Operation Forsythe Park

Operation Forsythe Park

On Wednesday 5 May 2007 in Ramadi, Iraq, approximately 450 Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces completed Operation Forsythe Park in Albu Bali, located 15 kilometers northeast of Ramadi.

Al Anbar Provincial Security Force 2, Iraqi Army demolition experts and U.S. Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Task Force Pathfinder (with elements from the 321st Engineer Battalion and C company 397th Engineer company) conducted the weeks long clearing operation, targeting one of the remaining hotspots in the brigade’s area of operations. TF Pathfinder spent long hours conducting route clearance, often on mission for more than 24 hours at a time, clearing IED threats so that Provincial Security Force 2 could complete their mission.

Operation Forsythe Park started in the early morning hours of 26 April with multiple Coalition Soldiers being injured in the opening minutes of the Operation by IED's that had been emplaced months, even years ahead in certain areas designed to keep Coalition Forces out of the area. There were many acts of Valor performed by Soldiers daily that have yet to be recognized for the sacrifices they made so the Coalition Forces could complete the objective.

“We had seen an increased amount of enemy activity in this region over the last three weeks,” said Col. John Charlton, commanding officer for 1BCT. “Once we set the conditions and built sufficient combat power, we took the fight to the enemy and provided much needed relief to the population.”

"During the operation, Coalition forces were attacked almost daily by rocket propelled grenades, small arms fire, IED's ranging in size from 10 pounds to 150-200 pounds of explosives. There was also the constant threat of snipers, heavy machine gun fire, and improvised rockets." Said Master Sergeant David Johnson of B Company 321st Engineer Battalion, TF Pathfinder. Call sign Wolf-37. "We would take over for another team that had been working on clearing the roads, and we would have vehicles blown up by an IED that had been dug into the sides of the elevated roads, that left no visual clues, before we had reached the limit of advance from the previous route clearance team. Speed was a killer, 1-2 miles an hour was a good pace and the Soldiers in the lead vehicles got very good at their jobs of spotting thin copper wire, or what was referred to as a 'snail trail' in the dirt roads, or cracks in paved portions."

TF Pathfinder teams worked in continuous rotations to help keep the roads and trails cleared so that the maneuver units could do their jobs without having to worry about the threat of IED's

The combined forces built a new Joint Security Station during the operation named "JSS Pathfinder" for the Task Force that cleared the roads that saw two TF Pathfinder Soldiers, two Marine Corp Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians, two other Coalition Soldiers, and several of our Iraqi counterparts killed during the Operation time period. There were also numerous casualties who were medically evacuated to Germany and then on to the US for further care due to wounds received while engaged with the insurgents. This facility will establish a permanent Iraqi police presence in Albu Bali and prevent the terrorists from controlling the area. Local citizens saw the immediate results of the operations and more than 100 Iraqi males immediately requested to join the police force, Charlton said.

The multiple day operation marks the eighth large-scale operation for the brigade this year. The police and soldiers discovered multiple weapon caches, including 28 improvised explosive devices, three 14.5 mm anti-aircraft guns, five mortars, 300 pounds of home made explosives, 2200 gallons of nitric acid and 200 blasting caps. Six coalition service members several Iraqi Soldiers and police, along with multiple terrorists were killed during the operation.