Coalition Forces Destroy Insurgent Bridge to Deter Weapons Smugglers

By Maj. Joe Sowers
3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – An Air Force bomb dropped Oct. 15 destroyed a bridge in northeast of Baghdad to disrupt weapons smugglers and insurgent movement.

Air Force pilots dropped four 2,000 pound GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition GPS guided bombs from a B-1B bomber, destroying a land bridge that spanned the Diyala River connecting Diyala province to Baghdad.

The operation was coordinated by the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. The bridge, believed to have been built by insurgents to smuggle munitions, was destroyed as part of Operation Marne Anvil, a Multi-National Division – Center operation.

Maj. Dave Fivecoat, from Delaware, Ohio, the 3rd HBCT operations officer, explained the purpose of the operation was to stem the flow of violence accelerants into Baghdad.

“Insurgents and weapons smugglers will now be limited to crossing points into Baghdad that are guarded by our Iraqi security force partners,” Fivecoat said.

The 3rd HBCT, known as the Sledgehammer Brigade, is positioned in the Mada’ in Qada east of Baghdad along the Diyala and Tigris rivers. The Sledgehammer Brigade is focused on disrupting the flow of accelerants into Baghdad to decrease violence levels in the Iraqi capital.

The 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division is from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March.