In April 2003, after brief combat, Baghdad fell under US control and the Coalition Provisional Authority was formed to maintain order until a new Iraqi government became a reality. This book details the stabilization operations and the experiences of US Task Force 1st Armored Division (TF 1AD), whose soldiers lived and fought under extreme conditions and whose activities were center stage in the controversial debate surrounding the initial occupation of Iraq. Soldiers' personal experiences from recruitment, training, and armed combat to their aftermath and effects emerge from interviews and new documentation by author Kenneth W. Estes in his account of this crucial military campaign.

Introduction · Chronology · Enlistment · Training · Daily Life · Appearance and Equipment · Belief and Belonging · On Campaign · Museums and Collections · Glossary · Bibliography · Color plate commentary · Index

Kenneth W Estes is a 1969 Naval Academy graduate who served in a variety of command and staff assignments in the US Marine Corps until his retirement in 1993. He earned his doctorate in European History in 1984 and has taught at Duke University, the US Naval Academy, and local schools. He is the editor of several books, and has written extensively in military and academic journals throughout his career. He was made an Honorary Legionnaire in the Spanish Legion in 1992. The author lives in Washington, USA.