7 things you didn’t know about the First Battle of Fallujah

April marks the anniversary of the First Battle of Fallujah, aka Operation Vigilant Resolve, which took place in 2004. Led by I Marine Expeditionary Force commander Lt. Gen. James Conway and 1st Marine Division commander Maj. Gen. James Mattis, the battle was in retaliation for consecutive attacks in the region including the brutal killings of four private military contractors.The fierce fighting lasted for a month before U.S. forces withdrew from the city and turned over control to the Fallujah Brigade. The battle is lesser known than Operation Phantom Fury, or the second Battle of Fallujah, but it was a key battle during Operation Iraqi Freedom as it brought attention to several facts the general public was not aware of and increased polarizing public opinion about the war in Iraq. More than a decade later, here are seven things you didn’t know about that battle.

1. The use of Private Military Contractors (PMC’s) began to see public scrutiny.

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BAGHDAD, IRAQ - JUNE 14: Foreign securety personnel evacuate their comrades at the scene of a car bomb, on June 14, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq. A car bomb exploded at rush hour as three civilian sport utility vehicles - the kind favored by Western contractors - passed by one of Baghdad's most heavily trafficked square. Dozens have been wounded in the blast. (Photo by Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images)[/caption]On March 31st, 2004 four Blackwater security contractors were ambushed, killed, and mutilated on the outskirts of Fallujah. Before this highly publicized incident, the general public had little knowledge of private military contractors and their role in the War on Terror, specifically in Iraq.

2. It was the first time insurgents, rather than Saddam loyalists, were considered the primary enemy of Coalition Forces.

Operation Vigilant Resolve brought mainstream attention to a growing insurgency comprised of insurgents other than Saddam loyalists.

3. The battle thrust Abu Musab al-Zarqawi into the spotlight as the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

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In this photo from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the al-Qaida leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is seen.U.S. warplanes dropped 500-pound bombs on a safehouse June 8, 2006 near Baqouba, Iraq, killing al-Zarqawi, spiritual advisor Sheik Abdul Rahman and six others. (Photo from Getty Images)[/caption]With a growing insurgency now well know to the general public, it’s leader al-Zarqawi, also became widely known to the public. Zarqawi’s group would largely be defeated later in the war, but it would eventually re-emerge in the Syrian war as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).

4. It was the largest combat mission since the declaration of the end of “major hostilities.”

On May 1, 2003 President Bush gave a speech from the USS Abraham Lincoln in which he declared major combat operations in Iraq to be over. Although there continued to be guerrilla warfare, Operation Vigilant Resolve was the first time a major combat operation took place after the speech.

5. The battle brought public attention to the Sunni Triangle.

When the battle began the term Sunni Triangle became widely known since Fallujah was only one of several cities known to be Sunni strongholds, all of which were located in triangle area of a map Northwest of Baghdad.

6. Scout Snipers were the core element of the strategy.

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DoD photo by Lance Cpl. James J. Vooris, U.S. Marine Corps.[/caption]Scout snipers averaged 31 kills apiece during Operation Vigilant Resolve (one kill every 3-4 hours), according to Global Security.

7. One reconnaissance platoon set a record for Silver Stars awarded in Global War on Terror.

Four members of the second platoon of Bravo Company, First Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division were awarded the Silver Star — a record unmatched by any other company or platoon in the Global War on Terror, according to Military Times.In addition, Capt. Brent Morel and Sergeant Willie L. Copeland were both awarded the Navy Cross for their heroism during the battle.

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