Forward Operating Base Falcon on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Camp Al-Saqr, referred to by some media sources as Camp Falcon, Forward Operating Base Falcon, Joint Security Station (JSS) Falcon, or Combat Outpost Falcon, was a
Camp Ferrin-Huggins
. , the base housed up to 5,000 troops.
The battalion transported more than 100,000 tons of gravel for constructing roads, and took part in construction of the base's structures. Because FOB Falcon was considered by Iraqi officials to be outside of Baghdad proper, it was not affected by the planned withdrawal of American combat troops from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009. It was not uncommon for bases like FOB Falcon to be mortared by insurgents who used the surrounding neighborhoods as cover, risking the lives of Iraq civilians and those who lived on the FOB while they served. Small arms fire and the use of RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades) were also common and more prevalent during the early years of the deployments.
On October 10, 2006, at about 10:40 p.m. (1940 GMT), a major explosion rocked the base, reportedly due to the base's ammunition dump being hit by an 82mm mortar round fired by Iraqi insurgents. Further explosions continued for hours. Images of the explosions were carried live on CNN. There were no casualties. According to the official Department of Defense report released by US Central Command, the base resumed normal duties within 24 hours.
United States military
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is ...
forward operating base
A forward operating base (FOB) is any secured forward operational level military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support strategic goals and tactical objectives. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, machine sho ...
in Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
a short distance outside Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesipho ...
, some south of the Green Zone
The Green Zone ( ar, المنطقة الخضراء, translit=al-minṭaqah al-ḫaḍrā) is the most common name for the International Zone of Baghdad. It was a area in the Karkh district of central Baghdad, Iraq, that was the governmental ...
. In OIF 2004; it was designated asCamp Ferrin-Huggins
. , the base housed up to 5,000 troops.
History
In September 2003, the construction of FOB Falcon (Camp Al-Saqr) in Iraq was a major engineering project for thThe battalion transported more than 100,000 tons of gravel for constructing roads, and took part in construction of the base's structures. Because FOB Falcon was considered by Iraqi officials to be outside of Baghdad proper, it was not affected by the planned withdrawal of American combat troops from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009. It was not uncommon for bases like FOB Falcon to be mortared by insurgents who used the surrounding neighborhoods as cover, risking the lives of Iraq civilians and those who lived on the FOB while they served. Small arms fire and the use of RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades) were also common and more prevalent during the early years of the deployments.
10 October 2006 attack
On October 10, 2006, at about 10:40 p.m. (1940 GMT), a major explosion rocked the base, reportedly due to the base's ammunition dump being hit by an 82mm mortar round fired by Iraqi insurgents. Further explosions continued for hours. Images of the explosions were carried live on CNN. There were no casualties. According to the official Department of Defense report released by US Central Command, the base resumed normal duties within 24 hours.
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH; ar, عصائب أهل الحق Aṣaʾib ʾAhl al-Haqq, "League of the Righteous"), also known as the Khazali Network ( ar, شبكة الخزعلي), is a radical Iraqi Shi'a political party and paramilitary group activ ...
claimed responsibility for the attack.
Operation New Dawn
DuringOperation New Dawn Operation New Dawn may refer to:
* Operation New Dawn (Iraq, 2010–2011), the United States Armed Forces' involvement in the Iraq War after August 2010
* Operation New Dawn (Afghanistan), an operation in Trekh Nawa in the summer of 2010
*Second B ...
, JSS Falcon was manned by 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division out of Fort Riley, Kansas. The base was transferred to the Iraqi Federal Police by 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment in late July 2011. 5th of the 4th Cavalry had been advising both 2nd and 4th Iraqi Federal Police Divisions. The buildings and the land were turned over to 2nd Iraqi Federal Police Division to be used as a base of operations in the Rasheed district of Baghdad. Before the move, the 2nd IFP Div. was already operationally responsible for the area surrounding JSS Falcon, making the transition relatively seamless.
See also
*List of United States Military installations in Iraq
The United States Department of Defense has a large number of temporary military bases in Iraq, most a type of forward operating base (FOB).
Depending on their size or utility, the installations were called: Camp, Forward Operating Base (FOB), C ...
* United States Forces – Iraq
References
{{reflist Iraq War Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011) Installations of the United States Army in Iraq Explosions in Iraq Explosions in 2006