Book R & R: Rampage by James M. Scott

This Book Recommendation and Review is for Rampage: MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manilla by James M. Scott.

I don’t remember how this book has been sitting on my “to be read” shelf for so long. I do remember that I had read another book by the author (Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor) and that I enjoyed his writing style. Moreover, I admit that before reading this book I had very little knowledge about the Battle of Manila, and I wanted to know more. So I bought it. Right away I should have moved it to the top of the pile.

General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the “Tiger of Malaya,” was tasked to defend the Japanese-occupied Philippines in September 1944, just ten days before American forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur landed on Leyte. By January 1945, the Americans had landed in two places on the island of Luzon and were working to encircle Manila, the Philippine capital. Yamashita did not declare Manila an open city like MacArthur did in 1941 (to prevent the city’s destruction). He did, however, order a subordinate commander, Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi, to withdraw from the city. Iwabuchi commanded approximately 16,000 Japanese sailors and marines. Rather than leave the city, he had his troops dig in and fight to the death. During the battle, his troops also systematically destroyed the city’s business buildings, burned entire neighborhoods of civilian homes, and killed every Filipino they could find. For what became known as the “Manila Massacre,” Yamashita was charged with war crimes.

In Rampage, James M. Scott provides appropriate background on MacArthur, Yamashita, and the invasion of the Philippines in order to set the stage for the Battle of Manila. The actual fighting and tactics involved are covered in broad brush strokes. The battle primarily involved soldiers from the 1^st Cavalry Division, the 37^th Infantry Division, and the 11^th Airborne Division. Much attention is given to the rescue of the internees held at Santa Tomas University and their hardships during over three years of captivity. An even greater percentage of the book is dedicated to telling the story of war crimes committed by the Japanese Marines against Filipino civilians. Warning: The descriptions are direct quotes from survivors’ accounts and they are graphic. It is estimated that over 100,000 civilians were killed. The book concludes with the trial of General Yamashita immediately after his surrender at the end of the war.

I enjoyed the book. It was readable and paced well so that the pages kept turning. I learned some things I did not know before reading Rampage and I’m left wondering why the atrocities committed during the Manila Massacre are not better known in the United States. I recommend the book because I was entertained and educated and you can’t really ask for more from a nonfiction book. But I think it’s important to remember exactly what kind of horrible acts mankind is capable of committing. So this book is going to stay on my "read again someday" shelf next to The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang, and Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher R. Browning.

Full Disclosure: Neither the author nor the publisher provided a review copy of this book. It’s true, I only review books that I like and recommend that you read. And yep, the links to Amazon are affiliates, so I’ll get a few pennies if you choose to purchase one of the books I’ve mentioned above. Thanks!

A Summary History of the 1st Aviation Brigade

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"Golden Hawks"
(Original article written by Jim Broumley, 5/15/2008)

1st Aviation Brigade SSI
 

In 1965, as the U.S. Army's involvement in Vietnam grew deeper, the ubiquitous use of the helicopter in the new "frontless" war became apparent. The Army had to have the means to maintain tactical and administrative control over all of its divisional and non-divisional aviation assets in the country. It did this with the creation of the 1st Aviation Brigade, the Golden Hawks.

In April 1965 the USA Aviation Brigade (Provisional) was activated in Vietnam with the existing 13th, 14th, 52nd, and 145th Aviation Battalions reporting to it. In August it became the 12th Aviation Group. Now doubled in size, the 12th Aviation Group was used as the basis to form the 1st Aviation Brigade in March 1966.

The Brigade served in Vietnam from May 1966 until March 1973. At its peak strength, the 1st AVN BDE had over 4,000 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft and 24,000 soldiers assigned. The organization became so large that the Brigade was organized into Aviation Groups. The Groups were then assigned Aviation Battalions and Companies, or Squadrons and Troops in the case of Cavalry units. The 1st Aviation Brigade was responsible for forty percent of the Army's helicopter assets and one hundred percent of its fixed-wing assets in Vietnam. In 1969, the brigade carried more than 6.5 million troops in more than 4 million sorties, flying more than 1.5 million hours to accomplish this monumental mission. Units of the Brigade performed brilliantly throughout the war and were instrumental in inventing and perfecting the art of helicopter warfare. Upon withdrawal from the Republic of South Vietnam, the Golden Hawks were sent to Fort Rucker, Alabama, to serve as a training brigade where they are still stationed today.

During the Vietnam War, the 1st Aviation Brigade and its support units constituted the largest operational aviation brigade in the Army. As such, the Golden Hawks were involved in practically every operation of note during the conflict. However, Lam Son 719 stands out because it involved heavy use of aviation assets, including the 1st Aviation Brigade. This Operation demonstrates both the successes and the failures in the use of helicopters during the, up to that date, unconventional war that was Vietnam. It is also demonstrative of the sacrifices made by the aircrews who manned them.

Operation Lam Son 719 involved a mass use of Army helicopters. The Operation took place from February 8th to March 25, 1971. Its mission was the coordinated insertion of South Vietnamese troops by air and armored units into Laos. While ground troops were strictly South Vietnamese, the United States provided logistical, aerial, and artillery support. The intent of the operation was to drive the North Vietnamese regular army out of areas of Laos contiguous to the South Vietnamese border.

As United States forces were not allowed to operate on the ground inside of Laos, the American portion of the mission was given the name Operation Dewey Canyon II. American lift helicopters ferried South Vietnamese troops into Laos. Helicopter gun-ships provided close air support for the South Vietnamese ground forces (ARVN) and destroyed an estimated 88 North Vietnamese P-76 tanks. Unfortunately, the operation was considered a failure on the ground when the South Vietnamese forces took heavy losses in their withdrawal from Laos. Combined U.S./ARVN helicopter losses totaled 108 destroyed and 618 damaged. During Lam Son 719 American helicopters had flown more than 160,000 sorties and 19 U.S. Army aviators had been killed, 59 were wounded, and 11 were missing at its conclusion. Many of the helicopters were shot down by Soviet-built 37-millimeter (mm), radar-directed, antiaircraft guns.

During Lam Son 719, Army helicopter pilots often were forced to fly in what at best could be discerned as marginal weather. Helicopters serving in the Vietnam War did not have tactical radar on board, so pilots had a difficult time flying during inclement weather. The fact that more helicopters were not lost during this operation was due, in large measure, to the flying skills and bravery of these pilots. Lam Son 719 itself incurred a great deal of controversy inside and outside of military circles as to its efficacy and results. The operation served as a lessons-learned report for the Army. None of which detracts from the hard work and courage of the aircrews who wore the Golden Hawks shoulder patch.

Today, the 1st Aviation Brigade is responsible for training aviation officers, warrant officers, and soldiers with a variety of aviation military occupational specialties (MOS). The Golden Hawks Brigade Headquarters and most subordinate units are stationed at the United States Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama. The 1st Aviation Brigade commands four distinctly different battalions, each with a unique mission to train young soldiers and officers - the 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment; the 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment; 1st Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment; and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Training Battalion at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Additionally, the 1st Aviation Brigade commands the U.S. Army's Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Level C Training Detachment. Along with its many command responsibilities, logistical support requirements, and administrative duties, the Brigade's primary mission is to train and develop future aviation warfighting leaders.

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What happened at Howland Island during WWII?

If the name “Howland Island” rings a bell with you at all, it’s probably because it was the spot in the Pacific Ocean that Amelia Earhart was trying to locate during her around-the-world flight. She didn’t find it. Her plane disappeared on July 2, 1937. But something I didn’t know is that the Japanese bombed Howland Island on December 8, 1941, one day after their attack on Pearl Harbor.

Howland Island is located about 1700 miles southwest of Hawaii. It lies roughly halfway on a direct line from Hawaii to Australia, which made it a good spot to refuel in the early days of transoceanic flying. That is if you could find it. The island is only 1.4 x .55 miles, approximately one square mile in size. Howland came up on my radar when I was watching an excellent YouTube video on World War II in the Pacific. In the list of locations that the Japanese attacked on December 7-8 that we all know, (Hawaii, the Philippines, Wake, Guam, etc.) the narrator included Howland Island. Since I had not heard this before I had to look into it.

Howland Island was on sailing maps by the late 1700s. It is believed that Captain Bligh landed on the island for a short stay in 1789 after being set adrift by the mutineers of the HMS Bounty. Whalers in the early 1800s knew where it was. The United States gained possession of Howland Island in 1856, but really the island was a hazard to navigation (there were multiple shipwrecks on the island) and a place to harvest bird guano. In 1935, colonists came to the island to establish both a scientific research facility and to solidify American claims to this and other South Pacific islands. The belief was that the island would be used as part of a chain of refuel stops for commercial aircraft. In fact, WPA funds were used to build an airstrip on the island specifically for Earhart’s flight.

The Japanese attacked the island on December 8, 1941, with 14 bombers based in the Kwajalein Islands. Two colonists were killed in the attack. There was extensive damage to the airstrip. Two days later a Japanese submarine shelled the island, destroying the remaining buildings that had survived the first attack. Two times a single bomber flew over and dropped bombs on the island, even though there was nothing left to bomb. The U.S. Navy rescued the survivors on January 31, 1942. A battalion of U.S. Marines occupied Howland in September of 1943 and the island was called Howland Naval Air Station. But the war moved on and it was abandoned in May 1944.

Today, Howland is an uninhabited, unorganized, territorial possession of the United States. In 1974, a wildlife refuge was created that included Howland and 12 miles of ocean around it. Entry to the Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge is only by a special permit granted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

A Summary History of the 18th Engineer Brigade

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18th Engineer Brigade
Shoulder Patch

 "Swords Up! Stay Sharp!"
(Original Article written by Jim Broumley, 11/24/2010)

The 18th Engineer Brigade (Theater) is part of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command. The unit's headquarters was stationed at Tompkins Barracks in Schwetzingen, Germany. The brigade mission statement reads: "The 18th Engineer Brigade plans, integrates, and provides command and control of full spectrum engineer missions in support of expeditionary, joint or combined operations for the Regional Combatant Commander." In other words, soldiers of the 18th Engineer Brigade provide various forms of support to other Army units, including combat engineer support, construction, and mechanical work. The Brigade's subordinate units include the 15th Engineer Battalion, the 54th Engineer Battalion, the 60th Engineer Detachment (Geospatial), the 243rd Construction Management Team, and an Emergency Management Assessment Team. The Brigade has participated in World War II, Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 18th Eng Bde has been assigned to USAREUR since 2007.

18th Engineer Brigade
Unit Crest

The 18th Engineer Brigade traces its lineage back to the 347th Engineer General Services Regiment which was constituted in the organized reserves on July 29, 1921. The 347th was ordered to active duty in the build-up for WWII on May 6, 1942, and reported to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. The Regiment deployed to England in February 1944 and entered combat in France on June 29. The 347th participated in the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. The unit won its first Meritorious Unit Commendation in Europe during WWII. After the war, the 347th Engineers stayed on occupation duty in Germany until it was deactivated on June 1, 1946.

On June 15, 1947, the 347th Engineer Regiment was reactivated in the organized reserves and headquartered in Salt Lake, Utah. They remained there until it was again deactivated on March 16, 1949. On October 25, 1954, the 347th Engineer General Services Regiment was re-designated the 18th Engineer Brigade for the first time and activated as a Regular Army unit at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where it remained until being deactivated on March 26, 1963.

The 18th Engineer Brigade was reactivated on July 16, 1965, at Fort Bragg, N.C. and prepared for deployment to Vietnam. From September 1965 until December 1966, the U.S. Army Engineer Command, Vietnam (Provincial) was created and the 18th Engineer Brigade became responsible for engineer support in the I and II Corps Tactical Zones. The Brigade Headquarters was located at Dong Ba Thin. The Brigade's initial activities centered around the rapid development of the port facilities, ammunition dumps, base camps, and airfields necessary to support the build-up of U.S. combat forces that were rapidly deploying to Vietnam. The 18th Engineer Brigade also provided support for combat search and destroy missions. On September 20, 1971, the Brigade was inactivated. The 18th Eng Bde had remained in Vietnam for over six years and participated in fourteen campaigns. The Brigade earned four more Meritorious Unit Citations during Vietnam.

The 18th Engineer Brigade was reactivated at Karlsruhe, Germany on October 21, 1977. For the next 15 years, the Brigade served as the principal construction brigade for the United States Army Europe and Seventh Army. The Brigade performed numerous construction projects in military communities and training areas throughout USAREUR that included massive range upgrades at Grafenwoehr, and the construction of the Range 23 complex at the Wildflecken Major Training Area. The 18th Engineer Brigade was also responsible for providing topographic support to the European Theater.

In 1990 and 1991, during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the 18th Engineer Brigade provided rail and sea deployment support to the VII Corps and deployed a Combat Heavy Battalion and Topographic Company to support operations in Southwest Asia. In April 1991, the Brigade Headquarters, along with the subordinate Combat Heavy Battalion, deployed to Zakho, Iraq in support of Operation Provide Comfort and was awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award for their performance during this operation. As part of the reduction of forces in Europe, the Brigade was deactivated once again on October 15, 1992.

On October 18, 2002, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army approved the USAREUR and Seventh Army Concept Plan to activate the Theater Army Engineer Brigade (TAEB), beginning the process in 2000. The 18th EN BDE (TA) was activated on January 21, 2003. In February 2003, portions of the Brigade deployed to Turkey in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The 18th EN BDE (TA) deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI as Task Force Sword in April of 2005. TF Sword was made up of over 1,800 soldiers, including engineers from Slovakia, Poland, and Korea, and was responsible for the reconstruction of the country's infrastructure and the assured mobility of Coalition Forces. After redeployment, the 18th Engineer Brigade transformed into a functional engineer brigade and began train-up for the next deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

On April 30, 2008, the 18th Engineer Brigade deployed to Tikrit, Iraq in support of OIF 08-10. The brigade planned, coordinated, and tracked force protection construction, base expansion and closure, and quality of life improvements throughout Multi-National Division-North. While on this deployment, the Brigade's rear detachment relocated to Tompkins Barracks, in Schwetzingen, Germany in May 2008. In August 2008, the Brigade relocated to Kirkuk. Then in January 2009, the Brigade received a change of mission and in February 2009 moved to Mosul to take on the mission of the Mosul Reconstruction Operations Center. On July 17, 2009, the 18th Engineer Brigade handed over responsibility of Mosul to the 130th Engineer Brigade. The 18th Engineer Brigade subsequently returned to Schwetzingen, Germany after its 15-month deployment.

The soldiers of the 18th Engineer Brigade continue to serve the country in an exemplary manner, as they always have in times of peace and war. The motto "Essayons et Edifions" emblazoned on the unit's crest is translated as "Let Us Try and Let Us Build." You can count on the 18th Engineer Brigade to do just that.

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A Summary History of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

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"Brave Rifles"
(Original article written 7-7-08 by Jim Broumley)

The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR), stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, is at present the only heavy Armored Cavalry Regiment in the U.S. Army. The other two regiments that make up the "Lucky 16," the 2nd SCR and 11th ACR, have been organized as brigade combat teams. The regiment operates independently over wide areas and is a highly mobile force that can conduct reconnaissance, security, offensive, and defensive operations. It has over 320 armored vehicles (M1A1 Abrams tanks and M3A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles) and over 80 aircraft (including the AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter). The regiment has a total strength of over 4,700 soldiers. The 3rd ACR is part of the U.S. Army's contingency force and can rapidly deploy in the event of emergency situations around the world.

The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, whose nickname is the "Brave Rifles," is currently deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Their mission there is to conduct area security and counterinsurgency operations, develop a credible and capable Iraqi Security Force, and enable economic and political development in a secure and stable Iraq. The current deployment began in the fall of 2007.

The Regiment's history began on May 19, 1846, when it was formed as the "Regiment of Mounted Riflemen" at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. The Regiment was organized into the regular army for "establishing military stations on the route to Oregon" but the Mexican War diverted the Mounted Riflemen from their original mission. As fate would have it, the Regiment lost most of its horses in a storm at sea during the crossing to Mexico from New Orleans. As a result, the Regiment avoided the usual cavalry assignments of the period such as chasing guerrillas and protecting supply lines. Instead, the Regiment fought as infantry in six campaigns during the Mexican War.

It was in the Mexican War that the 3rd Cavalry Regiment earned their moniker of "Brave Rifles" and their motto of "Blood and Steel." Legend has it that as the men of the Regiment lay bloodied and exhausted from fierce fighting at Contreras, Mexico, the General of the Army, Winfield Scott approached to order them into another tough fight. As General Scott approached, each man stood at attention. The General was so overcome by their display of valor that he removed his hat, bowed, and then proclaimed, "Brave Rifles! Veterans! You have been baptized in fire and blood and have come out steel!"

At the end of the Mexican War, the Regiment returned to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, and began the grueling 2,000-mile march to the Oregon Territory to accomplish the mission for which it had originally been organized - the establishment of military outposts on the route to Oregon. In December of 1851, the regiment was ordered to Texas, and for the next four years operated against the Indian tribes living in that area. In 1856, Indian troubles in the New Mexico Territory required additional troops, and the Regiment moved further west, marching through and also garrisoning in Fort Bliss, Texas.

The beginning of the Civil War brought the reorganization of the mounted arm of the United States Army. In August of 1861, the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen was re-designated as the 3rd United States Cavalry Regiment. The 3rd Cavalry remained in New Mexico Territory as security against hostile Indians and possible Confederate incursion. Confederate forces out of Texas did start a campaign to take New Mexico and Colorado Territories early in the war. They were defeated by Union forces that included the 3rd Cavalry Regiment at the Battle of Glorieta Pass, near Santa Fe, in March of 1862. This defeat caused Confederate forces to withdraw back to Texas.

In December of 1862, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment moved to Memphis, Tennessee to join the western theater of the war. During the Civil War, the 3rd Cavalry fought in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and North Carolina, participating in the Chattanooga Campaign as part of the advance guard of Sherman's Army. After the war, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment was again sent to New Mexico to help settle the frontier and participate in the Indian Wars.

From 1866 until 1871 the 3rd U.S. Cavalry participated in operations against the Apache in New Mexico and Arizona. In late 1871 the Regiment was transferred north to the Department of the Platte, which covered an area that covered the states of Wyoming, Montana, the Dakotas and Nebraska. The Regiment participated in the Little Big Horn Campaign against the Sioux and Cheyenne. On June 17, 1876, ten companies of the 3rd Cavalry fought in the Battle of Rosebud Creek. This was the largest battle between the Army and the Indians in the history of the American West. The final surrender of Geronimo to elements of the 3rd Cavalry in 1886 signaled the end of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment's participation in the Indian Wars.

In April of 1898, the 3rd United States Cavalry found themselves assembled at Camp Thomas, Georgia as an element of a provisional cavalry division, part of the army gathering for the invasion of Cuba and the Spanish American War. During the Spanish-American War, the 3d Cavalry Regiment participated in the attacks on San Juan and Kettle Hills, placing the first American flag at the points of victory. After the war, the Regiment was ordered to the Philippines, this time for garrison duty. At the outbreak of World War I, the Regiment was transferred to Europe. Arriving in France in November 1917, the Regiment was scattered, and its squadrons operated remount depots for the duration of the war. In 1919, the Regiment returned from Europe and was stationed throughout the Eastern United States. The Regiment executed a garrison mission until the beginning of World War II. Although one historical footnote is that in July of 1932, Major George S. Patton, under the orders of Douglas MacArthur, led the 3d Cavalry against the Bonus Army during the veteran's protest in Washington D.C.

During the Second World War, the Regiment was re-designated as the 3rd Cavalry Group (Mechanized). The Cavalry Group landed in France in August 1944 and became the spearhead of the XX Corps. The Regiment was the first unit of the 3rd Army to reach the Meuse and Moselle Rivers. Troopers of the 3rd Cavalry Group were also the first elements of the 3rd Army to enter Germany. The 3d Cavalry Group was the first military unit to cross the Alps since Hannibal. The 3d Cavalry accounted for over 43,000 enemy troops killed, wounded or captured. After World War II, the Regiment returned to the United States and resumed its garrison activities. It was after WWII that the 3d Cavalry Group was re-designated the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, the name it bears today.

During the Cold War, the 3rd ACR was a major part of American military readiness. The first time the 3d Cavalry served on the Iron Curtain was in August 1955, when it replaced the 2nd Cavalry as part of the Army's Gyroscope plan that rotated entire units between Germany and the United States. The Brave Rifles rotated home in February of 1958. In 1958 the Regiment became part of the Strategic Army Corps, or STRAC, and received four streamers for superior readiness and training. In November of 1961, the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment was again deployed to Germany in response to the Soviet threat during the Berlin Crisis. The regiment remained in Germany conducting border operations until 1968 when it was re-deployed to Fort Lewis, Washington. In July of 1972, the 3d ACR moved to Fort Bliss, Texas. Here they became a major REFORGER unit and trained for the defense of West Germany in the event of a Warsaw Pact invasion.

During this time, in Nuremberg, Germany, the 2nd and 11th Cavalry Regiments began a close working relationship resulting in a tradition called the "Lucky 13." These two cavalry units trained together and often confronted one another in exercises. Lucky 13 conferences were about war and warfighting and included seminars on fielding new systems, maneuver techniques, and training. When the 3rd Cavalry joined the 2nd and 11th in the General Defense Plan of Europe, the regiments became known as the "Lucky 16." Whenever two of the Lucky 16 Regiments are in the same location the Lucky 16 convenes.

On August 7, 1990, the Regiment was alerted to move overseas in defense of Saudi Arabia. In September 1990, the Regiment arrived in country as part of the XVIII Airborne Corps and moved into defensive positions south of the Kuwaiti border. On January 22, 1991, elements of I Troop engaged in the first ground combat of the XVIII Airborne Corps. On February 22nd, F Troop led the Regiment across the berm into Iraq. In 100 hours, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment moved over 300 kilometers and left remnants of three Iraqi Republican Guard Divisions in its wake. As quickly as they deployed, the Regiment deployed back to the U.S. arriving on April 5, 1991. In April of 1996, the Regiment completed its move to its new home at Fort Carson, Colorado.

In August 1998, the Regiment was notified that it would participate in the Bosnian peacekeeping mission as part of Stabilization Force 7 (SFOR 7). When the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment deployed, beginning in February of 2000, it represented 75 percent of the American contribution to the Multinational Division North (MND-N), part of Task Force Eagle, and constituted the bulk of the American maneuver element. There were no major incidents or violent demonstrations in the Brave Rifles' area of responsibility during their deployment. All nits came home to Fort Carson by October 7, 2000.

Beginning in August 2002, the Regiment began to prepare for operations in the Central Command Area of Operations (CENTCOM AOR). The preparations included a National Training Center rotation, Warfighter exercises with III Corps and V Corps, intensive individual and collective training, weapons qualification, and lane training at Fort Carson.

The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment is now on its third tour in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror. In 2003, the Regiment was to invade Iraq from Turkey but was forced to enter Iraq from Kuwait after Turkey denied the United States permission to launch an attack from its territory. This delayed the 3d Cavalry's entry into the war. Once the Brave Rifles arrived in Iraq in late April 2003, it assumed an economy of force mission to secure and stabilize the western province of Al Anbar. This area had been bypassed during the advance to Baghdad, and the Regiment had little intelligence on what would be found there. The Regimental Area of Operations covered one-third of the country or about 140,000 square kilometers. This was the largest single operational area of any unit, including divisions, in the theater and it included the "Sunni Triangle", the part of Iraq that Saddam Hussein, his family, and the senior leaders of the Ba'ath Party called home. Al Anbar was home to 48 primary and 14 sub-tribes and it shared a 900-kilometer western border with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment became the nucleus of a Regimental Combat Team named Task Force Rifles. Task Force Rifles included 8,300 soldiers assigned. During this tour 31 cavalry troopers and 18 soldiers of units attached lost their lives. The 3d ACR rotated back to Fort Carson in March of 2004.

In less than eleven months after returning home, the Brave Rifles deployed again to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. The lead elements of the Regiment arrived in February 2005. The Regiment served from South Baghdad province to Western Ninewa Province in Northwestern Iraq. In September 2005, the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment conducted Operation Restore Rights to defeat an insurgent stronghold in the city of Tal Afar. The Third Armored Cavalry Regiment lost forty-four troopers during its deployment that ended in late February 2006.

In July 2005, the Army announced that the Regiment would re-station to Fort Hood within months of returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment officially departed Fort Carson, Colorado in July 2006.

In October of 2007, the 3rd ACR began its third tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 1st and 3rd Squadrons are deployed in the Ninawa Province: the 1st Squadron in Qayarrah, and the 3rd Squadron in Mosul. The 2nd Squadron is currently attached to 4/2 ID and serving in the Diyala Province. The 4th Squadron is serving in Baghdad.

The 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment celebrated its 162nd birthday on May 19, 2008, from their deployed bases in Iraq. Under various names the Regiment has seen action during ten major conflicts: the Indian Wars, the Mexican-American War, the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, World War I, World War II, the Persian Gulf War, SFOR in Bosnia, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Through it all the cavalry troopers have lived their motto of "Blood and Steel" and each time earned the Regiment's nickname of "Brave Rifles"!

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