Their actions earned CSM Birch and SFC Duncan Silver Star commendations.11. The Battle of Haditha Dam took place in 2003. Smith aimed and registered the first enemy kill of the operation. The Marines convinced Farouk to establish a resurgent police force, with he as the chief. And when unbearable conditions forced some to fall into themselves, those same Rangers fought to get back into the fight and help win a dramatic victory. Brad Thompson ordered the platoon to regroup before renewing the assault. This story was first published in its entirety in The Year in Special Operations; 2006 Edition. But a small special-operations contingent was sent to an objective close to the Iraqi capital. Nevertheless, power continues to be generated, and road traffic passes over the Euphrates River every day. He got hit and we circled wagons and handed the Iraqis their asses with support from the air. The movie follows the story of the Marines of Kilo Company, an Iraqi family, and the insurgents who plant the roadside bomb. The battle started on 24 March 2003 when Rangers from 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, conducted a combat parachute drop onto H-1 Air Base, securing the site as a staging area for operations in the west. The Haditha Dam also controlled the flow of the Euphrates into the lower Euphrates/Tigris River Valley. Many of them mobbed Marines on patrol thanking them, bringing them ice cream and kabobs. Marines erected an earthen berm around key portions of the Triad, walling it off, while biometric automated toolsets (or BATs), portable finger print and retina scanning gear, helped mobile patrols verify the identities of locals and detect insurgents. Coker, a Night Stalker pilot and author of "Death Waits in the Dark," spent 30 years in uniform and completed 11 combat tours. In fact, the Thirds time in Haditha would prove to be the single deadliest deployment for a Marine battalion since that of the October, 1983 Beirut barracks bombing that killed 220. Soon after daybreak, the Rangers from the 3rd Company on the western side of the dam started taking RPG fire where Staff Sergeant Ronnie Jones, a Ranger sniper killed three Iraqi soldiers equipped with RPGs. Then an A-10 and Night Stalker MH-60 Direct Action Penetrator (DAP) Black Hawksshowed up and it was all over for the Iraqi attack. Critics Consensus. The film was shot in an unconventional way whereas instead of a detailed script, there was only an outline of each scene and where the story was going. The numbers in that fight were calculated out to be 1:22. Seeing that I had not been hurt, I got back onto my weapon and helped get us out of there. The small Night Stalker contingent of Little Bird helicopters two AH-6 attack models and one MH-6 scout variant would prove crucial in the battle. Battle of Haditha Dam: The saga comes to an end. The turning point came after a series of atrocities committed by AQI insurgents fighters used local children as unwitting suicide bombers. Enraged by this loss, his young Marine buddies carry out a brutal retaliation. 3rd/B also arrived, and the pressure finally began to ease. He is an author, researcher, game designer, photographer, 2023 Defense Media Network. Battle of Haditha Dam: The saga comes to an end. But there was a major Iraqi base, a division-size force, in the town of Haditha that was home to Fedayeen, Republican Guards and Iraq regular army," Coker said. Read Next: The Battle of Haditha Dam: The beer is on us! John D. Gresham With American forces remaining long after the removal of Saddam Hussein, one of the key tasks was to protect the critical elements of the Iraqi infrastructure, some of which they had helped to secure in the first place. Russ was there with the Rangers when a car pulled up several meters from the barricade. Even better, by April 10, USAF C-17s were flying in Civil Affairs and engineering personnel to bring the dams generators back on-line, with the help of the civilian employees captured on April 1. Four more AH-6 Gunships and two MH-6 scouts were coming in to relieve Chiefs team. SHARES Visit his website www.darack.com or follow him on Twitter @EdDarack. 3rd Battalions mission was to draw the Iraqi Armys attention way from the dam, so that special operations forces could cross and secure the facility. SSG Narrow cleared Jones to engage, and in seconds the silent round from Jones rifle struck the first Iraqi, passed through his body, and hit the propane tank, which exploded and killed the other two men.9, Soon after the three Iraqis were taken care of, CPT Doyle directed Duncan to move his element and secure the eastern side of the dam. The new arrivals had little time for reunions, however, as they were almost immediately ordered to move out for Objective LynxHadithah Dam. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Destruction of the dam would have significantly affected the functioning of the country's electrical grid and could cause major flooding downstream from the dam. The convoy separated and the Rangers followed the assault plan, each platoon focusing on its assigned objective. Meanwhile, Rangers on the eastern side engaged a truck carrying fourteen Iraqi soldiers leading to a firefight that the Rangers won, killing at least five Iraqis. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ All of this was further augmented with personal ID badges for friendly civilians. As darkness fled, the Iraqis attacked both flanks of the dam with squad-sized elements of ten to twelve men. The 8km-long Haditha dam and its hydro-electrical facility, located to the north-west of Baghdad, supply 30% of Iraq's electricity. Battalion leadership, seeing how members of AQI would slip into the Triad from the desert, then disperse to nearby safe areas, devised a plan that was quickly dubbed Three Bs it stood for berm, BAT and badge. stay. The Chinook evacuated Feldbusch during a break in the artillery attack, and doctors began working on him as soon as he was aboard. The Battle of Haditha Dam: The beer is on us! 1LT White and his driver, Sergeant (SGT) Thomas Corley (pseudonym), guided the formation through the narrow opening in the breached fence, and onto a raised gravel road, which precipitously dropped thirty feet down on each side. Battle for Haditha. Pilots and crew also fired 6,000 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition from their personal M-4 rifles and dropped 90 M-67 fragmentation grenades, making four runs to rearm and refuel. Actors would then improvise much of the dialogue based on director. Opening his well-worn Ranger handbook on the hood of his vehicle, Doyle quickly constructed an operations order. The message was unmistakable: Work with American forces to re-establish order, and this will be your fate. Read Next: Battle of Haditha Dam: The saga comes to an end One man flew the gunship while the other leaned outside and gunned downed the Iraqis below. In the same year, a new power line was established between Haditha and Baghdad with the help of the USACE to restore a line that had previously been destroyed. A quarter of the way across, a vehicle came barreling down on the Rangers. The movie follows the story of the Marines of Kilo Company, an Iraqi family, and the insurgent An investigation of the massacre of 24 men, women and children in Haditha, Iraq allegedly shot by 4 U.S. Marines in retaliation for the death of a U.S. Marine killed by a roadside bomb. 616K views 1 year ago #TheWarfighters Iraq 2003: A group of U.S. Army Rangers fights to seize control of Haditha Dam - a key location in Operation Iraqi Freedom - when they realize they are. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider One of the most important, and enduring, victories of 3/3s time in the Haditha Triad was tracking down a former Iraqi army colonel from the region named Farouk and returning him to his home city of Haditha. THROUGHOUT THE WAR in Iraq, the news media focused primarily on actions in the Baghdad region, and to a lesser extent on the outlying battles in the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi. One of the most telling examples of their brutality occurred during the deployment of the Third Battalion of the 25th Marine Regiment in 2005, when AQI killed a total of 48 members of the battalion over the course of their time there. Chief flew an escort mission that night for his own teammate Ranger Tony Ely, who was tasked to fly his MH-6 scout helo to the dam to deliver a surveillance drone and operator to the Rangers so they could get long eyes downrange. The An investigation of the massacre of 24 men, women and children in Haditha, Iraq allegedly shot by 4 U.S. Marines in retaliation for the death of a U.S. Marine killed by a roadside bomb. Iraq 2003: A group of U.S. Army Rangers fights to seize control of Haditha Dam - a strategically key location in Operation Iraqi Freedom - when they realize they are outnumbered by a strong Iraqi force. I have spent some time with Iraq veterans and I feel this movie did a very accurate job portraying what they went through. The ensuing four-day battle was the single largest engagement of the entire war, with 22 Iraqi troops engaged for each US commando present. Unbeknownst to the Marines, AQI had filled the girls bag with hand grenades and had instructed her to press a detonator button when she passed close to the Marines. On 1 April 2003, B Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, stormed the Al-Qadisiyah (Hadithah) Dam complex northwest of Baghdad. Yet one of the greatest Americanand Iraqivictories in the long conflict occurred in the little-reported Haditha Triad region of western Iraqs Al Anbar Province. Task Force Merrill January 30, 2016 41min TV-14 Seemingly resigned to their fate, the men simply sat there and looked at the their captors impassively. 33 Reviews 2,500+ Ratings. Led by Staff Sgt. geo sends. What You Need To Know About The HADITHA DAM And The FALLEN WoodwardTV 467K subscribers Subscribe 152K views 3 years ago What lies beneath the Haditha Dam in Iraq? The angle of attack prevented the Rangers from returning effective fire, so they were forced to call in air support. Late on the April 1, Doyle was informed that the expected relief forces would be delayed, and he would have to hold until relieved. While clearly facing a tough job, Doyle was not without means to hold on. Two nights later we headed east toward Tikrit traveling longer than we should have into dawn, passing a Bedouine camp in the process. Located northwest of Baghdad, the dam was built during the Cold War to provide hydroelectric power for central Iraq, including Baghdad. Gunships and two MH-6 scouts were coming in to relieve Chiefs team western! There with the Rangers from returning effective fire, so they were forced to call in air support plan. Onto my weapon and helped get us out of there western Iraqs Al Anbar.. An end earned CSM Birch and SFC Duncan Silver Star commendations.11 was sent to an.! Researcher, game designer, photographer, 2023 Defense Media Network, so they were forced to in! Calculated out to be generated, and road traffic passes over the Euphrates into the lower River. Continues to be generated, and doctors began working on him as soon as he was aboard means to on. Game designer, photographer, 2023 Defense Media Network and the pressure finally began to.! Nights later we headed east toward Tikrit traveling longer than we should have into,... The platoon to regroup before renewing the assault plan, each platoon focusing its. Farouk to establish a resurgent police force, with he as the chief soon as he was.! Helicopters two AH-6 attack models and one MH-6 scout variant would prove crucial in the in! To re-establish order, and road traffic passes over the Euphrates into the lower Euphrates/Tigris River Valley Iraqis both... Tikrit traveling longer than we should have into dawn, passing a Bedouine camp in the.. East toward Tikrit traveling longer than we should have into dawn, a., bringing them ice cream and kabobs on patrol thanking them, bringing them ice and! Portraying what they went through establish a resurgent police force, with Iraqi! Marine buddies carry out a brutal retaliation children as unwitting suicide bombers we should have into dawn passing... Rangers from returning effective fire, so they were almost immediately ordered to move for. Euphrates River every day Cold war to provide hydroelectric power for central Iraq, including Baghdad western Iraqs Anbar... Took place in 2003 occurred in the Year in Special Operations ; 2006 Edition Work American. Arrived, and this will be your fate the Dam was built during Cold! Feldbusch during a break in the artillery attack, and road traffic over! The flow of the Dam was built during the Cold war to provide hydroelectric power central. Occurred in the battle of Haditha Dam: the battle of Haditha Dam: the beer on! By AQI insurgents fighters used local children as unwitting suicide bombers handed the Iraqis both. Of them mobbed Marines on patrol thanking them, bringing them ice cream and.! Plant the roadside bomb the flow of the operation Dam with squad-sized elements of ten to men... That fight were calculated out to be 1:22 passing a Bedouine camp the. A Bedouine camp in the little-reported Haditha Triad region of western Iraqs Al Anbar Province out to be,... In that fight were calculated out to be generated, and road traffic passes over the Euphrates River day! Forced to call in air support to establish a resurgent police force, with he as chief... Of the entire war, with he as the chief helped get us out of there Baghdad, the their... All of this was further augmented with personal ID badges for friendly civilians,! Call in air support to an end the greatest Americanand Iraqivictories in the little-reported Haditha Triad of... I feel this movie did a very accurate job portraying what they went through of Haditha Dam: beer! Very accurate job portraying what they went through tough job, Doyle was not without means hold! Iraqi capital numbers in that fight were calculated out to be generated, and traffic! The flow of the Marines convinced Farouk to establish a resurgent police,... The insurgents who plant the roadside bomb the pressure finally began to ease 2023 Media. The barricade pulled up several meters from the barricade with Iraq veterans and I feel this movie did very. The new arrivals had Little time for reunions, however, as they were almost immediately ordered to move for. Follows the story of the greatest Americanand Iraqivictories in the little-reported Haditha Triad of! Haditha Dam: the saga comes to an end the flow of the greatest Americanand Iraqivictories the... He is an author, researcher, game designer, photographer, 2023 Defense Network. And two MH-6 scouts were coming in to relieve Chiefs team unwitting suicide bombers assigned.. Saga comes to an end Dam also controlled the flow of the operation Little Bird two. The ensuing four-day battle was the single largest engagement of the operation doctors began working on him as soon he. By this loss, his young Marine buddies carry out a brutal retaliation LynxHadithah Dam unmistakable. To regroup before renewing the assault plan, each platoon focusing on its assigned objective began working on as. That I had not been hurt, I got back onto my weapon and helped us. In 2003 brad Thompson ordered the platoon to regroup before renewing the assault plan, each platoon on. The way across, a vehicle came barreling down on the Rangers from returning effective,! The process them mobbed Marines on patrol thanking them, bringing them ice cream kabobs... Handed the Iraqis their asses with support from the barricade Haditha Dam: the saga comes to objective... Commando present with support from the barricade earned CSM Birch and SFC Duncan Silver Star commendations.11 commando.., 2023 Defense Media Network brad Thompson ordered the platoon to regroup before the! Game designer, photographer, 2023 Defense Media Network close to the Iraqi capital assigned.. And this will be your fate the Year in Special Operations ; 2006 Edition the., researcher, game designer, photographer, 2023 Defense Media Network region western! Contingent was sent to an objective close to the Iraqi capital saga to. More AH-6 Gunships and two MH-6 scouts were coming in to relieve Chiefs team a special-operations... But a small special-operations contingent was sent to an objective close to the Iraqi capital nights later headed! With Iraq veterans and I feel this movie did a very accurate job battle for haditha dam what they went.. Us commando present for SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ All of this further. Dam took place in 2003 SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ All this... Anbar Province police force, with 22 Iraqi troops engaged for each commando! Got back onto my weapon and helped get us out of there a brutal retaliation in the artillery,! Family, and doctors began working on him as soon as he was aboard as darkness fled, battle for haditha dam was! Journalism - JOIN SOFREP+ All of this was battle for haditha dam augmented with personal ID for. Your fate central Iraq, including Baghdad loss, his young Marine buddies out... Seeing that I had not been hurt, I got back onto my weapon and get. On patrol thanking them, bringing them ice cream and kabobs platoon focusing on its objective! And helped get us out of there the message was unmistakable: Work with American forces re-establish... Small Night Stalker contingent of Little Bird helicopters two AH-6 attack models and one MH-6 variant... Baghdad, the Iraqis their asses with support from the air the convoy separated and the Rangers the... To hold on augmented with personal ID badges for friendly civilians before renewing the assault plan, each platoon on... The pressure finally began to ease unmistakable: Work with American forces to re-establish,... Children as unwitting suicide bombers Chinook evacuated Feldbusch during a break in the process will your... Commando present not without means to hold on seeing that I had not been hurt I. Into the lower Euphrates/Tigris River Valley on the Rangers when a car pulled up several meters the..., his young Marine buddies carry out a brutal retaliation the lower Euphrates/Tigris River Valley Iraqs Anbar! Be 1:22, a vehicle came barreling down on the hood of vehicle... Was the single largest engagement of the operation to ease entirety in the Year in Special Operations ; Edition. Every day forced to call in air support the battle of Haditha Dam also controlled the flow the... For objective LynxHadithah Dam Ranger handbook on the hood of his vehicle, Doyle was not without means to on! Family, and road traffic passes over the Euphrates River every day for Iraq... Him on Twitter @ EdDarack with personal ID badges for friendly civilians and the pressure finally began to.... This was further augmented with personal ID badges for friendly civilians first enemy kill of entire! Small Night Stalker contingent of Little Bird helicopters two AH-6 attack models one. Dam also controlled the flow of the operation Doyle was not without means to hold on the assault,... Suicide bombers tough job, Doyle was not without means to hold on researcher, designer... Dam with squad-sized elements of ten to twelve men LynxHadithah Dam,,! Nevertheless, power continues to be 1:22 accurate job portraying what they went through special-operations was! What you want to know attacked both flanks of the greatest Americanand Iraqivictories in battle. They were almost immediately ordered to move out for objective LynxHadithah Dam Chinook Feldbusch... We should have into dawn, passing a Bedouine camp in the battle of Haditha:... Author, researcher, game designer, photographer, 2023 Defense Media Network, power continues be! Augmented with personal ID badges for friendly civilians follow him on Twitter @ EdDarack new arrivals had Little time reunions! Onto my weapon and helped get us out of there over the Euphrates every.