FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, June 30, 2015) − The 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) (Provisional) paid tribute to the Airmen, Marines and Soldiers of Task Force (TF) Viking during a stone laying ceremony at the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Headquarters' Memorial Plaza, June 30, 2015.
"Today we commemorate an event, which at the time, I don't think any of us knew would be as meaningful or as significant as it would turn out to be -- which is often the case I've come to learn in these sorts of things," said Lt. Gen. Charles T. Cleveland, commanding general, USASOC, and Task Force Viking commander. "We knew that the task wasn't going to be easy. We just didn't know exactly what to expect. It was a quintessential special warfare mission with an extraordinarily high degree of uncertainty − the characteristic of our brand of warfighting, especially unconventional warfare."
When Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) began in 2003, Combined Joint Task Force − North, also known as TF Viking, fought in Northern Iraq against 13 Iraqi Divisions, two of which were the highly trained Republican Guard. The Task Force was inserted into the Kurdish Autonomous Zone following a three and a half hour, low-level flight, known as "Ugly Baby." The air insertion was one of the longest of its kind for U.S. troops since World War II.
"Our historic infill was named Ugly Baby because of its low-level treacherous route, but I'd say it was far from ugly," said Maj. Gen. Darsie D. Rogers, commanding general, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) (Provisional). "People say it was a beautiful thing because when the sun came up the next morning, we were in the fight. Eventually, roughly 500 green berets and SOF Soldiers and a joint force comprised of the United States Marine Corps, Air Force special operations, 10th Mountain Division, the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the British Special Boat Service made up Task Force Viking and successfully annihilated or adverted 13 Iraqi divisions away from Baghdad, also liberating Kirkuk and Mosul."
Upon arrival, the members of TF Viking, along with Kurdish Democratic Party elements, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan elements, and Peshmerga (Kurdish freedom fighters), the task force leadership broke-up the already small teams of Special Forces Soldiers to advise the Kurdish forces in the fight against Iraqi forces.
Once the operation was underway, TF Viking and their partners were faced with more than 99,000 square kilometers of mountainous terrain and an enemy along a 560 kilometer front. They overcame obstacles, including limited air support, bad radio communication and a language barrier, in achieving extraordinary success. Despite an abundance of obstacles, the combined force eliminated Ansar al Islam within two days resulting in no casualties for U.S. forces, while the Kurdish forces suffered three Soldiers killed in action and 23 wounded.
For their heroic actions during the operation, the men of TF Viking earned seven Silver Stars and 52 Bronze Stars with "V" for valor. Along with the individual awards, 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), received the Valorous Unit Award
"We did then what SF does; we went to war to free the oppressed and we conceded nothing," Rogers said. "The men and women of Task Force Viking, with a core composed of the 10th Special Forces Group, performed magnificently. We were well-trained, well-prepared and most importantly well-led -- from the junior NCOs to our most senior leaders. We could not have asked for better leadership."
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