On Point: the United States Army in Operation Iraqi ... - Boekje Pienter

173. Rowe. See also Bray.174. These engagements are discussed in greater detail as part of the V Corps ‘ five simultaneous attacks.175. 101st Airborne Division, Operation Iraqi Freedom Chronology and Operational Data Report, 12 May2003. 3rd Brigade reached FARP Shell on 25 March per 101st entry to V Corps assessment report for 26-28March.How long the convoys lasted varied by unit. Most reported being on the road anywhere from 40 to 60 hours.176. Major William Abb, 101st Airborne Division Planner, interview conducted by Lieutenant ColonelWilliam Connor, US Army, Retired, 23 May 2003.177. Abb.178. Memorandum for record, “2-70 AR Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Timeline,” 22 May 2003, 2. TheThunderbolts ultimately were subordinated to two divisions in the corps as well as to SOF TF 20. To meet thatrequirement C Company, 2-70 AR road marched back to Tallil Air Base and then was airlifted to an air base inwestern Iraq and attached to the 3rd Ranger Battalion.179. Lieutenant Colonel Henry “Bill” Bennett, Commander, 1-320 FA, interview by Lieutenant ColonelWilliam Pitts, 22 May 2003.180. Colonel Ben Hodges, Commander, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, interview by LieutenantColonel William Connor, US Army, Retired, 23 May 2003.181. Ibid.182. TF 2-70 AR timeline and Bennett. See also Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Ingram, Commander, TF 2-70 AR,interview by Lieutenant Colonel David Manning, 22 May 2003.183. TF 2-70 AR timeline and Bennett. Bennett reported these events as occurring on 1 April; authors cited2-70 AR timeline for the date of these events.184. Major Robert Tallman, OIF-SG, “OIFSG Operational Summary: PSYOP,” 15 July 2003.185. Ibid. See also Sergeant Daniel Voss, Tactical PSYOP Team 1141, interview by Major David Converse,31 May 2003.186. Ibid.187. See . This total (44 combat jumps) excludes smallerscalejumps conducted by special operations units in the period covered from World War II through OperationIRAQI FREEDOM. The site lists 43 jumps but does not list the 173rd’s jump. Presumably it will do so ultimately.188. Lieutenant Colonel Tom Collins, Forward Deployed Army Force in Italy Proved its Worth During IraqWar (Draft), unpublished. Portions of this draft appeared in an article in ARMY in June 2003.189. Ibid.190. Ibid.191. Although CENTCOM directed operations in OIF, the 173rd Airborne belonged to the Southern EuropeanTask Force. Accordingly, they worked for US Army Europe and the US European Command, thus EUCOM. Theboundary between EUCOM and CENTCOM areas of responsibility also put northern Iraq in EUCOM’s area, thusthe two regional commands worked together on employing the 173rd and in other ways as well.192. Collins.193. Lieutenant Colonel Robert S. Walsh, Army Special Operations Forces Field Collection Element“Operational Assessment: JSOTF-North, Northern Operations,” 30 June 2003. Lieutenant Colonel Walsh servedwith OIF Study Group. This paragraph reflects his assessment of JSTOF-NORTH operations.194. Collins.195. Major Phillip Chambers, S1 and drop zone officer in charge, 173rd Infantry Brigade, email to Major DavidTohn, 27 June 2003.196. “Forward Operating Base 102 SITREP,” 24 March 03 (SECRET).197. Chambers.198. Mr. Perry Doerr, Southern European Task Force G3 email to Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army,Retired. Each aircraft also had two troopers on board who assured safety but were not scheduled to jump.199. Chambers. See also letter from Major General Thomas R. Turner, commanding general, SouthernEuropean Task Force, to Brigadier General Timothy D. Livsey, Deputy Commanding General for TrainingCombined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 23 October 2003. Times, of course, varied by unit; see alsoCaptain Ned Ritzmann, A/1-508 IN, interview by Major Peter Kilner, 28 May 2003. Ritzman reports that his unitassembled in “5 or 6 hours” and then moved to its assigned blocking positions.200. Chambers.201. Lieutenant Colonel Bradley Wakefield, chief, movement operations center, USAREUR, email toLieutenant Colonel E.J. Degen, 16 September 2003.238