NEW ORLEANS – In 2004, Louisiana's 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, known as the Tiger Brigade, deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Despite being the Louisiana National Guard's largest unit, the brigade required auxiliary forces to meet mission requirements. Among those answering the call was the New York National Guard's 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, known as the Fighting Sixty-Ninth. The 69th quickly became integral to the 256th's operations in and around Baghdad.
The 69th was no stranger to the Global War on Terror, having been activated after 9/11 to provide security at Ground Zero. There, Lt. Gerard Baptiste, a New York City firefighter and member of the 69th, was killed during rescue operations. His commanding officer, at the time, Lt. Col. Geoffrey Slack, called him "the first Soldier to die in the first battle of the first war of the 21st century."
With roots tracing back to the 1850s and the wave of Irish immigrants to New York City, the 69th had a storied past, including fighting against Louisiana's "Fighting Tigers" in the Civil War. A hundred and forty years later, the former foes found themselves fighting side-by-side against a new enemy.
Alerted in March 2004 for a September deployment, Lt. Col. Slack expressed concern about his unit's readiness. Arriving at Fort Hood, Slack and Command Sgt. Maj. George Brett received a warm welcome from then Brig. Gen. John Basilica, the 256th's commander. "You're on my team now and you'll get the same as everyone else in the Tiger Brigade," Basilica reportedly said. "Do the best with what you have and we'll cross-level the rest from my other battalions."
That September, the 256th arrived in Kuwait, followed by a harrowing drive across the Iraqi border into West Baghdad. Designated "Task Force Wolfhound," the 69th took responsibility for the northernmost sector around Al Taji. This rural area proved a dangerous launching point for insurgent mortar and rocket attacks on nearby Camp Cooke, a former Iraqi artillery school and Republican Guard stronghold for Saddam Hussein’s government.
Task Force Wolfhound consisted of three infantry companies from the 69th and a Louisiana company from 2nd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, better known as the Blacksheep. The Blacksheep, from Houma, Louisiana, patrolled in Bradley fighting vehicles, while the New York companies relied primarily on Humvees.
The Wolfhounds’ primary mission was to stop the mortar and rocket attacks from Taji being launched at Camp Cooke. The Wolfhound Scout Platoon, acting as a quick reaction force, often braved considerable danger to scout ahead and assess threats.
By late November 2004, the battalion had its first casualties: several wounded and two killed in action.
In mid-February 2005, the 69th’s area of responsibility shifted south to patrolling an eight-mile stretch of "Route Irish," the perilous highway between the Baghdad Green Zone and Baghdad International Airport – often called "the Most Dangerous Road in the World." Enemy activity surged, leading to more casualties.
By July 2005, thanks to the Wolfhounds' relentless efforts, Route Irish was considerably safer. But the victory came at the steep price of the unit’s casualties of war.
The Fighting Sixty-Ninth returned home in September 2005, their service marked the following March by a proud march down Fifth Avenue as the centerpiece of New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade. Marching alongside them: their Louisiana brethren, the Blacksheep.
This story is the second installment of a monthly series that will culminate in November, following the 20-year reunion. Veterans from the 2004-2005 deployment can visit the Facebook page: https://facebook.com/events/s/save-the-date-oif3-20-year-reu/1882908302256653/
Here are some photos:
Capt. Joseph Whaley, Soldier with the New York National Guard's 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, poses with local Iraqi children near Taji, Iraq, November 4, 2004. Designated "Task Force Wolfhound," the 69th took responsibility for the northernmost sector around Al Taji. This rural area, while seemingly quiet, proved a dangerous launching point for insurgent mortar and rocket attacks on nearby Camp Cooke, a former Iraqi artillery school and Republican Guard stronghold for Saddam Hussein’s government. (U.S. Army National Guard courtesy photo)
Soldiers with the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team honor four fallen Soldiers near Taji, Iraq, December 5, 2004. The Wolfhounds intensified their efforts, ultimately suppressing insurgent activity enough that Camp Cooke personnel could move about freely. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Benoit)
Soldiers with the New York National Guard's 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment assess the aftermath of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonation near Baghdad, Iraq, during the unit’s 2004 deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. In mid-February 2005, the 69th shifted to patrolling an eight-mile stretch of "Route Irish," the perilous highway between the Baghdad Green Zone and Baghdad International Airport – often called "the Most Dangerous Road in the World." (U.S. Army National Guard courtesy photo)
