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| Sunday, 17-Oct-2004 00:00 |
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2/2 Warlords OIF2
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The Marine Corp Hymn
Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a
difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem. -Ronald Reagan, U.S. President; 1985
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| Saturday, 16-Oct-2004 00:00 |
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2/2 Warlords OIF2
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"It is a common observation here that our cause is the cause of all mankind, and that we are fighting for their liberty in defending our own." --Benjamin Franklin
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| Friday, 15-Oct-2004 00:00 |
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2/2 Warlords OIF2
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"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!" - Eleanor Roosevelt, 1945
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| Thursday, 14-Oct-2004 00:00 |
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Welcome Home Warlords!
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In Loving Memory:
Gunnery Sgt. Ronald Baum
Sgt. Michael Speer
Cpl. Chris Belchik
Lance Cpl. Brian Kelly
Lance Cpl. Nick Morrison
Lance Cpl. Andrew Zabierek
They gave their lives so we could live ours in freedom!
See you on the other side Marines.
Heaven's perimeter is secure!
God Bless these fine young men and their families.
Warlords Always - Marines Forever!
Semper Fidelis
Taps
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the skies.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
Go to sleep, peaceful sleep,
May the soldier or sailor,
God keep.
On the land or the deep,
Safe in sleep.
Love, good night, Must thou go,
When the day, And the night
Need thee so?
All is well. Speedeth all
To their rest.
Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day, And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.
Thanks and praise, For our days,
'Neath the sun, Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know,
God is nigh.
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| Friday, 17-Sep-2004 00:00 |
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Ivan 04
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These pics really aren't all that good but we were getting drilled by wind and rain trying to get them! It was right at dark also but we did the best we could to get some shots!
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| Wednesday, 15-Sep-2004 00:00 |
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The Final Family Letter From Warlord Six!
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Family letter
Sept. 11
Hello again Warlord families!
As I began this final letter to you from Mahmudiyah, Iraq, it is fitting that I do so on September 11th. That day and the tragic events that were the catalyst that brought the Warlords to this troubled land will forever be etched in our minds. It will not only be a day that we always remember where we were, but also a day that we remember as the day that so many of our country?s citizens were lost to terrorism and also remembered as the day when so many stood up and said ?enough!? Your Warlords were some of those who said ?enough!? Accordingly, I consider it a singular honor, on this day in particular, to pass on to you some of the things that your husbands, sons, brothers and fathers have done since I last wrote you at the end of June.
I related to you at the beginning of the last letter that we had moved again (for the fifth time) and returned to our original location in Mahmudiyah where we relieved four Army battalions that had been conducting operations in this area while we had been in Al Kharma, Fallujah, and Zaidon. Upon returning to Mahmudiyah, the Task Force immediately rolled up its sleeves and reasserted its presence in the area with an aggressive series of actions that ignored the sometimes 140 degree temperatures. Those actions seized and maintained control of nearly 22 miles of six lane highway that had become one of the most volatile sections of road in Iraq, and put the terrorists on their heels within a nearly 800 square kilometer area of operations. Combined with those offensive and defensive operations, we rekindled old friendships with local leaders and families as the battalion assumed control of those civil-military actions designed to rebuild the infrastructure here in the Mahmudiyah area.
Unfortunately, the level and type of enemy activity in our absence spiked to a degree that made our final three months in Iraq less characterized by actions that would exemplify the ?No Better Friend? portion of our mission, and more consistent with the ?No Worse Enemy? angle. As has been their custom, your Marines and Sailors responded to this challenge and performed magnificently. The three rifle companies found themselves rotating through stints providing fixed site security along the main supply routes strategically supporting the links to Baghdad and Fallujah, providing security for other key infrastructure, conducting patrols to deter enemy activities designed to disrupt the functioning of the Iraqi National Conference and conducting raids and searches in the dead of night that kept the enemy looking over his shoulder and wondering where the Marines would come from next. At every turn, the Marines of Easy, Fox and Golf and their assigned snipers met the enemy on his home ground with raids, cordon and search operations and coordinated stay-behind operations designed to ambush the insurgents ? and on every occasion when he chose to challenge the Warlords, he was defeated decisively. There was no doubt in the mind of these cowards that there was a ?new Sheriff in Town.?
While the rifle companies asserted their presence with these missions, Weapons Company?s 81?s Platoon not only kept the enemy at bay by providing ?spot on? counter mortar fire but continued their role as the Battalion?s Combined Action Platoon helping to train the fledgling Iraqi national Guard. Capitalizing on the foundation they built during our six weeks here in March and April, they transformed a ragtag group of Iraqi soldiers into a Battalion that now regularly patrols and operates alongside their Marine counterparts. This is a singularly impressive accomplishment because not only did they keep their fighting edge, but they also overcame the language barrier and cultural differences to teach these Iraqis the basics of warfighting and provided them the foundation to begin assuming responsibility for security in their own country. Simultaneously, the Red, White and Blue Sections of the CAAT Platoon continued to earn their reputation as the workhorses of the battalion by conducting operations twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with mobile patrols, escort duty for our Explosive Ordnance Disposal heroes, and aggressive actions designed to hunt down and kill terrorists with their hard-hitting firepower. Again and again, the enemy engaged our CAAT?s with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED?s), direct fire and indirect fire in order to try to shake them from accomplishing their mission. No matter the method the enemy tried to use, the Marines of this platoon stood tall in their turrets fast in the face of daily attacks against them and kept the pressure on. Incredible courage and attention to duty are the two phrases that most come to mind when I think of their daily ability to be ?in the enemy?s face? and defeat his best efforts.
Equally impressive were the efforts of our Combat Engineers and Counterintelligence Marines. The Engineers continued as the most productive platoon in theater finding dozens of enemy caches, adding to the survivability of our Marines on fixed site security missions with their construction skills, and as always adding their considerable infantry skills to an already deadly team. Their search methods are now used as the template for the entire Division. Complementing their actions were the warriors of our Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence Exploitation Team (CI/HET) who continued to rack up the most significantly actionable intelligence of any team in theater. Their efforts alone, when combined with the rest of the Task Force?s combat power was specifically responsible for the detention of dozens of high value terrorist personalities operating within our Area of Operations and some whose influence was international in scope.
A significant and welcome addition to our Task Force came with Artillery Marines from both the 11th Marine Regiment and 10th Marine Regiment as we returned to Mahmudiyah. Sixteen indirect fire attacks during our initial return here highlighted the need for a more robust counterfire capability. With that in mind, RCT-1 and later, the 24th MEU provided the Warlords with a split battery of 155mm howitzers. As a result, any time the enemy was foolish enough to engage us with indirect fire, the canoneers fired with responsiveness and pinpoint accuracy that in once case, forced the enemy to leave his position so quickly that he left his rocket launchers and ammunition in place.
Finally our Headquarters and Service Company kept every conceivable aspect of the Task Force supplied, supported and operating like a well-oiled machine. Our Battalion Aid Station and its Corpsmen literally saved the lives of dozens of Marines wounded in engagements with the enemy. Often under fire, these Sailors not only took the fight to the enemy themselves but often found themselves shielding their Marine brothers as they rendered lifesaving medical care?proving once again why a Navy Corpsmen will never buy a drink when there is a Marine infantryman present. As Corpsman triaged our Marines, our Motor Transport Marines drove thousands of miles supporting every combat need, and worked around the clock and with the enthusiasm of a well-practiced pit crew conducting ?triage? on vehicles that if back in the states, would have been relegated to the dump. They worked around the clock installing life-saving armor, ballistic windshields and keeping our vital rolling assets in working order proving once again that ?the pride don?t ride without Motor ?T!?
The Marines and leaders of the Communications Platoon continued to stretch the limits on every piece of equipment the battalion owned in ensuring timely and reliable communications across this 800 square kilometer area of operations thereby allowing the battalion to respond with devastating effects. The Communications reliability and versatility of this Task Force has literally become the envy of the Division because of their efforts. Other standouts include our Supply section, our Armorers, the NBC section and our administrators. Each Marine, in addition to their ?day job? of keeping the battalion supplied, paid, and our weapons and chemical gear in top condition, also found themselves as the primary security for multiple tasks supporting the battalion?s myriad missions. Each has proven unmistakably that ?every Marine a rifleman? is more than just a catchy phrase.
A special mention during this letter must go to the Marines from H&S Company supporting us in the chow hall. Throughout the deployment, their extraordinary efforts, sometimes under fire, have ensured our Marines have had the best field mess support possible regardless of the conditions. Unlike so many other units, the Warlords maintained their own organic capability and these Marines worked twenty hour days consistently in 130 degree temperatures to make sure that the members of the Task Force were well-fed and able to enjoy the occasional special meal. Their commitment to their task added immeasurably to the morale of our Marines and Sailors.
As you can imagine, to try to recap all that your Marines and Sailors have done during the past two and one half months would be an almost impossible task from the standpoint of volume alone. To try to recall the hundreds of acts of heroism and compassion becomes and even greater task but one that merits some mention here as I try to share my immense pride in what these fine men have accomplished. As the commander of the Task Force I have had the privilege of reading the recommendations recognition for all of our Warlords. It is not uncommon for me to find myself up until the sun rises after I have returned from a mission, reading with great admiration and pride, the courageous acts of so many Marines and Sailors. I am not trying to sound melodramatic, but their deeds will now become part of the legends that make up the lore of the Naval Service as a result of their consistently selfless actions.
Examples of some of the more than 150 recommended awards for valor include men who crossed fire swept terrain to save Iraqi families caught in deadly crossfire as terrorists used them as human shields, Corpsmen who protected Marines with their bodies as indirect fire landed around them, Marines who continued to fight after having been wounded, not willing to give up their positions for fear that their buddies would pay the price, admonishing themselves to ?stay in the fight,? maintaining their fire to protect their fellow Marines without the slightest regard for their own danger. Most importantly however I will remember the dozens of Purple Heart ceremonies where we recognized those who day in and day out, put on their gear, checked their ammunition and headed out to get the mission accomplished regardless of the dangers they knew were waiting for them. That my friends is courage?and that is why these Marines and Sailors deserve every accolade a nation can bestow. They have paid the price for freedom with their courage.
If you remember, prior to the deployment I wrote you that ?Those who would challenge us have underestimated the capability and resolve of the Warlords. They do not know what you know ? that these men are of the same stock that won at places like Belleau Wood, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, Dai Do, Grenada, Kuwait and Al Kut. They are also men who are fathers, sons, brothers and husbands whose capability as warriors is exceeded only by their compassion and strong moral compass.? I must tell you that those words were written based on my confidence in these men and what I had seen them do to prepare. I can tell you that that confidence was not misplaced. They exceeded my most ardent hopes and reminded me again what it means to be a part of a fighting unit like the Warlords of Task Force 2/2. Their actions are indeed the stuff of legend.
I will also tell you without reservation that much of our success is arguably the result of the strength we drew daily from your support. Your letters, your packages, your prayers and most of all your complete commitment to our mission here by your devotion to your Warlord gave us not only the focus we needed, but the promise of what we had to return to. In particular I must thank the Key Volunteers throughout the Task Force who consistently gave to us, and to each other, the support and sustained commitment that provided the foundation on which we succeeded. Your Marines and Sailors were able to focus on the mission because of the confidence they had in all of you at home to take care of each other when they could not be home with you. For all that you have done for all of us I will remain forever in your debt.
As uplifting and inspiring as the performance of your Warlords has been, each of you also know that those successes have not been without cost. Sadly, as the deployment comes to a close, I am reminded of each of the more than one hundred and fifty wounded and our six fallen. I ask that each of you continue your prayers for these men who gave so much in support of their fellow Marines and Sailors. Their names and their deeds will be remembered by each of us who were privileged to serve with them. But well after the welcome home celebrations are over, after Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II becomes part of the battalion?s lineage, and after a new generation of Warlords carries the color forward, you must remember that the true legacy of their sacrifices will be revealed. First, their legacy will be in the gift of freedom and hope they gave to a nation ruled by a brutal dictator for four generations, and second, that legacy will live on in the example of courage and compassion that they gave not only to each of us, but to a nation. With that in mind, I ask that each of you keep the families of Sergeant Michael Speer, Gunnery Sergeant Ronald Baum, Lance Corporal Andrew Zabierek, Lance Corporal Bryan Kelly, Lance Corporal Nick Morrison, and Corporal Chris Belchik in your thoughts and prayers. They never broke faith with us or with you. I ask that you pray that their families are sustained and strengthened as their Marines sustained and strengthened us through their actions. Pray that their families and all Americans remember that it is in how they lived their lives that makes their memory the treasure it is, and the gift they gave so precious.
In closing, I will say yet again what an honor it has been to have been given the rare privilege of commanding such fine men under difficult conditions. They led, they fought for a nation and for a people, and they kept faith with each other and with you. They inspired the world with their example of what is best among the youth of our country and they have established a legacy of leadership and courage that will become the foundation for the leadership of the Naval Service well into the twenty-first century. As we reunite with our families and recall the moments of courage and compassion that changed our lives during the past seven months, I think you will see a change in these men. That change will reflect the special knowledge of what it means to have given freedom to a nation, hope to a people, and strength to each other during moments when the measure of a man?s life is defined by his actions. You and they will find that those actions will stand the test of time and be remembered with great pride. Freedom has taken hold in Iraq and it will not let go because of what these brave men have done.
God Bless each of you, God Bless America, and Semper Fi from your Marines and Sailors in Iraq!
Humbly,
Giles Kyser
LtCol USMC
?Warlord Six?
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| Sunday, 12-Sep-2004 00:00 |
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2/2 Cleans House!
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CAMP MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq (Sep. 5, 2004) -- Six hundred Marines, 350 Iraqi Police Officers and 80 Iraqi National Guardsmen braved suicide bombers, mortars, roadside blasts and small arms fire as they cordoned and searched most of the houses in Lutafiyah Sept. 4.
The Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, and members of the Iraqi Security Forces conducted the searches because of recent insurgent activity in the area.
"We were there to disrupt insurgent operations ... (they) are an enemy we have been fighting since we arrived and have caused casualties for the Marines," said Maj. Brian W. Neil, operations officer and native of Middletown, Conn. "We empowered the Iraqi security forces by using them in the lead with us behind them. The (captured insurgents) gave us information which will aid us in future operations."
The operation began with 2/2 picking up Iraqi Police vehicles and dividing them up among the three rifle companies. From there, each company was staged at their section of the city and waited for the operation to begin.
"Before it happened, I figured it was going to be a smooth sweep. They're pretty cowardly in Lutafiyah and not the type of enemy to openly attack us," said Lance Cpl. Richard A. French, 23, machine gunner and native of Raleigh, N.C. "I knew we had a lot of support if anything did happen. Once we figured out that the screeching sound in the sky wasn't a rocket, we were glad to have air support if we needed it."
The three companies began searching each section of the city in unison, aided by 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment to the south. Weapons such as AK-47s and mortar-firing equipment were collected from the houses but the insurgents weren't going to give them up without a fight.
"I didn't know what it was when it happened. I just heard two explosions that were loud enough to blow out the windows of the building I was in," said Lance Cpl. Dennis M. Hill, 22, a rifleman with Company G and native of Huntington, W.Va. "There were a lot of Iraqi police cars parked on the road. If it wasn't for them being there, those two vehicle-born (Improvised Explosive Devices) would have killed Company G."
The two VBIEDs were the most resistance the battalion faced during the day.
In other parts of the city, roadside bombs were discovered and dismantled. Small arms fire was heard in different parts of the city but the only attacks made were on Iraqi Police.
"I can only say we should have done it a lot earlier, if we had we might have caught more," said 1st Sgt. Billy R. Hargrove, 39, the company first sergeant for Company F and native of New Orleans. "We got a lot of weapons and a lot of people. We came prepared and I think we did a good job."
#1- A sentry stands watch over the area as the commanders of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment direct the fight from the vehicles. The Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based unit recently conducted a cordon and search on the city of Ludafiyah where significant insurgant activity had been detected. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes)
#2- Lieutenant Colonel Giles Kyser, commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, works with the head of Iraqi Police for the area during a cordon and search recently. The Dumfries, Va. native led his battalion in a sweep of Ludafiyah, where they had detected significant insurgent activity.
(Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes)
#3- Iraqi policemen line up to lead the advance on the cordon of Ludafiyah. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes)
#4- Three hundred and fifty Iraqi Policemen aided in the search of Ludafiyah. The city was cordoned and searched because of insurgent activity in the area.
(Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes)
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| Monday, 16-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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Just some stuff I found interesting!
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#1- PhotoID: 20048145436
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Operation/Exercise/Event:
Operation Iraqi Freedom II
Caption:
Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, civil affairs team prepare to enter a house during a cordon and knock recently.
(USMC photo by Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes)
Photo by: Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes
#2- PhotoID: 20048145520
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Operation/Exercise/Event:
Operation Iraqi Freedom II
Caption:
Corporal Mandwell Hearnandez, a supply clerk attached to the civil affairs team here, looks up a staircase during a cordon and knock recently. The 21 year-old from Gainesville, Fla., and his unit searched the house for weapons and signs of anti-coalition forces.
(USMC photo by Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes)
Photo by: Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes
#3- Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit fight against Muqtada Militia members in the holy Shiite city of Najaf, Iraq, Aug. 5, 2004. DoD photo by Cpl. Matthew S. Richards, U.S. Marine Corps. (Released)
Photo by: CPL. MATTHEW S. RICHARDS,
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040805-M-4358R-003
#4- Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit fight against Muqtada Militia members in the holy Shiite city of Najaf, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2004. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Daniel J. Fosco) (Released)
Photo by: CPL. DANIEL J. FOSCO,
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040806-M-7719F-005
#5- A Marine with Company A, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), responds with deadly and accurate fire to an ambush set by Anti-Iraqi Forces in An Najaf, Iraq, Aug. 8, 2004. Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and Iraqi National Guard units continue to battle Anti-Iraqi Forces in Najaf in an effort to rid the city of those who break the rules of law and order. (DoD photo by Cpl. Daniel J. Fosco, U.S. Marine Corps.) (Released)
Photo by: CPL. DANIEL J. FOSCO, 11TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040808-M-7719F-050
#6- Weapons found in numerous caches in the Wadi Al Salam cemetery, neighboring the Imam Ali Shrine in Iraq, were found during offensive operations conducted by U.S. Marines of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit based out of southern California, Aug. 7, 2004. While international laws of armed conflict normally identify cemeteries as protected places, such status is forfeited if the site is used for military purposes. Attacks launched by Muqtada Militia members, as well as the storing of weapons caches, in the holy site make the cemetery a legitimate military objective. (DoD photo) (Released)
Photo by: DOD PHOTO,
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040807-O-0000X-001
#7- A combat photographer with Command Element, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), photographs Marines from 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th MEU (SOC), as they respond to an ambush set by anti-Iraqi forces in An Najaf, Iraq, Aug. 8, 2004. DoD photo by Cpl. Dick Kotecki, U.S. Marine Corps. (Released)
Photo by: CPL. DICK KOTECKI, 11TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040808-M-2396K-050
#8-Soldiers of the 405th Battalion, 50th Iraqi National Guard Brigade, stand by to support Marines from Company A, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), during an early morning raid on an abandoned schoolhouse suspected of housing Anti-Iraqi Forces during an early morning raid in An Najaf, Aug. 8, 2004. MEU and Iraqi National Guard units continue to battle Anti-Iraqi Forces in Najaf in an effort to rid the city of insurgents. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Daniel J. Fosco) (Released)
Photo by: CPL. DANIEL J. FOSCO, 11TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040808-M-7719F-017
#9- Iraqi police haul off rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) found in the cemetery in Najaf, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2004. Muqtada Militia members used the sacred cemetery as a sanctuary to launch offensive attacks and store weapons caches, violating international laws of war and the cease-fire agreement between Muqtada al-Sadr and coalition forces. DoD photo by Cpl. Daniel J. Fosco, U.S. Marine Corps. (Released)
Photo by: CPL. DANIEL J. FOSCO,
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040806-M-7719F-004
#10- 1st Sgt. Michael Grinston, 1st Sgt. of C Battery, 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, inspects a suspicious looking alley, while providing cover for his Soldiers during a night patrol of Bayji, Iraq, Aug. 4, 2004. (U.S. Army Photo by Pfc. Elizabeth Erste) (Released)
Photo by: PFC. ELIZABETH ERSTE, 55TH SIGNAL COMPANY (COMCAM)
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040804-A-6748E-017
#11- 1st Lt. Leonard of C Battery, 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, signals to his men during a night patrol of Bayji, Iraq, Aug. 4, 2004. (U.S. Army Photo by Pfc. Elizabeth Erste) (Released)
Photo by: PFC. ELIZABETH ERSTE, 55TH SIGNAL COMPANY (COMCAM)
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040804-A-6748E-033
#12- Athletes of Iraq's Olympic Team walk out to their flight at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq to depart for the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece on Aug. 8, 2004. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey) (Released)
Photo by: STAFF SGT. JACOB N. BAILEY, 1ST COMBAT CAMERA SQUADRON
Record ID No. (VIRIN): 040808-F-5964B-076
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| Monday, 2-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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Pictures from Home!
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As per your request Jarhead! 
Dink and I made some avi of a good burnout and some engine revving but the files are too big to send you. If I can find the right place to put them on the internet I'll let you know!
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| Sunday, 1-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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OIF pics mostly from the USMC OIF site!
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Just about all of these pics were taken by Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes. Just stuff I had saved.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/oif (USMC OIF site)
Also, here's is one of the first Letters to the 2/2 Family from Warlord Six:
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Letter to 2/2 Families
Hello Warlord families!
We miss you! I?d like to take a few minutes to pass on what the battalion has been up to during the past thirty days. To say that we have been busy would be the understatement of the decade and I must tell you that your Marines and Sailors have been amazing not only with their flexibility and ability to adapt to changing missions and locations, but they have been amazing in terms of their courage and tenacity.
As of the 19th of April we were still in our original location of Mahmudiya (about 30 miles South of Bagdhad) and we were making significant progress in developing and improving the relationships and security situation in the four major urban centers of Mahmudiya Qada (county). Easy Company had been working in Mahmudiya city proper, Fox had been focusing its operations in Latifiyah, Golf in Yusafiyah, Weapons in Rasheed, CAAT across the AO in a Quick Response Force role and our H&S Company?as always focuses everywhere supporting every conceivable facet of our operations. Simultaneously, the 81mm mortar platoon had been making significant strides in training and conducting operations with the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps Battalion that had been started under our predecessors in the US Army?s 82d Airborne Division.
We had seen an increase in both security and ?winning the hearts and minds? through the diligent and compassionate work of our Marines and Sailors, but because we also had pushed our forces into areas that had until now, been unaddressed, we also saw a significant increase in combat operations. The events in Fallujah, Najaf and Karbala that occurred right before and just after Easter resulted in a significant spike in activity as many radicals and terrorists began to take action wherever they could to try to stir up hate within the populace. The Warlords responded and at one point the comment of our enemies was that ?The marines are everywhere?we can?t do anything.? At that point the battalion had been conducting intense 24/7 operations since about 4 April to provide a secure environment for the Shiite Arbaeen celebration (40 days following any Muslim holiday-the traditional mourning period-Muslims celebrate an ?Arbaeen?).
The terrorists changed tactics to try to stop traffic along the major highways and the battalion responded by refocusing its efforts along the main artery running through our area and shut the enemy activity down there completely. Just as we were getting ready to re-energize our efforts throughout the Qada, we received orders to re-embark the entire battalion, move to a completely different base and then begin operations in an entirely new area. We moved our force from Mahmudiya to ?Camp Fallujah? west of Baghdad and immediately began split operations. Golf Company assisted 2d Bn, 1st Marines to the Northwest of Fallujah at a place called Saclawejah, Easy assisted 1/5 along the southern portion of Fallujah and the remainder of the Battalion began operations to the Northeast of Fallujah at a place called Al Kharma (also commonly known as ?Bad Kharma?). At any rate, each part of the battalion executed combat operations that included some violent engagements with the enemy and the recovery of significant amounts of terrorist weapons, ammunition and bomb making material.
After only about five days, H&S performed miracles again and the battalion then moved in force to the southern portion of Fallujah and slammed the back door on the terrorists operating in the city. Almost immediately upon our arrival, the battalion became decisively engaged and built on the situation Easy Company had been developing over the past five days. Easy and Fox, supported by Tanks, Armored Vehicles, 81mm mortars and our superb snipers began to wreak havoc upon the terrorists within Fallujah.
After only 48 hours of fighting, the battalion had succeeded in killing between 100 and 200 of the terrorists, leveled a portion of southern Fallujah and in the words of our Regimental Commander ?broke the back? of the resistance in Fallujah. Within hours, the terrorists were at the negotiating table proposing a solution that developed in to what is now known as the Fallujah Brigade. Throughout those intense days, the battalion performed magnificently and earned a very key place in the history of the Regiment?s history.
As the Fallujah Brigade entered the city, we reluctantly departed our positions and entered what would be our fourth operating area in less than a month. We are now conducting operations east of Fallujah in an area that had, until now, been largely ignored. Our presence alone brought the rats scurrying out to engage. The result of our operations has been the virtual elimination of indirect fire attacks against key coalition facilities, the development of millions of dollars of civil affairs projects, the disruption of terrorist operations in what was once on of the most volatile areas in Iraq, and, through the superb efforts of Golf Company and our Counter Intelligence Teams, the discovery of the largest series of weapons caches in Iraq to date!
Throughout the past month, the Marine?s living conditions have varied from a firm base in Mahmudiya where they had access to a gym, internet, showers and two hot meals a day, to fighting holes and 100 degree heat, to bombed out buildings in Fallujah to abandoned buildings and open fields. Operations have been at once defensive and offensive and have reflected what has become known as the ?three block war? where your Marines and Sailors are conducting full up combat on one block, peacekeeping on the next and humanitarian operations on the other. Access to the internet has been spotty at best, but we are now in a situation where we can rotate platoons back to our current location for showers, hot chow, and a brief period of rest and refit before they re-attack the missions we execute every day.
Snail mail has been regular for the most part given our hobo status, and your cards, letters and packages have been the most welcome thing you can imagine. Mail and the occasional hot shower are the highlights of our existence here and your support through the mail is literally the rock upon which we draw our strength. Thanks!
Throughout one of the busiest months in the storied history of the battalion, the Warlords acquitted themselves in the finest tradition of their predecessors from Tarawa and you should all be incredibly proud of them. As a result of those intense operations, we have had many wounded, and tragically lost two of our own to the cowards that do not have the fortitude to fight us openly. I ask that each of you remember their families in the prayers that you say for all of us every night and keep the faith that we are talking care of each other and that we are doing what Marines do ? we are winning!
I must also tell you that one of the reasons we are winning, is because of the incredible support we receive every day from you all at home. The Key Volunteers in particular have done an amazing job of juggling the worries associated with this kind of a deployment while simultaneously providing that unique kind of help across the battalion that makes Marine and Navy families so very special. There are no words that can possibly describe the combat multiplier that you are, but take my word for the fact that your actions have saved lives, because your Warlords have been able to focus on the mission here. God Bless you.
As you can see, the battalion has done more in a month?s time than many do in years and done so under intense combat conditions. You should all be immensely proud of your Marines and Sailors. I am and I can honestly tell you that the battalion?s success has been the result of a magnificent team effort from the Staff, the Companies, our Regiment and the Division here and at Camp LeJeune. We were set up for success and we are winning because of it.
In closing, I must tell you that I have the privilege of walking in the shadow of greatness every day. The Marines and Sailors of Task Force 2/2 have exceeded every expectation and excelled in every mission. In a short e-mail to my wife after a ceremony I recently conducted I said the following:
?As I award these young men their medals as they stand in front of me in their combat gear, sweaty, dirty and so very young I am struck by the purity of their service to our nation and to each other. They accept the recognition but more often than not are embarrassed by it, and always concerned more for the welfare of those wounded along with them. They personify those things that so many people speak of but can never really know; the feeling of camaraderie, the commitment to the point of death to the men around them, and the unspoken hardness of their patriotism. God they are a blessing to me? and I feel so unworthy to stand in front of them to offer them such a small token. I feel inadequate and humbled to be in their shadow, regardless of their age and I walk away feeling so damned honored to be with them.?
I am honored to know each of you to have been given the rare privilege of leading your husbands under difficult conditions. It is an honor that I will never forget and a debt that I can never repay. Please know that we miss you and love you all.
God Bless each of you, God Bless America, and Semper Fi from your Marines and Sailors in Iraq.
Humbly,
Giles Kyser
LtCol USMC
?Warlord Six?
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