Camp Speicher

Last updated
Tikrit Air Academy
Al Sahra Airfield
Flag of Iraq.svg
Near Tikrit, Saladin Governorate in Iraq
Iraq adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Tikrit Air Academy
Shown within Iraq
Coordinates 34°40′39″N043°33′02″E / 34.67750°N 43.55056°E / 34.67750; 43.55056
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator Iraqi Air Force
Site history
Built1973 (1973)
In use1973–present
Airfield information
Elevation130 metres (427 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
14/323,120 metres (10,236 ft) Asphalt
Lt. Col. Hamann, 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron commander, performs a preflight visual inspection at Camp Speicher, Sept. 4, 2011 Turning over operations 110904-F-ZB240-696.jpg
Lt. Col. Hamann, 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron commander, performs a preflight visual inspection at Camp Speicher, Sept. 4, 2011
NFL players at FOB Speicher, Feb. 6, 2006 NFL players in Iraq.jpg
NFL players at FOB Speicher, Feb. 6, 2006

Majid al Tamimi Airbase, officially known as the Tikrit Air Academy and formerly as Al Sahra Airfield (under Saddam Hussein) is an air installation near Tikrit in northern Iraq. The installation is approximately 170 kilometers (105 mi) north of Baghdad and 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) west of the Tigris River. Prior to 2003, Al Sahra Airfield was the main base of the Iraqi Air Force Air Academy. [1] The Marines from Task Force Tripoli captured the base from the Iraqi Army during the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq [2] and turned it over to the United States Army who used it as the headquarters of the United States Division–North (USD-N, formerly Multinational Division, North, (MND-N)). The airfield is served by two main runways measuring 9,600 feet (2,900 m) long with a shorter runway measuring 7,200-foot (2,200 m). The Americans named the airfield after Captain Michael Scott Speicher, a United States Navy pilot who was killed in action in Iraq during the Gulf War.

Contents

Early history

The base was one of several Iraqi Air Force airfields in the mid-1970s which were re-built under project "Super-Base" in response to the experiences from Arab–Israeli wars in 1967 and 1973. [3]

American presence (2003–2011)

Overview

During the start of the Iraq War in 2003, the main runway and some taxiways were cut by bomb hits, and the large main hangar structure was destroyed. The remains of the other large hangar next to it burned down in a large fire in July 2003. The original unit to take control of the base was Aco 14th Engineer BN, 555th Engineer Group, 1-10th Cavalry of the 4th Infantry Division. The base was then handed over to the 4th Aviation Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division in the second week of the war.

The Americans originally christened the base Forward Logistics Base (FLB) Sycamore, [4] but the name was later changed to Forward Operating Base Speicher [5] and then Contingency Operating Base Speicher. [6] The name was changed in honor of Scott Speicher, an American pilot who was shot down in 1991 during the Gulf War. [1]

American soldiers, civilians, and contractors had access to a variety of amenities over the course of the American presence at the base. The base had a large Post Exchange (PX), as well as several American fast food restaurants, including Subway, Burger King, and Pizza Hut. [7]

Units

Aviation

  • 4th Infantry Division – Combat Aviation Brigade – 4th Aviation Regiment – 1st Battalion (Attack/Reconnaissance) – Boeing AH-64 Apaches. 8/229 Attack Helicopter Battalion (OIF III).
  • 4th Infantry Division – Combat Aviation Brigade – 4th Aviation Regiment – 2d Battalion (General Support) – Boeing CH-47 Chinooks.
  • 1st Combat Aviation Brigade – 1st Infantry Division – 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion [Boeing AH-64A Apaches

Ground units

Units that have been based at COB Speicher include:

Unknown

2003

  • 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
  • 1058th Transportation Company (Massachusetts Army National Guard)
  • The 1404th Transportation Company (PLS) from the Arizona Army National Guard was stationed there in 2003 under the 4th Infantry Division,
  • 300th Quartermaster Company from the United States Army Reserved based out of Peru, Illinois, & stationed there from 2003–2004 under the 4th Infantry Division.
  • 64th Corps Support Group from Fort Hood, TX was stationed there from April 2003 to April 2004 under the 4th Infantry Division.
  • 28th Combat Support Hospital from the United States Army Ft. Bragg, NC
  • 553rd Corps Support Battalion from Fort Hood, TX was stationed there from April 2003 to April 2004 under the 4th Infantry Division.
  • 846th Transportation Unit (North Carolina Army Reserve – Salisbury, NC) stationed in 2003 under numerous divisions. End of deployment under 4th Infantry Division.
  • A Co 14th Engineer Battalion, 555 Engineer Group, 4th ID Ft Lewis, WA
  • 244th ECB(H) Denver Colorado, 555 Engineer Brigade, 4th ID
  • 743rd (Non-Divisional) Direct Support Maintenance Company, Florida Army National Guard, Ft. Lauderdale FL
  • 475th QM Co.; Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; From April 2003 to April 2004
  • 140th QM Co. from Ft. Totten, NY. July 2003-Feb. 2004

2004

  • 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized)
  • HHC 264th ENG GP, Wisconsin Army National Guard (WIARNG) design and coordinate execution of all 1ID DIVENG construction projects and roadside security operations of subordinate units, 141 ECB NDARNG and 216 ECB OHARNG.
  • HHC and B Co 141st ECB North Dakota Army National Guard performing Trailblazer operations through Feb 2005
  • 323rd Maintenance Company (Jan 2004 – Jan 2005) (U.S. Army Reserve, Fort Devens MA)
  • 167th Corps Support Group/94th RRC
  • 12th Chemical Company, 701st MSB, 1st Infantry Division
  • 1st Infantry Division supported transportation and logistic units based at FOB Speicher supported US units in Kirkuk, Mosul and 5 subordinate bases.
  • The 467th Engineer Battalion (HHC and B Company) from the U.S. Army Reserve were stationed here OPCON to both the 42nd Infantry Division and 101 ABN Div between 2004 and 2005
  • 313th Medical Company of the Nebraska National Guard.
  • A Co. 1/140th Aviation Battalion, California National Guard
  • B Co. 1/140th Aviation Battalion, California National Guard
  • C Co. 1/140th Aviation Battalion (Ghostwarriors), California National Guard
  • Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment 835th Corps Support Battalion, Missouri Army National Guard
  • The 232nd Corps Support Battalion of the Illinois Army National Guard, 323rd Maintenance Company (DS), 454th Transportation Company from the U.S. Army Reserve, the 283rd Transportation Company of the U.S. Army Reserve, Navy Reserve 528 NAVPOLSUPCo, and elements of USAF 1058th Air Expeditionary Force Transportation Company of the 13th Corps Support Command of the Multi-National Corps, Iraq.
  • Elements of the Ohio National Guard's 16 Engineering Brigade were stationed here from 2003 through 2005 and helped bring the structures and roadways of the base to livable conditions.
  • Elements of the Kentucky National Guard (including the 149th Infantry Brigade, 2113th Transportation Company) were stationed at FOB Speicher from 2004 though 2006.
  • 88th RRC was stationed here from 2004 to 2005.
  • 63rd Ordnance Company (PLS/MOADS) a conventional ammunition company from Fort Lewis Washington maintained accountability of all ammunition at the Ammunition Holding Area while providing security at the main gate from February–April 2004 and was quartered in the old Iraqi Air Force Officers Club.

2005

  • 126th TC (PLS)
  • HHS/6-27 FA (HET) was stationed at COB Speicher from October 2005 to September 2006 and conducted a handover with the 1461st CBT HET of the Michigan Army National Guard was stationed here
  • 223rd Medical Detachment (Preventive Medicine) was stationed at COB Speicher (under the Command of Major James Flanagan) from September 2005 to September 2006, under the 61st Multifunctional Medical Battalion in Balad, Iraq with its higher Headquarters being 30th Medical Brigade
  • 366th MP Detachment (CID) was stationed at COB Speicher from September 2005 until December 2005. Prior to that, the 366th was located at FOB Danger from December 2004. The move was facilitated by the fact that FOB Danger was turned over to the Iraqi Army.

2006

  • HHS/6-27 FA (HET) provided support for the troop surge in the stabilization of Iraq during 2006–2007.
  • Task Force ODIN (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas) occupied the airfield and supported ground units needed during the remainder of the conflict. Task Force Odin remained on this base for the remainder of the war. ODIN was for Observe, Detect, Identify, and Neutralize.
  • 25th Infantry Division (United States)|25th Infantry Division (Light) 2006–2007
  • 505th Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy ) HHQ Company, March 2006 - Oct 2006.

2007

  • In 2007–2008, the 111th Engineer Brigade of the West Virginia Army National Guard was headquartered within the "Badgerville" section of COB Speicher. Serving under the 25ID and later the 1AD, the 111th Engineer Brigade conducted engineer missions throughout Multi-National Division North (MND-N).
  • Task Force Odin (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas)

2008

  • 10th Mountain Division, 2-10th Assault Helicopter Battalion. October 2008 Start.
  • 10th Mountain Division, 277th Aviation Battalion. October 2008 Start.
  • Task Force Odin (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas)

2009

  • 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), 2009-2010.
  • 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, 2009-2010.
  • 10th Mountain Division, 2-10th Assault Helicopter Battalion. October 2009 End.
  • 10th Mountain Division, 277th Aviation Battalion. October 2009 End.
  • 422 Civil Affairs BN
  • 25th Infantry Division
  • 264th Combat Sustainment Support BN, Fort Bragg, NC
  • 2025th Transportation Company, Jacksonville, AL NG (HET) from July 2009 to May 2010.
  • 1083rd Transportation Company, Camp Minden, LA NG from July 2009 to May 2010.
  • 65th Engineer Battalion
  • Task Force ODIN (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas) Task Force ODIN, whose name is an acronym for observe, detect, identify, and neutralize, is a United States Army aviation battalion created in August 2006 to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) operations to combat insurgent operators of improvised explosive devices in Iraq.
  • 155th BCT (MSARNG)
  • 363rd Military Police Company (Army Reserve Unit, Grafton, WV)

2010

  • 220th Transportation Company (New Hampshire Army Reserve)
  • Elements of the 3rd Squadron of the Tennessee National Guard's 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment were stationed at COB Speicher under the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) as convoy security units from February 2010 until July 2010.
  • Task Force Odin (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas)
  • 256th Combat Support Hospital (Army Reserve Unit, Twinsburg, Ohio)

2011

  • 275th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Virginia Reserve Unit)
  • Task Force Odin (21st Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas)

The US Army left COB Speicher and handed it over to the Government of Iraq on 20 October 2011 as part of the general withdrawal of US Forces. Camp Speicher is currently used by the Iraqi Army and Air Force.

ISIL period

By mid June 2014, Tikrit was overrun by the militant group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Iraqi Air Force cadets reported that many of the camp's officers fled as ISIS approached, and, as a result, several thousand Shia cadets and other personnel abandoned their uniforms and began to walk toward Baghdad. [9] Several miles from the camp, they were confronted and taken prisoners by approximately fifty ISIL militants in armored vehicles. [9] Following their capture, about 1,700 were killed in mass shooting executions. A video released by ISIL in July showed the executions done in several locations including shooting the cadets in trenches and then throwing the bodies in the River Tigris. In early September, corpses were seen floating on the surface. Very few managed to escape unharmed and survive. [10] [11]

Iraqi period

Camp Speicher was contested throughout the summer of 2014. The Daily Telegraph reported in June that Speicher was at one point under the control of ISIL, [12] but according to later accounts, ISIL never captured the airfield. [9]

On 17 July, following the Iraqi Army's defeat in the First Battle of Tikrit, insurgents launched an assault on the camp, where an estimated 700 government soldiers and 150 Iranian or Iraqi Shia militiamen were besieged. [13] The assault included snipers and suicide bombers and the militants quickly managed to reach the runway, at which point Iraqi special forces joined the battle. [14] The base was bombarded and mortared all night. By the next morning, according to various sources, the final pocket of government troops had collapsed. [13] At least 25–35 insurgents were also killed. [14] [15] Iraqi forces attempted to save the base's aircraft by flying them out, [14] but according to ISIL 8–9 helicopters were destroyed on the ground or shot down, with several armored vehicles destroyed as well. [16] The Iraqi Army denied the alleged capture of the base with soldiers from the front line reporting that Speicher was still under their control, [15] with only three soldiers being killed, [14] one helicopter destroyed and two damaged. [16] A Tikrit resident also reported continued fighting around the base. [17] Two days later, the military reported that Iraqi special forces had re-secured the base. [18]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Dina Rasor; Robert Bauman (1 May 2007). Betraying Our Troops: The Destructive Results of Privatizing War . Palgrave Macmillan. p.  131. ISBN   978-1-4039-8192-9.
  2. Groen 2006, pp. 351.
  3. Tom Cooper; Farzad Bishop. "Second Death of the IrAF". acig.info. Retrieved 2015-07-27.
  4. Amy Yarsinske (1 July 2013). An American in the Basement: The Betrayal of Captain Scott Speicher and the Cover-up of His Death. Trine Day. p. 305. ISBN   978-1-937584-21-4.
  5. "$5.8M to improve FOB Speicher, Iraq". Defense Industry Daily. 3 June 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  6. Pat Proctor (28 December 2011). Task Force Patriot and the End of Combat Operations in Iraq. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 21. ISBN   978-1-60590-778-9.
  7. "In Iraq, soldiers also fight battle of the bulge". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2015-07-25.
  8. John Pike. "118th Area Support Medical Battalion". globalsecurity.org.
  9. 1 2 3 Arango, Tim (2014-09-04). "Escaping Death in Northern Iraq". New York Times. Retrieved 2014-09-04.
  10. "Iraq: ISIS Execution Site Located". Human Rights Watch.
  11. Wochit Headline News. "Group: Islamic Militants Killed 770 Iraqi Troops – Video Dailymotion". Dailymotion.
  12. Richard Spencer (15 June 2014). "Iraq crisis: ISIS jihadists execute dozens of captives". Telegraph. Retrieved 2015-07-25.
  13. 1 2 "Islamic State overwhelms Iraqi forces at Tikrit in major defeat". Miami Herald. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "IS-led Militants Storm Iraqi Air Base near Tikrit". Naharnet. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  15. 1 2 "The Iraqi Army's Alamo: Standoff in Tikrit". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  16. 1 2 "Islamic State overruns Camp Speicher, routs Iraqi forces". Longwarjournal.org. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  17. "Multiple bombings in Baghdad kill at least 27". Al Jazeera America. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  18. "Iraqi military says it retakes control of key base in Tikrit". Long War Journal. Retrieved 16 October 2014.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Infantry Division (United States)</span> US Army combat formation

The 1st Infantry Division (1ID) is a combined arms division of the United States Army, and is the oldest continuously serving division in the Regular Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917 during World War I. It was officially nicknamed "The Big Red One" after its shoulder patch and is also nicknamed "The Fighting First." The division has also received troop monikers of "The Big Dead One" and "The Bloody First" as puns on the respective officially sanctioned nicknames. It is currently based at Fort Riley, Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Infantry Division (United States)</span> Active US Army formation

The 4th Infantry Division is a division of the United States Army based at Fort Carson, Colorado. It is composed of a division headquarters battalion, three brigade combat teams, a combat aviation brigade, a division sustainment brigade, and a division artillery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">28th Infantry Division (United States)</span> US Army National Guard formation

The 28th Infantry Division ("Keystone") is a unit of the Army National Guard and is the oldest division-sized unit in the Department of Defense. Some of the units of the division can trace their lineage to Benjamin Franklin's battalion, The Pennsylvania Associators (1747–1777). The division was officially established in 1879 and was later redesignated as the 28th Division in 1917, after the entry of America into the First World War. It is today part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Maryland Army National Guard, Ohio Army National Guard, and New Jersey Army National Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 8th Infantry Regiment of the United States, also known as the "Fighting Eagles," is an infantry regiment in the United States Army. The 8th Infantry participated in the Mexican War, American Civil War, Philippine Insurrection, Moro Rebellion, World War I, World War II, Vietnam War, and Iraq Campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gray Army Airfield</span> Military airfield located within Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Gray Army Airfield, also known as Gray AAF, is a military airfield located within Joint Base Lewis–McChord near Tacoma, in Pierce County, Washington, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Army National Guard</span> Component of the US Army and military of the U.S. state of New York

The New York Army National Guard is a component of the New York National Guard and the Army National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the United States Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Army National Guard</span> Military of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Army National Guard, abbreviated PAARNG, is part of the United States Army National Guard and is based in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Together with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, it is directed by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The PAARNG maintains 124 armories and is present in 87 communities across the Commonwealth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iraq War order of battle, 2009</span>

Below is an estimated list of the major units deployed within the Multi-National Force – Iraq and other United States military units that were operating in Iraq under the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) in 2009, during the Iraq War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team</span> Military unit

The 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a modular infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) of the Louisiana Army National Guard. It is headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana. Currently the brigade is part of the 36th Infantry Division of the Texas Army National Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (United States)</span> Basic aviation formation of the 1st Infantry Division, US Army

The Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division is the Army Aviation formation of the United States Army's 1st Infantry Division. The current commander of this brigade is Colonel Chad P. Corrigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camp Taji</span> Human settlement in Iraq

Camp Taji, also known as Camp Cooke, is a military installation used by Iraqi and Coalition forces near Taji, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq. The camp is located in a rural region approximately 27 km (17 mi) north of the capital Baghdad.

The Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was a multi-functional battalion created on 16 September 2004 as part of the U.S. Army's brigade realignment plan to transform brigades into units of action (UA). It brought together a combat engineer company from the 326th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne) and signal and military intelligence companies formerly affiliated with inactivated battalions in the 101st Airborne Division. Although one former member of the battalion recalled that the Rakkasans were "almost like a cult in every sense," the battalion itself was largely an administrative entity rather than a cohesive operational unit. With disparate roles, its component units operated separately outside of garrison, supporting maneuver battalions or the brigade itself during training and deployments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division</span> One of three basic maneuver units of the 1st Cavalry Division, US Army

The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division is a combined arms armored brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division based in Fort Cavazos, TX. Major equipment includes the M1A2SEP Tanks, M2A3 & M3A3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, M109A7 Paladin howitzers, and M1114 up-armored Humvees.

In 2009, the United States and NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition, along with Afghan National Army forces, continued military operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. 2009 marks the eighth year of the War in Afghanistan, which began late in 2001. And 75th ranger regiment is also in Afghanistan as of 2018

<span class="mw-page-title-main">155th Armored Brigade Combat Team</span> Military unit

The 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team is a brigade combat team of the Mississippi Army National Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division</span> Military unit

The Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division is a Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) of the United States Army. It was first organized in July 1968 as an aviation group and stands as the most decorated aviation unit in the United States Army. It was redesignated an aviation brigade in 1986. It has served in almost every single military operation since the Vietnam War. In support of the Global War on Terror, the CAB has distinguished itself as the military's premiere combat aviation unit during its two deployments to Iraq and five deployments to Afghanistan. The brigade has flown hundreds of thousands of hours during these combat tours, transporting millions of troops around the battlefield and providing close air support/aerial reconnaissance. The 101st broke its own record for longest air assault in history during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Previously, the longest air assault was conducted in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade</span> Military unit

The 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade is a Combat Aviation Brigade in the United States Army Reserve. The unit's lineage can be traced to the prior lineage and insignia of the 11th Aviation Group which was last headquartered in Illesheim, Germany in 2005. It is one of two aviation brigades of Army Reserve Aviation Command. The brigade consists of a headquarters company, two Black Hawk assault battalions, and one fixed wing battalion. The brigade was activated in its current formation on 16 September 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kentucky Army National Guard</span> Component of the US Army and military of the state of Kentucky

The Kentucky Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Aviation Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 1st Aviation Regiment is a task force and is a unit in the First Infantry Division's Combat Aviation Brigade, composed of three battalion units of pilots, crews, and teams within the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Aviation Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 3rd Aviation Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army Aviation Branch. It operates the Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, and Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter. It has been associated with the 3rd Infantry Division for some time.

References

Bibliography