Iraq - Operation Iraqi Freedom

    I arrived in Tikrit, Iraq in April 2003.  Tikrit is just about 60 kilometers north of Baghdad and was essentially the home town of Saddam Hussein.  Saddam was actually from Ad Dawr, a few kilometers south of the town, but his tribe was primarily from Tikrit.  While in Tikrit, we occupied the sprawling palace complex he had built to house him and his entourage whenever they came to Tikrit.  The US Air Force was good at targeting the complex.  Every building Saddam would have occupied was attacked, but every building that Saddam himself never used, was not targeted.  I stayed in Tikrit until March 2004 when we redeployed back to the United States.  While I was in Iraq, I was able to travel to Baghdad, Kirkuk, Baqubah and several other cities.  These pictures chronicle my time in Iraq.