Combat· Iraq War (Op IRAQI FREEDOM)
Hill 214
Hill 214 was a piece of high ground in the western Euphrates valley near the Al Qaim district that figured in the Marine operations to clear the border region of insurgents in 2005.
The Marines fought to take and hold the height as part of the broader campaign against al-Qaeda in Iraq in the area, the commanding terrain offering observation and control over the surrounding river-valley ground. Seizing such positions was part of the methodical work of contesting the western Euphrates, where control of key terrain supported the clearing of the towns and the interdiction of the insurgent routes. The action at Hill 214 was one of the localized engagements within the larger Al Qaim campaign, the Marines fighting for the ground that dominated the approaches in the border region. It contributed to the sustained effort that, through the autumn of 2005, worked to break the insurgent hold on the western reaches of Anbar Province.
Record no. 772