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Casualty Info
Home Town Ganado, TX
Last Address Ft. Hood, TX
Casualty Date Sep 18, 2003
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Gun, Small Arms Fire
Location Iraq
Conflict Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
Location of Interment Assumption Cemetery - Ganado, Texas
OIF/Transition of Iraq (2003-04)/Operation Desert Scorpion
From Month/Year
June / 2003
To Month/Year
June / 2003
Description Operation Desert Scorpion was a major U.S.operation to identify and eliminate anti-coalition forces while simultaneously delivering humanitarian aid. The area of operation was mainly in north-central Iraq and was conducted between 15 and 29 June 2003. The stated task and purpose of Operation Desert Scorpion was to defeat remaining enemy non-compliant forces. It was planned as a major operation supporting the first "post-hostilities" campaign plan which had been issued just a week prior to its inception.
Background
The operation followed Operation Peninsula Strike, which had ended three days earlier, and was part of a U.S response to a major spike in attacks by anti-coalition forces that began in late May 2003. Operation Peninsula Strike was a 4th Infantry Division operation and was directly influenced by earlier warning orders of Operation Desert Scorpion.This operation was supported from Camp Spearhead Kuwait, by the 149th Transportation Company (POCC), 10th Transportation BN (TML), 7th Transportation GRP(COMP).
The operation
Combined Joint Task Force 7 conducted the operation that included elements from the 3rd Infantry Division, the 4th Infantry Division, the 101st Airborne Division, 1st Armored Division, the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment. The scheme of maneuver was first to gain intelligence to identify those elements, or forces, in Iraq that were preventing the establishment of interim governing capability. Simultaneously, the operation was to identify those elements who were supporting governance and stability in Iraq, and identify public works projects that would enable their efforts. The operation was designed to commence with country wide operations that defeated those remaining non - compliant forces while simultaneously providing funds and projects to those areas, and local leaders, who supported the growth of Iraqi governance and stability.
The 3rd Infantry Division conducted five raids and detained 20. The 3ID also seized 20 anti-tank rounds, three AK-47s, one Rocket propelled grenade and some C4 explosives along with detonators. The 3ID's humanitarian contributions to the operation included coordinating a trash collection service and removing 64 loads of trash from Fallujah and continued to work with the municipality to re-establish a waste collection system.
The 4th Infantry Division conducted 43 raids in an area ranging from Kirkuk in the north to Taji in the south and initially detained 288 individuals. Sixty-five of the detained were held. The unit seized three AK-47s, one mortar site and one Dragunov night site. The division also placed a contract for playground equipment and a retaining wall for a school in their area, assisted a general hospital with $1,000 drug and supply purchase and purchased an ambulance.
Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division conducted three raids and detained 12 individuals. The 101st Airborne Division also worked to rebuild drainage ditches and renovating the Mayor’s office in Makhmur, along with rebuilding at kindergarten schools.
The 1st Armored Division executed offensive actions in Baghdad conducting six raids and detaining 22 individuals. The unit seized nine rifles, eight pistols, three knives, two boxes of grenades, one bomb and three 127mm rounds.
The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment conducted 11 raids and detained 39 individuals. It also passed out school supplies to the local schools in the eastern part of Iraq.
Aftermath
During the raids, two former Iraqi generals turned themselves in, Maj. Gen. Abdul Ali Jasmin, secretary of the Defense Ministry, and Brig. Gen. Abdullah Ali Jasmin, head of the Iraqi Military Academy and were detained for questioning. Operation Desert Scorpion also resulted in the seizure of eight million Dollars as well as a large sum of British pounds and Euros.
Unfortunately, the operation did not achieve the desired effects. It was hampered initially by a failure to provide for the public works projects so critical to its success. While the Divisions' submitted a total of approximately $53 million in requirements, only some $20 million were funded. Thus, the force did not achieve its aim to publicly demonstrate commitment to rewarding those who supported stability in Iraq. As well, the force did not allow time to develop the intelligence required to find, target and then attack the leaders of local insurgent movements. However, the legacy of Operation Desert Scorpion is still seen today in operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. It has become a pattern for operations in both theaters.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
June / 2003
To Month/Year
June / 2003
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories June 15, 2003 - June 29, 2003 In order to isolate and defeat remaining pockets of resistance seeking to delay the transition to a peaceful and stable Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force 7 initiated Operation Desert Scorpion on June 15, 2003.
This operation, which follows Operation Peninsula Strike, is designed to identify and defeat selected Ba?ath party loyalists, terrorist organizations and criminal elements while delivering humanitarian aid simultaneously.
Combat operations will be followed by synchronized stability and humanitarian operations designed to assist a transition to Iraqi self-rule. These include engineer and civil affairs initiatives to repair damaged infrastructure, support the growth of police forces and local government and improve the lives of Iraq?s citizens.
The goal of Operation Desert Scorpion, in keeping with our ultimate mission, will be to help establish a permissive and secure environment and to facilitate a rapid transition to Iraqi self-sufficiency.
In the central region near Tikrit and Kirkuk, Coalition forces conducted 36 raids and detained 215 individuals in the first days of the operation. Coalition forces also performed humanitarian fuel escort missions in the region.
By June 16, 2003 Coalition forces in the Baghdad area conducted 11 raids and detained 156 individuals. Coalition forces also collected 121 rifles, two submachine guns, 19 pistols, 18 rocket-propelled grenades, four machine guns, 31 pounds of explosives, and some chemical protective masks.
As of July 29, 2003, Operation Desert Scorpion was summarized by DOD officials as having consisted of 13 raids and resulted in the capture of 38 detainees, including nine captured by the 1st Armored Division in the course of the seven raids the unit conducted in Baghdad. Operation Desert Scorpion had also resulted in the seizure of $8M as well as a large sum of British pounds and Euros.