title: Takedown: The 3rd Infantry Division's Twenty-One Day Assault on Baghdad
author:  Jim Lacey 
description: "Jim Lacey and <I>Takedown</I> represents a major and successful effort to fill in one of the major blank spots in our knowledge of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is a superb examination of the combat operations of the 3rd Infantry Division, as it conducted one of the most spectacular operations in American military history in late March and early April 2003. <I>Takedown</I> is a brilliant account of modern combat and battle leadership." --Williamson Murray, author of <I>The Past and Prologue: The Importance of History to the Military Profession"</I><br /><br />"Perhaps the only fact beyond dispute about America's current engagement in Iraq is that the campaigns of March 2003 were executed with a brilliance seldom seen in the annals of war. Jim Lacey gives us an unforgettable account of those weeks as experienced by the officers and soldiers of the Third Infantry Division the very tip of the spear that pierced the heart of Saddam's regime. By turns harrowing and heroic, their story is one that we dare not forget as we struggle to come to terms with the unanticipated consequences of victory." --Fred Anderson, author of <I>Crucible of War: The Seven Years' War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766"</I><br /><br />"In a time of angst about the 'quagmire' in Iraq, it's refreshing to read an unvarnished history of April 2003, when U.S. troops stormed to Baghdad in an astonishing three weeks. Author Jim Lacey calls it 'one of the most remarkable military achievements in history.' Indeed it was." --<I>The Wall Street Journal</I>
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  OPERATION SYRIA
  
  
  
  
  
  William Meikle
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00001.jpeg)
  
  
  [www.severedpress.com](http://www.severedpress.com)
  
  
  Copyright 2019 by William Meikle
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  \- 1 -
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Corporal Wiggins laid down the law.
  
  
  “This is your first time out with us. So don’t fuck up. Do what I say, when I
  say it, and we’ll get along fine. I don’t expect any backchat from you new
  lads, is that clear?” he said and the three younger men opposite across the
  belly of the plane nodded.
  
  
  Sergeant Hynd watched with amusement, dropped Captain Banks a wink, and went
  private in his headset.
  
  
  “Irony is lost on that lad,” the sarge said. “Maybe you shouldn’t have got him
  that promotion, Cap.”
  
  
  Banks grinned.
  
  
  “It hurts to say it but he deserves it, if only for his cheek,” he replied.
  “Besides, it’s not every day he’ll get to enjoy being a new corporal. Let him
  strut for now. We’ll be too busy later for any 