 9th Infantry Regiment Mechanized, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division (U.S. Army) served as the main effort on the peninsula and supported by 3rd Platoon Alpha Company 2/72nd Tank Battalion (U.S. Army), and 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 122, from Combat Service Support Battalion 1, captured Fallujah General Hospital, Blackwater Bridge, ING building, and villages opposite of the
Euphrates River The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers''). Originating in Turkey, the Eup ...
along Fallujah's western edge.Wise p. 75 Marines from 1/3 fired 81mm mortars in an operation in south Fallujah. The same unit then moved to the western approaches to the city and secured the Jurf Kas Sukr Bridge. These initial attacks, however, were a diversion intended to distract and confuse insurgents holding the city, preceding the all-out offensive. Two Marines died in the initial attacks when their bulldozer fell into the Euphrates River. 42 insurgents were killed along the Fallujah riverside.


Attack

After Navy Seabees from I MEF Engineer Group (MEG) interrupted and disabled electrical power at two substations located just northeast and northwest of the city, two Marine Regimental Combat Teams,
Regimental Combat Team 1 The 1st Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The regiment is under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The 1s ...
(RCT-1) and Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT-7) launched an attack along the northern edge of the city. They were joined by two U.S. Army heavy battalion mechanized units, the 2nd Battalion,
7th Cavalry Regiment The 7th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army cavalry regiment formed in 1866. Its official nickname is "Garryowen", after the Irish air " Garryowen" that was adopted as its march tune. The regiment participated in some of the largest ba ...
, and Task Force 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), followed by four Marine infantry battalions tasked with clearing buildings. The Army's mechanized Second Brigade, First Cavalry Division, Marines' Second Reconnaissance Battalion and A. Co 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, was tasked with infiltrating the city and destroying any fleeing enemy forces. The British Army's 1st Battalion, The Black Watch, patrolled the main highways to the east. The RCTs were augmented by three 7-man SEAL Sniper Teams from Naval Special Warfare Task Group-Central and one platoon from 1st Recon, who provided advance reconnaissance in the city, Joint Terminal Aircraft Control (JTAC) and unilateral overwatch throughout the operation. The
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
provided close air support for the ground offensive, employing F-15 Strike Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons, A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, B-52 Stratofortresses, and AC-130 gunships to carry out close-quarter precision airstrikes against enemy strongholds within the city. The Air Force also employed MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicles for reconnaissance and precision strikes, and the U-2 Dragon Lady high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft for intelligence collection, surveillance and reconnaissance before, during, and after the battle. The six battalions of U.S. and Iraqi forces, aided by Marine Corps Scout and Target Acquisition, SEAL Sniper, and JTAC elements pre-fire operations, moved into the city under the cover of darkness; and once aligned with the reconnaissance elements, began the assault in the early hours of 8 November 2004, preceded by an intense artillery barrage firing some 2500 155mm projectiles and air attack. This was followed by an attack on the main train station, which 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 by the Navy Seabees of NMCB 4 and NMCB 23 who bulldozed the streets clear of debris from the bombardment that morning. The Seabees used
armored bulldozer The armored bulldozer is a basic tool of combat engineering. These combat engineering vehicles combine the earth moving capabilities of the bulldozer with armor which protects the vehicle and its operator in or near combat. Most are civilian bu ...
s to plow the streets while remaining safe and protected from enemy fire. Shortly after nightfall on 9 November 2004, Marines had reportedly reached Phase Line Fran at Highway 10 in the center of the city. While most of the fighting subsided by 13 November 2004, U.S. Marines and Special Operations Forces continued to face determined isolated resistance from insurgents hidden throughout the city. By 16 November 2004, after nine days of fighting, the Marine command described the action as mopping up pockets of resistance. Sporadic fighting continued until 23 December 2004. 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

Staff Sergeant
David Bellavia David Gregory Bellavia (born November 10, 1975) is a former United States Army soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fallujah. Bellavia has also received the Bronze Star Medal, two Army Commendatio ...
of the Army Task Force 2-2 Infantry was awarded the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...
. Nine Marines were awarded the
Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...
: *Sergeant
Rafael Peralta Rafael Peralta (April 7, 1979 – November 15, 2004) was a United States Marine killed in combat during the Second Battle of Fallujah during the Iraq War. In September 2008 his family was notified that he was awarded the Navy Cross, the sec ...
of
1st Battalion, 3rd Marines 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines (1/3) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Nicknamed the "Lava Dogs", the battalion consists of approximately 800 Marines and sailors and falls under the comm ...
*First Sergeant Bradley Kasal of
3rd Battalion, 1st Marines 3rd Battalion 1st Marines (3/1) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Horno on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Nicknamed the "Thundering Third", the battalion consists of approximately 1,22 ...
*Sergeant Robert Mitchell, Jr. of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines *Corporal Jeremiah Workman of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines *Lance Corporal Christopher S. Adlesperger of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines *Corporal Jason S. Clairday of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines *Sergeant Jarrett Kraft of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines *Staff Sergeant Aubrey McDade of 1st Battalion, 8th Marines *Corporal Dominic Esquibel of 1st Battalion, 8th Marines Corporal Esquibel refused the award, citing "personal reasons". The following were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for actions during the battle: *U.S. Army Task Force 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division *U.S. Army Task Force 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division *Naval Special Warfare Task Group-Central


Aftermath

The battle proved to be the bloodiest of the war and the bloodiest battle involving American troops since the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. Comparisons with the Battle of Hue City and the Pacific campaign of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
were made. Coalition forces suffered a total of 107 killed and 613 wounded during Operation Phantom Fury. U.S. forces had 54 killed and 425 wounded in the initial attack in November. By 23 December when the operation was officially concluded, the casualty number had risen to 95 killed and 560 wounded. British forces had 4 killed and 10 wounded in two separate attacks in the outskirts of Fallujah. Iraqi forces suffered 8 killed and 43 wounded. Estimates of insurgent casualties are complicated by a lack of official figures. Most estimates place the number of insurgents killed at around 1,200 to 1,500, with some estimations as high as over 2,000 killed. Coalition forces also captured approximately 1,500 insurgents during the operation. The
Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...
estimated directly following the battle that some 800 civilians had been killed during the offensive. The
Iraq Body Count project Iraq Body Count project (IBC) is a web-based effort to record civilian deaths resulting from the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq. Included are deaths attributable to coalition and insurgent military action, sectarian violence and criminal violence ...
reported between 581 and 670 civilian deaths resulting from the battle. The
1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). It is th ...
fired a total of 5,685 high-explosive 155mm artillery rounds during the battle. The
3rd Marine Air Wing The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (abbreviated as 3rd MAW) is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego, California and provides the aviation combat ...
(aviation assets only) expended 318 precision bombs, 391 rockets and missiles, and 93,000 machine gun and cannon rounds.
Fallujah Fallujah ( ar, ٱلْفَلُّوجَة, al-Fallūjah, Iraqi pronunciation: ) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Je ...
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. 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. While pre-offensive inhabitant figures are unreliable, the nominal population was assumed to have been 200,000–350,000. One report states that both offensives,
Operation Vigilant Resolve The First Battle of Fallujah, code-named Operation Vigilant Resolve, was an operation against militants in Fallujah as well as an attempt to apprehend or kill the perpetrators of the killing of four U.S. contractors in March 2004. The chief cat ...
and Operation Phantom Fury, created 200,000
internally displaced persons An internally displaced person (IDP) is someone who is forced to leave their home but who remains within their country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the legal definitions of a refugee. A ...
who are still living elsewhere in Iraq. 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 weaponry. In mid-December, residents were allowed to return after undergoing
biometric Biometrics are body measurements and calculations related to human characteristics. Biometric authentication (or realistic authentication) is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. It is also used to identify in ...
identification, provided they wore 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. Nevertheless, the battle proved to be less than the decisive engagement that the U.S. military had hoped for. Some of the nonlocal insurgents, along with Zarqawi, were believed to have fled before the military assault, 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 Ramadi ( ar, ٱلرَّمَادِي ''Ar-Ramādī''; also formerly rendered as ''Rumadiyah'' or ''Rumadiya'') is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad and west of Fallujah. It is the capital and largest city of Al Anbar Governorate w ...
. 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 23 June 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 push was mounted from September 2006 and lasted 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 the Iraqi Provincial Authority during the autumn of 2007. Al Qaeda-linked Sunni insurgents from the
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 ...
subsequently took over Fallujah and parts of Ramadi in early 2014 and the city was
reclaimed Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new land from oceans, seas, riverbeds or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamati ...
by the Iraqi Army and Special Operations Units in June 2016.


Order of battle


American forces

*http://www.s-a-m-s.org/patriot/features/FirstQtr2005/letter.htm *http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/nov2004/a111004a.html *West, Bing. "No True Glory", Bantam Books. 2005. Page. 329 Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) built around the
1st Marine Regiment The 1st Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The regiment is under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The 1s ...
: *
3rd Battalion 1st Marines 3rd Battalion 1st Marines (3/1) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Horno on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Nicknamed the "Thundering Third", the battalion consists of approximately 1,22 ...
(Infantry) *
3rd Battalion 5th Marines 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines (3/5, nicknamed Dark Horse) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps. The battalion is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and consists of approximately 1,000 Marines and Fleet Marine ...
(Infantry) * 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry (U.S. Army Infantry) *
2nd Tank Battalion The 2nd Tank Battalion (2nd Tanks) was an armored battalion of the United States Marine Corps which was based out of the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. It fell under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expedi ...
, Co. C *
1st Force Reconnaissance Company 1st Force Reconnaissance Company conducts deep reconnaissance and direct action raids in support of I Marine Expeditionary Force requirements across the range of military operations to include crisis response, expeditionary operations and m ...
*
2nd Reconnaissance Battalion The 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion (2nd Recon) is a reconnaissance battalion in the United States Marine Corps. Located at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, the battalion falls under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Ma ...
*
3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 3d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (3D LAR BN) is a fast and mobilized armored terrestrial reconnaissance battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon system is the LAV-25 and they are part of the 1st Marine Divisio ...
(Mechanized) (Armored) * 1st Platoon, Company C, 3–153rd Infantry, 39th Brigade Combat Team * Companies C and D,
2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion is a mechanized battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon system is the Amphibious Assault Vehicle. The battalion is a separate battalion within the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine E ...
(Armored) * 1st, 2nd and 3rd Platoon, Company A,
3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion (3rd AABn) is one of two active duty assault amphibian battalions in the United States Marine Corps. The battalion's primary weapon system is the Amphibious Assault Vehicle or AAV. The AAV is a 27.5-ton armored ve ...
Armored * 1st Battalion 9th Infantry Regiment Manchu Mechanized, 1st and 2nd Platoon, C.Co, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division(U.S. Army) * Military Police/EOD Platoon WSS 373* Combat Service Support Company 113, Combat Service Support Battalion 1 * Combat Service Support Company 122, Heavy Equipment/Ordnance Platoon, 1st Maintenance Battalion * Counter Battery Radar Platoon, 14th Marine Regiment (Artillery) * 4th Battalion 14th Marines— Mike Battery Palehorse (Provisional Infantry, Scout and Targeting Forward Observation Sections, and Primary Direct Support Artillery) * Company C, 3rd Battalion,
8th Cavalry Regiment The 8th Cavalry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army formed in 1866 during the American Indian Wars. The 8th Cavalry continued to serve under a number of designations, fighting in every other major U.S. conflict since, except Wo ...
, (U.S. Army) * 2nd Platoon, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry (U.S. Army) * 2D Platoon, Alpha Company, 876 Combat Engineer Battalion * 3rd Platoon, Company E,
3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion (3rd AABn) is one of two active duty assault amphibian battalions in the United States Marine Corps. The battalion's primary weapon system is the Amphibious Assault Vehicle or AAV. The AAV is a 27.5-ton armored ve ...
Armored * TOW Platoon (-), 23rd Marines * Scout Platoon, Headquarters & Service Company,
4th Tank Battalion 4th Tank Battalion (4th Tanks) is an armored battalion of the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Their primary weapon system is the M1 Abrams, M1A1 Abrams main battle tank and they are part of the 4th Marine Division and Marine Forces Reserve. Th ...
* Scout Platoon, 2nd Tank Battalion (Attached to HQ Btry.
2nd Battalion, 10th Marines 2nd Battalion 10th Marines (2/10) is an artillery battalion of the United States Marine Corps comprising three cannon batteries, two rocket batteries, and a headquarters battery. The battalion is stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Nor ...
Battalion 10th Marines) * Company A, MP Battalion,
2nd Marine Logistics Group The 2nd Marine Logistics Group (2nd MLG) is a logistics unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 2nd MLG was formerly known as 2nd Force Service Support Group (FSSG), reorganiz ...
,
2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Caroli ...
* Company B, (reinforced),
2nd Combat Engineer Battalion 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Marine Corps . They are based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Exped ...
,
2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Caroli ...
* Military Police Company A,
4th Marine Logistics Group The 4th Marine Logistics Group (4th MLG) is a reserve logistics unit of the United States Marine Corps. The group is headquartered at New Orleans, Louisiana while its subordinate units are spread across the United States. Mission Provide gene ...
,
4th Marine Division The 4th Marine Division is a reserve division in the United States Marine Corps. It was raised in 1943 for service during World War II, and subsequently fought in the Pacific against the Japanese. Deactivated after the war, the division was re- ...
* Detachment 4,
4th Civil Affairs Group 4th Civil Affairs Group (4th CAG) is a civil affairs unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is based in Hialeah, Florida. For information on 4th CAG prior to 2012, see 2nd Civil Affairs Group, which was formed out of the original 4th CAG in W ...
* Combat Logistics Company 115,
Combat Logistics Battalion 1 Combat Logistics Battalion 1 (CLB 1) is a logistics battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are part of Combat Logistics Regiment 1 and the 1st Marine Logistics Group. The unit is based out of the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif ...
,
1st Marine Logistics Group The 1st Marine Logistics Group (1st MLG) is a logistics unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, with several subordinate elements also located at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma a ...
* Bravo Surgical Company, 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group * Shock Trauma Platoon,
1st Marine Logistics Group The 1st Marine Logistics Group (1st MLG) is a logistics unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, with several subordinate elements also located at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma a ...
* Company B,
1st Battalion, 4th Marines 1st Battalion, 4th Marines (1/4) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California consisting of approximately 800 Marines and sailors. They fall under the command of the 1st ...
* Company B,
1st Battalion, 23rd Marines 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines (1/23) is one of 32 infantry battalions in the United States Marine Corps, and one of only eight battalions found in the reserve. It is located throughout Texas and Louisiana consisting of approximately 1000 Marines a ...
* Evac Platoon, Company C, 181 SPT Battalion, 81 HBCT *
2nd Battalion 11th Marines 2nd Battalion of the 11th Marines ("Patriot") is an artillery battalion comprising three firing batteries (Echo, Fox, and Golf) and a Headquarters Battery. The battalion is stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Its primary wea ...
, Kilo 3/12, Golf, HQ Btry (Artillery- Serving as Provisionary Rifle Companies) * Charlie Btry. 1st Battalion 10th Marines (Artillery- Serving as Provisional Infantry Company, attached to 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines, w/direct support by 2 teams from STA Platoon, HQ Btry. 2nd Battalion 10th Marines) * Lima Battery,
3rd Battalion, 10th Marines 3rd Battalion 10th Marines (3/10) was an artillery battalion that consisted of four cannon firing batteries and a headquarters battery. The battalion was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and its primary weapon system w ...
Battalion, 10th Marines (Artillery- Serving as Provisional Infantry Company, attached to 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines w/direct support from 2 teams of STA Platoon, HQ Btry. 2/10) * 4th Battalion 14th Marines, Kilo Btry (Artillery- Serving as Provisional Infantry Company, Attached to 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines, 2 Mar Div.) * Motor Transport Platoon (HQ Btry. 2nd Battalion 10th Marines) * Task Force ECHO (NMCB (Naval Mobile Construction Battalion) FOUR, NMCB TWO THREE, and Company A, 120th Engineer Battalion Oklahoma National Guard) *
Marine Aircraft Group 39 Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California that is currently composed of four AH-1Z "Viper" Cobra and UH-1Y "Venom" Huey light attack squadrons, two MV-2 ...
HMLA-367 Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 (HMLA-367) was a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. Originally commissioned during World War II, the squadro ...
, HMLA-169 DET A,
HMM-161 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (VMM-161) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron that operates the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, MV-22 Osprey. The squadron, known as the "Greyhawks", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Califo ...
, HMM-364 and HMM-268 at
Al Taqaddum Airbase Al Taqaddum Airbase ( ar, قاعدة التقدم الجوية), or Al Taqaddum AB , (Called TQ in military shorthand slang), is an air base that is located in central Iraq, approximately 74 kilometers (46 miles) west of Baghdad, at Habbaniyah. T ...
*
VMFA(AW)-242 The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, or VMFA, is an art museum in Richmond, Virginia, United States, which opened in 1936. The museum is owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Private donations, endowments, and funds are used for the su ...
,
VMA-542 Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 (VMFA-542) is a United States Marine Corps Aviation fighter attack squadron transitioning to the F-35B Lightning II. VMFA-542 is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina and falls under t ...
,
HMM-365 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (VMM-365) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Blue Knights", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North C ...
at Al Asad Air Base * 3rd Squad, 3rd Platoon, A Co, 44th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Inf Div * 3rd Platoon, A Co, 2/72 Tank Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division (U.S. Army) * B Company, 9th Psychological Operations Battalion, Airborne (U.S. Army) * H&S and C Cos. 4th Combat Engineer Battalion * Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 (
Seabees , colors = , mascot = Bumblebee , battles = Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Cape Gloucester, Los Negros, Guam, Peleliu, Tarawa, Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, Philipp ...
) * Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 23 (Seabees) * Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 (Seabees) Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT-7) built around the
7th Marine Regiment The 7th Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California. Nicknamed the "Magnificent Seventh", the regiment falls under the command of the 1 ...
: *
1st Battalion 3rd Marines 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines (1/3) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Nicknamed the "Lava Dogs", the battalion consists of approximately 800 Marines and sailors and falls under the comm ...
(Infantry) *
1st Battalion 8th Marines 1st Battalion, 8th Marines (1/8) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The battalion consists of approximately 1000 Marines and sailors and is nicknamed "The Beirut ...
(Infantry) * 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division (U.S. Army Infantry) *
2nd Tank Battalion The 2nd Tank Battalion (2nd Tanks) was an armored battalion of the United States Marine Corps which was based out of the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. It fell under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expedi ...
, Co. A *
2nd Reconnaissance Battalion The 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion (2nd Recon) is a reconnaissance battalion in the United States Marine Corps. Located at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, the battalion falls under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Ma ...
*
2nd Force Reconnaissance Company The Second Force Reconnaissance Company was the deep reconnaissance/direct action that was assigned to the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic and its subordinate elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Mission The company augmented active-dut ...
*
1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion is a fast and mobilized armored terrestrial reconnaissance battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed the "Highlanders," their primary weapon system is the LAV-25 Lig ...
, Co. C *
2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion is a fast and mobilized armored terrestrial reconnaissance battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon system is the 8-wheeled LAV-25 and they fall under the command of the 2nd ...
, Co. A * Tactical PSYOP Team 1171 (USAR), attached to 1/3 Marines, 1 Nov – 15 December 2004 *2nd Platoon, Alpha company, 82nd Engineer Battalion * F Troop, 4th Cavalry (Brigade Reconnaissance Troop) *Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 63rd Armor * Bravo Company 1st Battalion, 63rd Armored Regiment * 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 82nd Engineer Battalion *1st Platoon, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment (M109A6, 155mm SP) * 1st Battalion 12th Marines – Battery "C" (Artillery) * F Troop, 4th Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Reconnaissance Troop, 1st Infantry Division (U.S. Army) * Company C,
2nd Combat Engineer Battalion 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Marine Corps . They are based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Exped ...
* 2nd Platoon, C Company, 44th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (U.S. Army) * Company C,
2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion is a mechanized battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon system is the Amphibious Assault Vehicle. The battalion is a separate battalion within the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine E ...
(Armored) * Company B, MP Battalion,
4th Marine Logistics Group The 4th Marine Logistics Group (4th MLG) is a reserve logistics unit of the United States Marine Corps. The group is headquartered at New Orleans, Louisiana while its subordinate units are spread across the United States. Mission Provide gene ...
* 3rd Platoon, Combat Engineer Company,
Combat Assault Battalion The Combat Assault Battalion was a mechanized battalion of the United States Marine Corps and subordinate element of the 3rd Marine Division and the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The unit was last based at Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan. Mission ...
,
3rd Marine Division The 3rd Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry divisions in the Marine Corps and together with th ...
* 2nd Platoon, Company C,
3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion (3rd AABn) is one of two active duty assault amphibian battalions in the United States Marine Corps. The battalion's primary weapon system is the Amphibious Assault Vehicle or AAV. The AAV is a 27.5-ton armored ve ...
* 1st Platoon, Engineer Company C, 6th Engineer Support Battalion * MEU Service Support Group 31,
31st Marine Expeditionary Unit The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 Marines and ...
* Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit THREE * B Company, 445th Civil Affairs Battalion (U.S. Army) * A Troop 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry (U.S. Army) * Alpha Company, 458th Engineer Battalion, Engineer Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (U.S. Army) *
759th Military Police Battalion The 759th Military Police Battalion is a military police battalion in the United States Army. It is currently stationed at Fort Carson, CO – "The Mountain Post". It is administratively controlled by the 43rd Sustainment Brigade at Fort Carson ...
Composite (U.S. Army) ** HHD, 759th Military Police Battalion (FWD) ** 148th Military Police Team (FWD) (Police Intelligence) ** 21st Military Police Company (Airborne) (Combat Support) ** 630th Military Police Company (Combat Support) ** 984th Military Police Company (Combat Support) * 15th Forward Support Battalion * 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division TAC (Bravo Company, 13th Signal, E-31; Bravo Company, 312th Military Intel) * 689th Engineer Company (Clearance) (U.S. Army Reserve) *1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry *CROWS Team One * Small Craft Company Special Operations River Recon Ninth Air Force (United States Air Forces Central Command) (U.S. Air Force) *
24th Special Tactics Squadron The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is one of the Special Tactics units of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). It is the U.S. Air Force component to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). It is garrisoned at Pope Fi ...
*
187th Fighter Wing The 187th Fighter Wing (187 FW) is a unit of the Alabama Air National Guard, assigned to Dannelly Field, Alabama. If activated to federal service in the United States Air Force, the 187 FW is operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command (ACC). ...
(
Alabama Air National Guard The Alabama Air National Guard (AL ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Alabama, United States of America. It is, along with the Alabama Army National Guard, an element of the Alabama National Guard. As state militia units, the units in ...
) (
F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successf ...
) * 379th Air Expeditionary Wing ( F-15 Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon,
A-10 Thunderbolt II The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republic ...
, AC-130 Gunship) *
2d Bomb Wing The 2nd Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and the Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale. The wing was a ...
(
B-52 Stratofortress The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...
) *
9th Reconnaissance Wing The 9th Reconnaissance Wing (9 RW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command and Sixteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. The wing is also the host unit at Beale. Its mission is to ...
( U-2 Dragon Lady) *
116th Air Control Wing The 116th Air Control Wing is a Wing of the Georgia Air National Guard/United States Air Force, stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. If activated for federal service, the wing is gained by Air Combat Command. The 116th ACW is the only Air ...
( E-8 Joint STARS) *
432d Air Expeditionary Wing The 432nd Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command at Creech Air Force Base near Indian Springs, Nevada. It flies General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-170 Sentinel Unmanned aerial vehicles. The group operates unmanne ...
(
MQ-1 Predator The General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (often referred to as the predator drone) is an American remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics that was used primarily by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Central Intelligence Agency ...
drones, operated remotely from
Creech Air Force Base Creech Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) command and control facility in Clark County, Nevada used "to engage in daily Overseas Contingency Operations …of remotely piloted aircraft systems which fly missions across the globe." ...
,
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
) U.S. Special Operations Command * Naval Special Warfare Task Group-Central (Sniper Elements Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie from SEAL Teams 3, 5, 8, and SDVT-1) * Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta *
Det One The Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One, also simply known as Det One, was a pilot program of attaching a permanent unit of the United States Marine Corps to the United States Special Operations Command. It was commanded by Co ...
*
5th Special Forces Group The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (5th SFG (A)) is one of the most decorated active duty United States Army Special Forces groups in the U.S. armed forces. The 5th SFG (A) saw extensive action in the Vietnam War and played a pivotal role ...


Iraqi forces

* 1st Specialized Special Forces Battalion (Iraqi National Guard), Companies D and B * Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion * Iraqi Counterterrorism Force * Emergency Response Unit (Iraqi-Ministry of Interior) – Attached to RCT-7 * 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade,
Iraqi Intervention Force The 1st Division (IFF) is a motorized infantry division of the Iraqi Army headquartered in Camp Fallujah. The division, along with much of the Iraqi Army, is equipped with American supplied weapons, equipment, and vehicles. The division suffere ...
(ICDC) – Operated independently of Coalition forces * 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade,
Iraqi Intervention Force The 1st Division (IFF) is a motorized infantry division of the Iraqi Army headquartered in Camp Fallujah. The division, along with much of the Iraqi Army, is equipped with American supplied weapons, equipment, and vehicles. The division suffere ...
(IIF) – Attached to RCT-7 * 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade,
Iraqi Intervention Force The 1st Division (IFF) is a motorized infantry division of the Iraqi Army headquartered in Camp Fallujah. The division, along with much of the Iraqi Army, is equipped with American supplied weapons, equipment, and vehicles. The division suffere ...
(IIF) – Attached to RCT-1 * 5th Battalion, 3rd Brigade,
Iraqi Intervention Force The 1st Division (IFF) is a motorized infantry division of the Iraqi Army headquartered in Camp Fallujah. The division, along with much of the Iraqi Army, is equipped with American supplied weapons, equipment, and vehicles. The division suffere ...
(IIF) – Attached to RCT-7 * 6th Battalion, 3rd Brigade,
Iraqi Intervention Force The 1st Division (IFF) is a motorized infantry division of the Iraqi Army headquartered in Camp Fallujah. The division, along with much of the Iraqi Army, is equipped with American supplied weapons, equipment, and vehicles. The division suffere ...
(IIF) – Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division


British forces

* 1st Battalion, The
Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regime ...


Controversies

There were numerous controversies relating to the United States' tactics during the battle, including the weapons used, civilian casualties, and collateral damage. The use of white phosphorus during the battle was first reported on November 10, 2004, by ''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large na ...
'' reporters, embedded with U.S marines, who witnessed artillery guns firing white phosphorus projectiles which "create a screen of fire that cannot be extinguished with water." Insurgents also reported being attacked with a substance that melted their skin, and the corpses of some dead insurgents were burned or melted. A documentary released in November 2005, entitled ''
Fallujah, The Hidden Massacre ''Fallujah, The Hidden Massacre'' is a documentary film by Sigfrido Ranucci and Maurizio Torrealta which first aired on Italy's RAI state television network on November 8, 2005. The film documents the use of chemical weapons, particularly the u ...
'', stated that Iraqi militants and civilians, including women and children, had died of burns caused by white phosphorus munitions. The documentary alleged that white phosphorus was used in "massive and indiscriminate way", and included graphic video and photos of burned bodies with faces melted away and clothing still mostly intact. The U.S. military maintains that white phosphorus was not used against civilians, but has confirmed its use as an incendiary weapon against enemy
combatant Combatant is the legal status of an individual who has the right to engage in hostilities during an armed conflict. The legal definition of "combatant" is found at article 43(2) of Additional Protocol I (AP1) to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It ...
s. A 2005 article by a US Army captain present at the battle published in the US Army's Field Artillery Manual notes that white phosphorus was used against insurgents in situations where conventional munitions did not have the desired effects. According to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), white phosphorus is not recognized as a chemical weapon and the
Chemical Weapons Convention The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), officially the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, is an arms control treaty administered by the Organisation for ...
does not govern its use. The OPCW also stated that white phosphorus is permitted for use as an illumination device and as a weapon with regard to heat energy, but not permitted as an offensive weapon with regard to its chemical properties. On 16 November 2004,
NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, a division of NBCUniversal, which is, in turn, a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's v ...
aired footage that showed a U.S. Marine killing a wounded Iraqi fighter. In this video, the Marine was heard saying that the Iraqi was "
playing possum ''Playing Possum'' is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records, on April 21, 1975. It was Simon's third consecutive album to reach the top 10 on the ''Billboard'' Pop albums chart, peaking a ...
". NCIS investigators later determined that the Marine was acting in self-defense.
Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency. AFP has regional headquarters in Nicosia, Montevideo, Hong Kong and Washington, ...
(AFP) and other news agencies reported that military-age males, 15 to 50 years old, were prevented from leaving the city before the battle began by the U.S. military. All entrances to the city were controlled by U.S. forces.
Mike Marqusee __NOTOC__ Mike Marqusee (; 27 January 1953 – 13 January 2015) was an American writer, journalist and political activist in London. Marqusee's first published work was the essay "Turn Left at Scarsdale", written when he was a sixteen-year-old high ...
, in a November 2005 article for ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'', compared the battle to the
Mỹ Lai massacre The Mỹ Lai massacre (; vi, Thảm sát Mỹ Lai ) was the mass murder of unarmed South Vietnamese civilians by United States troops in Sơn Tịnh District, South Vietnam, on 16 March 1968 during the Vietnam War. Between 347 and 504 unarme ...
, the
bombing of Guernica On 26 April 1937, the Basque town of Guernica (''Gernika'' in Basque) was aerial bombed during the Spanish Civil War. It was carried out at the behest of Francisco Franco's rebel Nationalist faction by its allies, the Nazi German Luftwaff ...
, and the
Halabja chemical attack The Halabja massacre ( ku, Kêmyabarana Helebce کیمیابارانی ھەڵەبجە), also known as the Halabja chemical attack, was a massacre of Kurdish people that took place on 16 March 1988, during the closing days of the Iran–Iraq War ...
and wrote "The US claims that 2,000 died, most of them fighters. Other sources disagree. When medical teams arrived in January they collected more than 700 bodies in only one third of the city. Iraqi NGOs and medical workers estimate between 4,000 and 6,000 dead, mostly civilians." US forces used
depleted uranium Depleted uranium (DU; also referred to in the past as Q-metal, depletalloy or D-38) is uranium with a lower content of the fissile isotope than natural uranium.: "Depleted uranium possesses only 60% of the radioactivity of natural uranium, hav ...
(DU) shells during the battle. DU shells are derived from radioactive uranium ore and disperse DU dust into the environment during impact. In the years after the battle, medical research teams have reported increases in infant mortality, cancer, and congenital anomalies or birth defects among children born in Fallujah. According to a 2011 study by Alaani et al., depleted uranium exposure from munitions used during the war was either a primary cause or related to the cause of the birth defect and cancer increases. According to a 2012 journal article by Al-Hadithi et al., existing studies and research evidence does not show a "clear increase in birth defects" or a "clear indication of a possible environmental exposure including depleted uranium". The article further states that "there is actually no substantial evidence that genetic defects can arise from parental exposure to DU in any circumstances."


In popular culture


Documentaries

* '' Occupation: Dreamland'', a 2005 documentary film that follows soldiers of the 1/505 of the 82nd Airborne Division in Fallujah, Iraq, in the beginning of 2004. * ''
Shootout! ''Shootout!'' is a documentary series featured on The History Channel and ran for two seasons from 2005 to 2006. It depicts actual firefights between United States military personnel and other combatants. There are also occasional episodes dedicate ...
– Episode 1: D-Day: Fallujah'' (UPC: 733961741353), a 2006 A&E History Channel Special detailing various gun battles that occurred during the Second Battle of Fallujah. * '' The Road to Fallujah'', a 2009 documentary following the story of Mark Manning, the only westerner to live among the residents of Fallujah following the November 2004 battle. * ''Fear Not the Path of Truth'', a 2013 documentary film from Ross Caputi, a veteran of the 2nd siege of Fallujah who investigates atrocities that occurred and the legacy of US foreign policy in Fallujah. * ''
Fallujah, The Hidden Massacre ''Fallujah, The Hidden Massacre'' is a documentary film by Sigfrido Ranucci and Maurizio Torrealta which first aired on Italy's RAI state television network on November 8, 2005. The film documents the use of chemical weapons, particularly the u ...
'', a documentary investigating the use of white phosphorus and the MK-77 by the U.S. Army during the battle. *''
Once Upon a Time in Iraq ''Once Upon a Time in Iraq'' is a 2020 British documentary television miniseries, directed by James Bluemel and narrated by British-Iraqi Andy Serkis. Composed of five episodes, it features interviews with Iraqi citizens, as well as American ...
'', a 2020 BBC documentary series, featured the Battle of Fallujah in its third episode.


Films

* ''
Pasaje al amanecer ''Pasaje al amanecer'' is a 2016 Spanish drama film directed by Andreu Castro and starred by Nicolás Coronado, Iria Calero and Annette Duran. It is the film debut of Andreu Castro. It is based on the Christmas Eve before the Second Battle of Fal ...
'', a 2017
war drama In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular supe ...
which is based on the
Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
before the war.


Games

* ''
Six Days in Fallujah ''Six Days in Fallujah'' is a Tactical shooter, tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Highwire Games and published by Victura. Set in the Second Battle of Fallujah of the Iraq War over the span of six days in November 2004, the g ...
'', is a video game that follows a squad of U.S. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines over the span of the six bloodiest days in the battle for Fallujah. It was dropped by
Konami , is a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machines, slot machines, and arcade cabinets. Konami has ca ...
for the controversy surrounding it and remained in limbo until 2021. The restarted game was announced in 2021 with publishing of Victura and developed by Highwire Games. * '' Close Combat: First to Fight'', is a video game that was also designed with input from former and active-duty U.S. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, who had participated in combat around Fallujah, Iraq during Operation Phantom Fury. * ''Phantom Fury: The 2nd Battle for Fallujah'', is a solitaire board game based on the actions of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division in the Jolan district in November 2004.


Music

* "In Old Yellowcake", song by Rasputina (2007) * " Christmas in Fallujah", song by Jefferson Pepper (2005) (UPC: 669910486467) * " Christmas in Fallujah", song by Cass Dillon and Billy Joel (2007) (Digital download, CD single) * ''Fallujah'', an
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
with music by the Canadian composer Tobin Stokes and libretto by Heather Raffo. * "Fallujah" by Serbian roots reggae band FC Apartride Utd, ''On The Frontline Menu'' 2006, LP * "Strike, O lions of Fallujah!" - An Iraqi song *
Fallujah Fallujah ( ar, ٱلْفَلُّوجَة, al-Fallūjah, Iraqi pronunciation: ) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Je ...
is an American technical death metal band from San Francisco, California, formed in 2007.


Books

*No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah *My Men are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story *We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah *New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah *Operation Phantom Fury: The Assault and Capture of Fallujah, Iraq *Sunrise Over Fallujah *Fallujah Memoirs: A Grunt's Eye View of the Second Battle of Fallujah *Ghosts of Fallujah *U.S. Marines in Battle: Fallujah, November–December 2004 *House to House: An Epic Memoir of War *Code Red Fallujah: A Doctor's Memoir at War *Fallujah, with Honor; First Battalion, Eighth Marine's Role in Operation Phantom Fury; Expanded 2nd Edition *All Of Which I Saw


See also

*
2003 invasion of Iraq The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including ...
*
2004 in Iraq Events in the year 2004 in Iraq. Incumbents * Head of State - *# Government Administrator – L. Paul Bremer III (until June 28) *# President – Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer (from June 28) *# Vice President – Ibrahim al-Jaafari (from June 1) *# ...
* Battle of Mosul (2004) *
Operation Alljah Operation Alljah was an operation launched by Coalition forces in Iraq, mainly U.S. Marines, in June 2007 to secure the neighborhoods of Fallujah. The strategy of the operation was somewhat based on a successful operation in Ramadi conducted i ...


References


Bibliography


Further reading

* ''No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah'', by
Bing West Francis J. "Bing" West Jr. (born May 2, 1940) is an American author, Marine combat veteran and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs during the Reagan Administration. West writes about the military, warfighting, ...
(2005) () * '' We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah'', by Patrick O'Donnell (2006) () * ''Fighting For Fallujah: A New Dawn for Iraq'', by John R. Ballard (2006) () * ''Fallujah With Honor: First Battalion, Eighth Marine's Role in Operation Phantom Fury'', by Gary Livingston (2006) () * ''Battle for Fallujah (book), Battle of Fallujah: Occupation, Resistance And Stalemate in the War in Iraq'', by Vincent L. Foulk (2006) () * ''Among Warriors in Iraq: True Grit, Special Ops, and Raiding in Mosul and Fallujah'', by Mike Tucker (2006) () * ''Iraq 1941: The Battles For Basra, Habbaniya, Fallujah and Baghdad'', by Robert Lyman (2006) () * ''My Men Are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story'', by Brad Kasal as told to Nathaniel R. Helms (2007) () * ''On Call in Hell: A Doctor's Iraq War Story'', by Cdr. Richard Jadick (2007) () * ''House to House: An Epic Memoir of War'', by SSG
David Bellavia David Gregory Bellavia (born November 10, 1975) is a former United States Army soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fallujah. Bellavia has also received the Bronze Star Medal, two Army Commendatio ...
(2007) () * ''The Navy Cross (book), The Navy Cross: Extraordinary Heroism in Iraq, Afghanistan and Other Conflicts'', by James E. Wise, Scott Baron (2007) () * ''Marakat Al-Fallujah: Hazimat Amrika Fi Al-Iraq'', by Ahmad Mansur (2008) () * ''Sunrise over Fallujah'' (2008) () * ''Fallujah: Shock & Awe'' (2009) () * ''Inside Fallujah: The Unembedded Story'', Ahmed Mansour (2009) () * ''The Daily Thoughts of a Fallujah Marine'' by Josh Daugherty (2009) () * * ''Operation Phantom Fury: The Assault and Capture of Fallujah, Iraq'', by Dick Camp (2009) () * ''New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah'', by Richard S. Lowry (2010) () plu
Presentation
at the
Pritzker Military Library The Pritzker Military Museum & Library (formerly Pritzker Military Library) is a non-profit museum and a research library for the study of military history on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The institution was founded in 2003, and its spe ...
on 3 November 2011


External links


Shootout: Fallujah – History Channel documentary about the Battle of Fallujah


* ttp://law.bepress.com/expresso/eps/1959/ "The Legality of the Use of White Phosphorus by the United States Military during the 2004 Fallujah Assaults"(24 January 2007). Berkeley Electronic Press Preprint Series. Working Paper 1959.
3/1 Update from Fallujah, 29 Dec. 2004.
Marine Corps Moms {{DEFAULTSORT:Fallujah, 2 Conflicts in 2004 2004 in Iraq Battles of the Iraq War in 2004 Battles of the Iraq War involving Iraq Battles of the Iraq War involving the United States Fallujah Operations involving American special forces United States Marine Corps in the Iraq War Urban warfare Articles containing video clips November 2004 events in Iraq December 2004 events in Iraq