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NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

April 1, 2003
Release Number: 03-04-10


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


U.S. ARMY V CORPS CONTINUE AGGRESSIVE OPERATIONS

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM - Since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom's ground campaign 12 days ago, V Corps forces have traveled a distance roughly equivalent to the distance between New York City and Richmond, Virginia.

Through blinding sandstorms, over harsh terrain, and against a resourceful enemy, soldiers from the Corps' 3rd Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and 82nd Airborne Division have overwhelmed the regular Army, Republican Guard, and the terror squad forces of the Iraqi regime.

On Monday, V Corps forces continued aggressive offensive operations yesterday to maintain contact with and defeat the enemy.

The 3rd Infantry Division attacked and successfully seized a bridge over the Euphrates River near Al Handiyah, once again preserving Iraqi infrastructure that had been rigged for destruction. Engineers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team cleared the explosives and report that the bridge is in good shape.

Along with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, soldiers from the division's 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment worked to deny enemy access to resupply routes in the sector. During the course of the day's operations, the Division captured nearly 150 enemy prisoners of war and destroyed numerous enemy vehicles, air defense weapons, and small arms caches.

The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) attacked and seized the airfield at An Najaf in its continuing effort to isolate enemy forces in the area. The division destroyed two T-55 tanks, 15 technical vehicles, and a field artillery battery. Over 70 enemy soldiers were captured.

In operations in the vicinity of As Samawah, the 82nd Airborne Division used precision artillery counterfire to destroy an enemy D30 artillery system. The division continued operations to secure the Corps' lines of communication.

In total, Corps units captured over 230 enemy soldiers yesterday.