NEW ORLEANS – This November, the Louisiana National Guard’s 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, known as the Tiger Brigade, will mark 20 years since returning from its historic deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. One of its core battalions, the 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, was initially left out of the mobilization.
Due to Army organizational processes at the time, the 3-156th was not officially included when the brigade first mobilized; however, Brig. Gen. John Basilica, commander of the 256th, ensured that 3rd Battalion personnel were included. Initially, the 3-156th Soldiers were cross-leveled into other battalions. During the train-up phase, about 20 Soldiers from the 3-156th formed an ad hoc task force called Task Force Bandit. By the time the brigade reached Iraq, Task Force Bandit had grown to about 400 Soldiers. While smaller than the other battalions, its impact was undeniable.
On May 29, 2005, Task Force Bandit was engaged in the Battle of Al Quabasey Mosque. Insurgents operating from the mosque and a nearby swimming pool complex opened fire on the unit with small arms. A car bomb exploded nearby, adding to the chaos. Despite the attacks, the Bandits persevered. After the firefight, a search of the mosque and pool complex resulted in the detention of two enemy snipers and the seizure of a large weapons cache, including bomb-making materials and military uniforms. The operation successfully dismantled an enemy stronghold that had been supporting attacks on U.S. military personnel and Iraqi civilians. Two of the captured uniforms are now on display at the Louisiana National Guard Museum in Jackson Barracks, New Orleans.
Another significant event during the deployment occurred when Specialist Steven Tschiderer, a medic with E Troop, 101st Cavalry of the New York National Guard, was shot by a sniper. E Troop was attached to Task Force Bandit in Iraq. During a routine patrol, the unit came under fire. As the Soldiers formed a perimeter and began searching nearby buildings for the sniper, Tschiderer, while relaying the unit’s status to higher command, was struck in the chest. His body armor saved his life. He quickly took cover, then pointed in the direction of the sniper’s location. “The only thing that was going through my mind was to take cover and locate the sniper’s position,” Tschiderer said.
The attackers were in a van, and after a vehicle pursuit through Baghdad, Task Force Bandit disabled the vehicle and captured the insurgents. The sniper who shot Tschiderer was injured during the chase and required medical attention. As a medic, Tschiderer was tasked with treating the man who had just shot him. Thanks to evidence collected by the unit, along with witness testimony from local civilians, the 256th’s legal team was able to ensure the insurgents were prosecuted in the Iraqi Criminal Court system.
In addition to the operations described above, Task Force Bandit secured critical infrastructure sites, including a bridge over the Grand Canal and a major Iraqi government compound. The unit also played a key role in providing security for Iraq’s national elections in 2005. Eventually, Brig. Gen. Basilica succeeded in getting the 3-156th officially added to the order of battle, ensuring the Bandits received proper campaign credit for their service. “Their flag was present, and there were Soldiers who died under that flag,” Basilica said in 2007. “It was only right that they be recognized.”
Here are some photos:
Sgt. 1st Class Dave Prince patrols Al Quabasey Mosque and the Al Raashad swimming pool complex during the 3rd Battalion, 156 Infantry Regiment, mobilization to Iraq in 2005. Initially, the 3-156th Soldiers were cross-leveled into other battalions. During the train-up phase, about 20 Soldiers from the 3-156th formed an ad hoc task force called Task Force Bandit. By the time the brigade reached Iraq, Task Force Bandit had grown to about 400 Soldiers. While smaller than the other battalions, its impact was undeniable.
Soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, known as Task Force Bandit, secures an area in Baghdad while mobilized in Iraq in 2005. Initially, the 3-156th Soldiers were cross-leveled into other battalions. During the train-up phase, about 20 Soldiers from the 3-156th formed an ad hoc task force called Task Force Bandit. By the time the brigade reached Iraq, Task Force Bandit had grown to about 400 Soldiers. While smaller than the other battalions, its impact was undeniable.
