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HEIDELBERG CEREMONY OFFICIALLY WELCOMES V CORPS HOME FROM SOUTHWEST ASIA

V Corps Release

Release Date: 3/19/2004

By Spc. Kristopher Joseph V Corps Public Affairs Office

HEIDELBERG, Germany -- One year to the day after U.S. forces first crossed from Kuwait into Iraq, the deafening sound of artillery resonated throughout Campbell Barracks here as hundreds of Soldiers in desert uniform -- now war veterans -- participated in the official ceremony to welcome the Soldiers and units of V Corps home from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The March 19 ceremony marked the official end of the corps' yearlong deployment in Southwest Asia. The "Victory Corps" was the command and control element for all ground forces during the first iteration of Iraqi Freedom. Some corps units, however, most notably the 1st Armored Division, are still to return home from Iraq, while the corps' 1st Infantry Division recently deployed for the next phase of Southwest Asia operations.

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of V Corps and Combined Joint Task Force-7, welcomed his troops home with praise for their accomplishments.

"The success of V Corps is attributed to the ingenuity and the flexibility of the American warrior," said Sanchez before the ceremony. "The world is a better place because of their efforts."

During his remarks at the event, Sanchez added that the Soldiers standing on the parade field represented what makes success possible.

United States Army Europe Commander Gen. B. B. Bell also spoke at the ceremony, praising everyone who contributed to the V Corps' success over the past year and echoing Sanchez's tribute to corps troops.

"Yours is a history of sacrifice," said Bell to the assembled Soldiers. "You guaranteed freedom to the people of Iraq."

When V Corps Soldiers deployed to Southwest Asia a year ago, they were led by Lt. Gen. William S. Wallace. Wallace, now commander of the Army's Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Kan., was one of the distinguished guests at the ceremony.

Looking back, Wallace said, "It was worth going (into Iraq a year ago), because history will show that it was the right thing to do." When asked what his fondest memory of being V Corps' commander, he responded simply, "The soldiers."

Another V Corps alumnus, Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, was also on hand to both honor the corps he took into battle as its command sergeant major, and to share some of that praise as well.

"Being here is bittersweet, because it would have been nice to have returned with the corps," he said.

At its peak strength in Operation Iraqi Freedom, V Corps commanded more than 170,000 coalition Soldiers, 19 separate brigades, and eight of the 10 active Army divisions, said Sanchez. To date, more than 500 Soldiers have lost their lives fighting for the freedom of Iraq.

The corps has carried out hundreds of missions in Iraq in the past year, both in its battle against terrorism and in its quest to bring freedom to the nation and improve infrastructure and quality of life for its people. Besides ousting the former regime from Iraq and providing a secure environment there, "Victory" Soldiers have restored electricity; rebuilt schools, bridges, hospitals, police stations and other public facilities; created government bodies at every level to address issues, and helped the Iraqi governing council adopt an interim constitution that establishes a foundation for democracy.

Perhaps the most noted missions to take place under corps command have involved the capture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and 40 other "most wanted" members of Hussein's Ba'ath Party.

For its exemplary performance in a hostile environment, V Corps was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation at the ceremony, symbolized by a streamer placed on the V Corps flag by Sanchez and Bell. The orders for the award reflected that throughout the 42 days of combat operations the corps kept up a high pace of operations and achieved "one of the most one-sided victories in military history."

Bell used V Corps' own catchphrase to sum up its performance in the past year, telling the troops assembled on the parade field, "The V Corps motto is, 'It Will Be Done.' But when you look back on the mission you accomplished you can say without a doubt, 'It Was Done!'"