3rd Infantry Division Operations - Fort Stewart - U.S. Army

62 3rd Infantry Division Operations
and the Iraqi people had shown interest in allying against the
common threat.
Prior to 3HBCT’s arrival, there was little to stop the advance
of criminals, insurgents, and illegal materials bound for Baghdad.
Once on the ground, 3HBCT launched numerous operations,
deliberate raids, search operations, and relationship building
missions alongside two brigades of Iraqi National Police.
Hammer joined the fight under Operation Marne Torch,
conducting missions with company teams to kill or capture
extremists east of the Tigris River. Named operations such as
"Casablanca, Anzio, Bull Run, Stampede, Destroyer Strike, and
Palermo" disrupted insurgent cells, cleared caches, and won
experience for partnered ISF units.
Through August and September, the brigade was a supporting
effort to 3rd CAB during Operation Marne Husky and insurgents
were running out of places to hide. Where they'd been
able to control communities and highways with intimidation
and IEDs, they now found newly emplaced National Police
checkpoints, Sons of Iraq, and Hammer Soldiers in "hardened"
outposts too strong to strike. Newly recruited police were training.
The people were giving valuable intelligence and there
was a sense of optimism. The brigade had trained capable,
confident, and proud Iraqi police. 3HBCT was using 16 Sons
of Iraq groups to reinforce its gains, hold hard earned terrain,
and "thicken the force."
3HBCT had also formed bonds with the Iraqi people in the
area through humanitarian outreach projects. Hammer Soldiers
assisted small children with desperately needed medical care.
They helped older victims of war overcome handicaps by providing
wheelchairs. The very young were transported to hospitals
where mobility was restored through surgery, prosthetics,
and rehabilitation.