On This Day: The U.S. Army Launches Operation Phantom Strike, 2007

After months of major offensives during the Iraq War troop surge, on this day 13 August 2007, the U.S. Army launched Operation Phantom Strike, an aggressive corps-level offensive designed to hunt down insurgents fleeing earlier operations and prevent them from establishing new safe havens.

Just south of Baghdad in the Tigris River Valley, Task Force Marne, centered around the 3rd Infantry Division, would spearhead the operation, with elements of the 25th Infantry Division (Airborne) assisting in the offensive. Within Phantom Strike, Operation Marne Husky would soon launch, relying heavily on large scale air assaults, mostly at night. Soldiers were carried deep into enemy held areas by Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters, while Apache and Kiowa attack helicopters provided overwatch and support.

Along with these sustained air assaults, small scale air assaults were rapidly conducted to support the initial air assault elements once engagements kicked off and enemy positions were identified, allowing infantrymen to quickly maneuver on them. Additionally, a “30 minutes to strike” concept was heavily utilized. Being guided by rapid intelligence, infantrymen air assaulted directly onto insurgent targets within 30 minutes of identifying a target.

A paratrooper with 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment stands watch after detaining suspected insurgents and searching the compound

Infantrymen from 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment load onto a Chinook to conduct an air assault operation at night.

Loaded with infantrymen ready to fight, a Chinook prepares to take off for a raid during Operation Marne Husky.