Combat· Iraq War (Op IRAQI FREEDOM)
1/10 Marines Battalion Volley vs Iraqi Assembly
This action was part of the Battle of Nasiriyah and involved the artillery of the 1st Battalion, 10th Marines bringing massed fire to bear on a concentration of Iraqi forces during the fighting for the city.
As the Marines battled to seize and hold the crossings against determined resistance, the supporting artillery delivered a devastating battalion volley against an enemy assembly area, breaking up a force that threatened the Marines in the urban fight. The action illustrated the role of Marine supporting arms in the Nasiriyah battle, where artillery, armor, and air power were essential to overcoming the entrenched and irregular defenders. The concentrated fire helped relieve pressure on the infantry struggling through the city's deadly streets. It formed one component of the larger, costly fight for Nasiriyah, a reminder that even in close urban combat the weight of Marine fire support could shatter an enemy massing to attack.
Record no. 740