iraqifreedom

Naval Station San Diego, Calif. (Jul. 26, 2003) -- An officer assigned to USS Cleveland (LPD 7) greets his wife following the ships return to Naval Station San Diego. Cleveland is returning from deployment in support of U.S. and coalition forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Quinton D. Jackson. (RELEASED)

San Diego, Calif. (Jul. 26, 2003) -- Family and loved ones anxiously wait as the amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) pulls into her berth at Naval Station San Diego. Pearl Harbor is part of the seven-ship Amphibious Task Force West (ATF-W), returning home after supporting U.S. and coalition forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Angela D. Gonzalez. (RELEASED)

Lt. Jake Parsons is met by his wife Glory as he returns from duty in the Middle East. Lt. Parsons was deployed in support of the war against Iraq with The Golden Dragons of VFA 27. Parsons and his wife are expecting their first child in September. When asked what she thought of while her husband was deployed to the war Mrs. Parsons answered, "I just prayed all the time." U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer's Mate Spike Call....

Leathernecks from Marine Attack Squadron 513 and Marine Aircraft Group 13 arrive home. They provided close air support for the United States and coalition forces on the ground in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Photo submitted 10/03/2003 -- Taken by Cpl. Daniel Thomas. Re-published from U.S. Central Command News.

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (Apr. 27, 2003) -- A Sailor reunites with a family member on the pier after his ship, the guided missile frigate USS Reuben James (FFG 57) returned to homeport after an extended nine-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class William R. Goodwin. (RELEASED)

OAK HARBOR, Wash. (March 29, 2008) Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Lucas Trachsel, assigned to the "Gray Wolves" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142, greets his daughters during a homecoming for VAQ-142 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island after a six-month deployment to Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tucker M. Yates (Released)

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Soldiers escort detainees to a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in southwestern Iraq. The detainees were apprehended during a raid on a suspected terrorist training camp. The Soldiers are assigned to the 101st Pathfinder Company, 101st Airborne Division. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kieran Moore.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper salutes as Air Force Honor Guard members fold a flag during a funeral ceremony Aug. 29 for Lt. Col. William R. Watkins III and Capt. Eric B. Das at Arlington National Cemetery. Watkins and Das were killed April 7 when their F-15E Strike Eagle went down on a combat mission over Iraq. The fliers were assigned to the 333rd Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Melissa Allan)

PRINCE SULTAN AIR BASE, Saudi Arabia -- An F-15 Eagle takes off during Operation Southern Watch, which was a major operation here for the past seven years. U.S. officials ended an era with the inactivation of the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing at a ceremony Aug. 26. At the height of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the base was home to more than 5,000 troops and about 200 coalition aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Sean M. Worrell)

Soldiers with the 489th Engineer Battalion take cover after receiving sniper fire near the town of Falluja, Iraq, during a routine patrol, Aug. 4. The Army Reserve unit out of Arkansas supports the 1st Cavalry Division. DoD photo by Spc. Robert Liddy.

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) secure their position for another squad conducting a cordon and search of suspected homes for weapons in Mosul, Iraq, Aug. 5. Army photo by Spc. Kieran Moore, 982nd Signal Company (Combat Camera).

ON POINT -- U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Brandon Storey secures a road next to a destroyed Iraqi armored-personnel carrier during a training mission near Baghdad, Iraq. Storey is a forward air controller with the 1st Expeditionary Air Operations Support Squadron. He is deployed from the 1st Air Operations Support Squadron at Baumholder, Germany. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Robert R. Hargreaves...

AN AMERICAN SOLDIER Pfc. Jessica Lynch receives the Purple Heart from Lt. Gen. James B. Peake, U.S. Army surgeon general, during a ceremony at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on July 21. Lynch also received the Bronze Star and the Prisoner of War Medal. U.S. Army photo by Brett McMillan.

First Lt. Mary Newell provides security outside Saddam Hussein's former palace in Tikrit, Iraq, while coalition forces destroy a warlike statue at the palace that served as a symbol of the deposed dictator's power. Newell is a platoon leader in the 411th Military Police Company, 720th MP Battalion. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Klaus Baesu.

Marines of 2nd Platoon, K Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, search through items on a roof of a house during a patrol July 13, 2003 in Karbala, Iraq. The patrol was part of an effort by the battalion to find weapon stockpiles and potential threats to civilians and coalition forces. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Nathan Alan Heusdens..

DUSTY, DANGEROUS DUTY — U.S. Army Pfc. Adam Jones from B Company, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), exits a Bradley fighting vehicle after a patrol of Fallujah, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Routine presence patrols are B Company's major peacetime mission. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Derek Gaines.....

U.S. Army Spc. Scott Gerwig, of the 321st Psychological Operations Company, attached to the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), stands guard July 2, 2003, as his team investigates a fire in Fallujah, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Derek Gaines.

Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division scout for black marketers in Hatra, Iraq. The Soldiers are cracking down on a black market ring dealing in stolen weapons and vehicles. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Ronald Mitchell.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Tony Newbern marks the location of unexploded ordnance with a yellow ribbon and notes the coordinates using a Global Positioning System receiver. Explosive ordnance disposal specialists traveling with the Combined Weapons Effectiveness Assessment Team in Iraq report ordnance information to an Army team for detonation. Newbern is deployed to Iraq from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Roger Burdette)

Atlantic Ocean (Jun. 23, 2003) -- CH-53E Super Stallions line the deck aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) as it makes its way across the Atlantic Ocean. The helicopters provided the heavy lift capability for re-supplying the Marines ashore during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Kearsarge is on its way home from a successful deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Kearsarge also provided support to the President of the United States during his summits with the Arab leaders in Egypt and Jordan, and was extended on deployment to assist with Operation Shining Express. Kearsarge is scheduled to arrive at her homeport of Naval Station Norfolk, Va., on June 30, 2003. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Kenny Swartout. (RELEASED)

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Firefighters put out a fire during a rescue and emergency training exercise June 23. The airmen are deployed from Pope Air Force Base, N.C., to the 321st Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Spencer Lalic)

Sgt. Brandi Meizsel clears a building during a raid on a market in downtown Baghdad, Iraq. The raid was conducted to search for weapons and other black market items. Meizsel is a member of the 812th Military Police Company. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Edwin M Bridges.

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- 615th Air Mobility Operations Group personnel lay concertina wire to secure the perimeter of a forward-deployed location in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman JoAnn S. Makinano)

NEAR THE SYRIAN-IRAQ BORDER (Army News Service June 10, 2003) Sgt. Bryan Beville, rifleman, Pathfinder Company, 6th Bn., 101st Avn., Rgt., 101st Airborne Division, checks the Syrian-Iraq border 500 meters away for illegal or suspicious activity with a spotting scope. (photo by Spc. Joshua Hutcheson, 101st Airborne Division PAO)

Sgt. 1st Class Terry Williams renders a final salute at a memorial ceremony in Iraq. The ceremony is for Staff Sgt. Kenneth Bradley, a fellow Soldier from the 588th Engineer Battalion, who died of natural causes during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion is currently located near the city of Baqubah, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. William Davis.

LCpl Kayzehn Enas, 22, bulk fuel specialist, Bulk Fuel Co Charlie, 6th ESB, mans a M240G machinegun during a convoy. Photo by: Cpl Jeff Hawk

(Left to Right) LCpls Craig Long, 22; Leroy Sekaquaptewa, 19; and Kayzehn Enas, 22, pose for a photo on the back of a humvee where they are providing security for a convoy. All three are reserve bulk fuelers with Bulk Fuel Co Charlie, 6th ESB, based in Phoenix. Photo by: Cpl Jeff Hawk

A group of Iraqi citizens gets a close look at an Army M1-A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank and the soldiers who operate it on the streets of Baghdad. The troopers and their tank are taking part in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. Photo courtesy of the DoD

Everett, Wash. (May 5, 2003) -- The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) returns home from nearly a ten-month deployment in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Michael B. W. Watkins. (RELEASED)

A soldier with the 716th Military Police Battalion mans an automatic machine gun and watches as his fellow soldiers, Marines and Iraqi police search a bus that was out past the curfew in Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq April 29. Photo by: Cpl. Jeremy M. Vought.....

The Mediterranean Sea (May 3, 2003) -- An F/A 18 “Hornet“ from the "Valions" of Strike Fighter Squadron One Five (VFA-15) launches from the flight deck of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). The “Valions “are a part of Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8) currently embarked aboard the nuclear powered aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt operating in the Mediterranean Sea. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Apprentice Michael McCannCole. (RELEASED)

VIP PALACE — From their high vantage point in Saddam Hussein's cleared and looted northern "VIP" palace in Mosul, Iraq, soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division survey the palace grounds and the Tigris River beyond. The division recently shifted its operations north from Baghdad to help preserve the security of Mosul and other Northern Iraqi cities. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. James Matise..

Pvt. 1st Class Kelvin Hunt, Company B, 10th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), clears a field around a Iraqi Medina Division garrison outside the town of Al Yusufyah, April 4. The 3rd ID is in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom......U.S. Army photo courtesy 3rd ID Public Affairs Office.

Soldiers from Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, convoy north along Highway 8 in Iraq. The artillerymen support the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team during ongoing operations to keep the main supply route leading to Baghdad secure. U.S. Army photo Spc. Jason B. Baker.

READY TO JUMP — Members from the 820th Security Forces Group wait to leave an HC-130 for a static line jump over Tallil Air Base, Iraq May 1during Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo.

Pvt. Joshua Johnson of the 4th Infantry Division performs sentry duty at the Mosul airport in Iraq. The 4th ID is providing security around the Mosul area in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. Photo courtesy of Department of Defense.

Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, Calif. (May 2, 2003) -- Sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) man the rails as the ship pulls into NAS North Island, during their port visit to off-load the ship’s Air Wing. Lincoln and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14) are returning from a 10-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Lewis Hunsaker. (RELEASED)

Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division's Company B, 502nd Infantry Battalion, are accompanied by a large group of excited children during a patrol in Mosul, Iraq. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Bracken.

The Arabian Gulf (Apr. 25, 2003) -- An Iraqi civilian is loaded on an Army Blackhawk Helicopter, after receiving medical aid for injuries aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20.) Several Iraqis' were brought aboard Comfort for treatment of injuries both war related and non-combatant. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Shane T. McCoy. (RELEASED)

NORTHERN ARABIAN GULF, Iraq, Apr. 28 -- QM2 Wangdu Hovey, a member of the USCGC Walnuts dive team, inspects an Iraqi buoy for mines prior to replacement. The Walnut is replacing buoys in the Khawr Abd Allah waterway to ensure safe transit for vessels sailing to the port of Umm Kusr including vessels bringing humanitarian aid to the people of Iraq.

Naval Support Activity, Bahrain (Apr. 24, 2003) -- The mine warfare ship, USS Cardinal (MHC 60) returns to her homeport at Naval Support Activity Bahrain after 45 days at sea conducting mine clearing operations in the Northern Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Photographer's Mate 1st Class Arlo K. Abrahamson. (RELEASED)

Sgt. 1st Class Otis Nunn, frequency manager, 101st Airborne Division, (Air Assault) watches a sunset on the balcony of one of Saddam's palaces in Mosul. The palace was completed in 1994 and overlooks the Tigris River. Photo by Pfc. Joshua Hutcheson.

In Az Zubayr, Iraq, U.S. Army Soldiers, British Royal Marines, and Iraqi civilians help to dig out the railroad tracks in order to clear the path for trains to run from Basrah to Umm Qasr. The project is part of efforts to help rebuild Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Deborah Molnar...........

A 3rd Infantry Division Soldier provides security at a power plant in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The U.S. Army is now focusing on restoring critical infrastructure services such as electrical power and water supply to Iraq in order to improve the quality of life for the Iraqi people. Photo courtesy of Department of Defense.

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (Apr. 24, 2003) -- Sailors aboard the Los Angeles class attack submarine USS Cheyenne (SSN 773) wave to family members as the submarine pulls into port returning from deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Benjamin D. Glass. (RELEASED)

Camp Patriot, Kuwait (Mar. 29, 2003) -- Elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), offload personnel and equipment at Camp Patriot in preparation for missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 24 MEU is embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4). Nassau and 24 MEU are deployed in support of Iraqi Freedom, the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Joseph Krypel. (RELEASED)

AL NUMINIYAH, Iraq - Taking up one of the infantry's defensive formations, Cpl. Dana W. Perkins, a team leader with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment and native of Lancaster, N.H., scans the area for signs of danger. His team kneels behind him in the background, awaiting his orders. Perkins recently saved the lives of his team members by shooting an enemy firing at them. The shot was made at 350 yards, which would be a challenge for many marksmen but is just part of basic training for Marines.................

Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, conduct patrols and perform a show of force throughout their sector of Baghdad, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Luis Lazzara.........

Paratroopers of 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division remain vigilant, even by moonlight, while pulling perimeter security Thursday morning on the outskirts of the village of Khar Bolah, Afghanistan. Elements of the 504th and 505th PIRs searched the village for weapons and anti-coalition forces Wednsday. (Photo by Pfc. Charles D. Meseke)

BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 22, 2003 — Coalition forces and the Kuwaiti government teamed up to get a convoy of much-needed food to the animals of the Baghdad Zoo this weekend, Central Command officials said. When officials at the Baghdad Zoo asked for assistance in caring for the animals, the Kuwaiti government donated a two-week supply of fruits, vegetables and meat, as well as a one-month supply of dry feed. The coalition's Humanitarian Operations Center arranged for transportation of the shipment. The Kuwait Zoo and Kuwait's Director General of the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fisheries has offered veterinary and agricultural support to Iraq.

AL KUT, Iraq - Lance Cpl. Navata Frazier and Staff Sgt. Alexander Flores, both with 4th Civil Affairs Group, transport medical supplies to a clinic to be used by local residents of Al Kut Apr. 27.
Photo by: Sgt. Chris Carney............

$640 MIL – U.S. Army Maj. Rodney King, Provost Marshall's Office, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), displays U.S. currency found April 19 in Iraq in what was described as a tool shed. The approximate value of the find is $640 million. The currency will be secured and transported to a secure location. US Army photo by Cpl. Thomas Bray....

WASHINGTON -- Some aircraft credited with delivering overwhelming military capability to coalition forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom are now distributing food, supplies and medical care to the people of Iraq, officials said April 16.

Operation: Iraqi Freedom -- A mortar carrier rumbles down a Kirkuk road in Iraq. Elements from the mechanized 1st Infantry Division are supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of Task Force 1-63. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Brandon Aird.

A Bradley fighting vehicle from the U.S. Army's mechanized 3rd Infantry Division helps secure an area south of the Karbala Gap in Iraq. The division has played a crucial role in Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jacob Boyer.

The Arabian Gulf (Apr. 15, 2003) -- Crewmembers aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) unload nearly 300 pallets of supplies on the flight deck during a Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP) with the fast combat support ship USS Bridge (AOE 10). Nimitz and Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) are currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Tiffini M. Jones. (RELEASED)

Paratroopers assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, provide security while the unit searches for a large cache of weapons in the Kohi Sofi region of Afghanistan. The troops are taking part in Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Milton H. Robinson.

NORTH ARABIAN GULF, April 10 -- Seaman Apprentice Brett O. Davidson of Orlando Fl., works onboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Adak in the North Arabian Gulf off the coast of Iraq. The Adak is one of four 110-foot patrol boats in the Gulf region in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. USCG photo by PA1 Tom Sperduto.........

FIGHTING FALCON — An F-16 pilot with the 410th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward deployed location, goes over mission documentation before flight. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III......

The Mediterranean Sea (Apr. 2, 2003) -- An F/A-18 Hornet assigned to the ‘Silver Eagles’ of Marine Fighter-Attack Squadron One Fifteen (VMFA-115) conducts in flight refueling exercises with a KC-135 Stratotanker over Iraq. USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and CVW-3 are deployed conducting combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate weapons of mass destruction, and end he regime of Sadaam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo. (RELEASED)

NORTH ABRABIAN GULF March 28 -- The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Boutwell, homeported in Alameda, Ca., patrols near the Khawr al Amaya oil terminal in the North Arabian Gulf. USCG photo by PA1 Tom Sperduto...

A Soldier from the Task Force 3-69, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), provides security during the unit's movement toward Baghdad, April 4. The 3rd ID is deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Craig Zentkovich.

Central Command Area of Responsibility (Apr. 6, 2003) -- The guided missile cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65) (left) and guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) transit the Straits of Hormuz while entering the Arabian Gulf region. Chosin and Fitzgerald are deployed conducting missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer’s Mate Kevin Farmer. (RELEASED)

U.S. Army Sgt. Mark Phiffer stands guard duty near a burning oil well in the Rumaylah Oil Fields in southern Iraq, April 2. Coalition forces have successfully secured the southern oil fields for the economic future of the Iraqi people and are in the process of extinguishing the burning wells that were set ablaze in the early stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo courtesy Joint Combat Camera Center...

U.S. Central Command Feature Photo: Operation Iraqi Freedom -- Marines move toward An Nasiriya, Iraq on 24 March 2003. (US Army Photo by Cpt. Gregory Pearly)

Southern, Iraq (Apr. 2, 2003) -- A U.S. Army soldier stands guard duty near a burning oil well in the Rumaylah Oil Fields in Southern Iraq. Coalition forces have successfully secured the southern oil fields for the economic future of the Iraqi people and are in the process of extinguishing the burning wells that were set ablaze in the early stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Arlo K. Abrahamson. (RELEASED)

CENTRAL IRAQ - 23 MARCH 03 - Spec. Isaiah Oliver, mans a MK-19 Grenade Launcher mounted on a HUMVEE in Central Iraq. The Columbia, S.C. soldier is serving with the 6039th Military Police Company from Bamburg, Germany. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class David K. Dismukes/CFLCC Public Affairs)

03/26/03 - OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Airmen struggle to walk through a heavy sand storm at a forward-deployed air base March 26. Troops supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom are battling sand storms throughout Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Derrick C. Goode)

USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC/JCC) -- An H-46D Sea Knight, whose crew is assigned to Combined Joint Task Force -- Horn of Africa, flies over the German container vessel, Warnow Trader, with a load of supplies during a replenishment at sea March 27. The ship is on its way to Kuwait with troops and equipment from the 4th Infantry Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo by: Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Phillips....

A paratrooper from the U.S. Army 173d Airborne Brigade mans a defensive position in northern Iraq, Sunday. About 1,000 paratroopers from the brigade conducted an airborne operation to seize an airfield in northern Iraq, March 26. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Brandon Aird.

Umm Qasr, Iraq (Mar. 28, 2003) -- A member of Commander Task Unit (CTU-55.4.3) directs an MH 53E Sea Dragon helicopter assigned to the “Vanguards” of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fourteen (HM-14) for launch at the port of Umm Qasr, Iraq. CTU-55.4.3 consists of U.S. Naval Special Clearance Team-1, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Units 6 and 8, Fleet Diving Unit 3 from the United Kingdom, and a Clearance Dive Team from Australia, all are conducting deep/shallow water mine counter measure operations to clear shipping lanes. The unit was instrumental in clearing the way for the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Landing Ship Logistic RFA Sir Galahad (L 3005), which delivered the first wave of humanitarian aid in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Bob Houlihan. (RELEASED)

Umm Qsar, Iraq (Mar. 28, 2003) -- The Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Landing Ship Logistic RFA Sir Galahad (L 3005) arrives in the Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr delivering the first shipment of humanitarian aid from coalition forces. Sir Galahad, with a capability of carrying approximately 400 troops, with a beaching capacity of 3,440 tons, is the first ship to deliver coalition humanitarian supplies in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It is currently loaded with 232,300 Kg. of supplies for the people of Iraq

Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) in firing positions during an enemy approach on their position at Objective Rams, in Southern Iraq, March 24, 2003. Joint Combat Camera Center photo by Sgt. Igor Paustovski, U.S. Army...

By U.S. Marine Capt. Dan McSweeney -- WASHINGTON, March 25, 2003 — Elements of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force secured the Southern Oil Producing Region of Iraq in one of the first objectives of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Days after the 5th Marines and 7th Marines moved through the area, encountering resistance from Iraqi forces and ultimately defeating them, a team of specialists traveled through the smoke-filled desert around Rumailah in a mission to secure and assess burning oil facilities.

"We're here to assess the condition of the Gas Oil Separation Plants and other elements of the oil infrastructure. Right now, seven oil wells are on fire and two are significantly damaged," said Lt. Col. Bill Hatton, 1st MEF deputy engineer. "A number of these facilities are booby-trapped and some of the oil tanks are overflowing." More

Photo 2) MTVR carries an iso container and an M108 trailer full of supplies to MCAS Joe Foss in Coyote East, Kuwait. Photo by: Lcpl Jonathan T. Spencer.

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Master Sgt. Joe Cross ropes off a safe area far from an uncontrolled natural-gas fire in the Rumaylah oil fields in southern Iraq on March 23. Cross and other explosives ordnance disposal airmen are disarming any unexploded ordnance, land mines or booby traps to help firefighters safely tackle the blaze. Cross is assigned to the 384th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. James P. Johnson)

Three captains from the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, mourn the loss of their comrade at a memorial service Monday morning in Kuwait. (photo by Spc. Joshua M. Risner, 40th PAD)

The Mediterranean (Mar. 22, 2003) -- An F-14 Tomcat assigned to the "Black Lions" of Fighter Squadron Two One Three (VF-213) prepares to launch from the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8) are on deployment conducting combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U. S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Brad Garner. (RELEASED)

TROOP SURRENDER -- Iraqi soldiers surrender to U.S. Marines making their way north toward Baghdad during Operation Iraqi freedom. So ar, there have been more than 1000 Enemy Prisoner's of War as a result of recent surrender during the operation. Photo by: LCPL BRIAN L. WICKLIFFE

Supplies for the division Assault Command Post were sling-loaded on Chinook helicopters at Camp New Jersey and flown out, headed for Iraqi territory. The 101st Airborne Division's unique capability to transport large amounts of its equipment by helicopter makes it a highly mobile unit with the ability to send a brigade deep behind enemy lines and quickly overpower large areas of land. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. James R Matise

CENTRAL IRAQ - March 23, 2003 - A Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle crew takes a break in Central Iraq. The crew is part of the land force that has moved in 32 hours what it did in 96 hours 12 yrs ago. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class David K. Dismukes.

The Arabian Gulf (Mar. 21, 2003) -- A Sailor aboard fast combat support ship USS Rainier (AOE 7) attaches a cargo hook to a CH-46 Sea Knight assigned to the “Gunbearers” of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Eleven Detachment Five (HC-11 Det. 5), during a recent vertical replenishment (VERTREP) at sea with the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Lincoln and Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14) are conducting combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Gabriel Piper. (RELEASED)

AT SEA -- The guided missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) launches a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) toward Iraq during the initial stages of the Operation Iraqi Freedom, in this image released March 22. Milius is homeported in San Diego, California. U.S. President George W. Bush examined the latest reports of fighting along the Iraqi frontlines on Saturday and warned Americans the war could be 'longer and more difficult' than some thought. (U.S. Navy Photo)

Central Command Area of Operation (Mar. 22, 2003) -- The guided missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) launches a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) toward Iraq during the initial stages of the Operation Iraqi Freedom. Milius is homeported in San Diego, Calif. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Thomas Lynaugh. (RELEASED)

ATTACK BEGINS — The USS Donald Cook launches three Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles towards Iraq, March 20, 2003. The ship's TLAMs are among the first to be fired in the liberation of Iraq. The Cook is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Alan J. Baribeau U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Alan J. Baribeau.

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Shock & Awe Campaign Pounds Baghdad and Other Iraqi Cities
For more images of the bombing attack on Baghdad; access media links on front page.

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030320-N-7130B-506 The Mediterranean Sea (Mar. 20, 2003) -- An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the "Hunters" of Strike Fight Squadron Two Zero One (VFA-201) launches from the flight deck aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8) are deployed conducting combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Aaron Burden. (RELEASED)

03/21/03 - OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons return to a forward-deployed base in Southwest Asia supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt Terry L. Blevins)

LEADING THE CHARGE — A Tomahawk missile leaves the deck of USS Bunker Hill this morning in route to Iraq. Bunker Hill is currently forward deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of ongoing operations against Iraq. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class (AW) Richard Moore, Fleet Combat Camera Group Pacific.

03/20/03 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- The first of two Air Force F-117 Nighthawks lands in the early morning hours at a forward-deployed air base after a mission on March 20. Nighthawks from the 8th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron out of Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., are deployed supporting all ongoing operations. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Derrick Goode)

A Soldier of the 101st Airborne Division's 159th Aviation Brigade guides a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter ambulance to a landing during a medical evacuation training mission near Mosul, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kieran Moore.

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