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Recently, Booker got one of the highest honors you can get. A new model of American armored vehicle is getting named after him

A lone tank with a mangled main gun brazenly approaching a well-manned position is legitimately more frightening than fighting off a whole column of armored vehicles. I'd probably be freaked out, too.

The people driving the overpass mid battle just trying to get to work that morning deserve a raise.

“Sir, that’s not a Recon en Force. That’s an Assault” *gravely voice* “Semantics!”

I remember Baghdad Bob almost Yelling “what attack, there is no attack” even as we changed the name of his airport. 😆😆I can’t remember what card he was. Ace of something I think

5:50 Jumping from one Humvee to another at 30 MPH? That's the kind of thing that would get taken out of a (trying to be as realistic as possible) movie, because it's too over the top to be believable. It's so crazy that I can believe it really did happen. I watched a "making of" video about 1977's movie "A Bridge Too Far," and there were a few of those in that one.

Most of the tanks and Bradleys went completely black (empty) of 7.62mm and .50cal MG ammo by the end of the first run. One of things that helped the tanks bust through the ambushes were the M1028 Canister rounds for the 120mm main gun - huge shotgun shells that would scour trenches and light bunkers of defenders. They expended all of the few they had been issued, then fired their HEAT rounds. Some tanks went black on 120mm except for the sabot rounds (depleted uranium anti-tank darts). Some of the tanks shrugged off multiple RPG hits and kept moving.

Penultimate episode of this series that has been an utter blast. Can't wait to see what other conflict you'll cover next, Ops Room.

18:40 Talk about having a bad day: first your tank gets destroyed, then your replacement transport turns into a vomit comet

My battalion relieved those guys a year later. Had no idea they did that shit. I was shocked to see you share some of those pictures I've had for 20yrs that they shared with me before they left.

The road section from where 3rd ID made the turn off the interchange to the airport (the Qadisiya expressway) was actually MUCH worse than Op Room's map. It was a wide dual-lane highway divided by a median, but both outer sides were lined with trees and brush, and then there was a a high wall which in turn was overlooked by almost continuous lines of two- and three-story housing for more than two miles. It was a miniature urban canyon formed along the road. You couldn't ASK for a better shooting gallery for RPG and infantry teams to set up in. Thank god the Iraqis are such lousy warriors. (Post-script: one of the first things the Coalition did at the start of the occupation was cut down all the trees along the Qadisiya to improve sight-lines and prevent sniping/grenade throwing)

We've all missed the off-ramp to the airport

I'm just amazed that it's even possible to spin a tank turret at 120 degrees per second.

I remember LTC Kim Olmstead telling us in the 1/1 CAV about the Thunder runs in Vietnam. Its a good tactic but only with the proper support and Recon.

Words cannot describe to the average American how uncaring of their own or other's safety the typical Arab driver is. That truck that did the head-on ram with the Abrams? That might not have been an attack. He simply might have expected the tank to move first. And I'm not joking.

Alright man I'm signing up to the Patreon for this, you've come so far in 5 years, what a masterpiece.

I was there B co 3-7 infantry, it was our crossed attached tankers that blew up the plane. I was on the radio when the tanks just started shooting everything they had. Company commander called them up and ask what the contact was, tanker PL called back and said “recon by fire”. Then a second later you hear a hot mic say “dismounts near the plane, shoot shoot!” Then i swear the sun rose in the north! Thought they had hit a gas pipeline but it was the plane going up. Then i looked left just in time to see the M998 slip off the trail and in to the culvert filled with water. Two men came up, two others very killed SFC Wilber Davis and our reporter were both killed. We got them out and did cpr for 20 mins till the medevac came in.

I WAS IN SCOUT PLATOON 2ND TANK BATTALION RCT 5 ON APRIL 4. THIS VIDEO BROUGHT BACK ALL THE INTENSE MEMORIES OF COMBAT ON THAT DAY. WE HAD BEEN ENGAGING THE REPUBLICAN GUARD AL-NIDA DIVISION SINCE THE 2ND OF APRIL. THE 4TH OF APRIL WAS MUCH DIFFERENT, AND IT WAS OBVIOUS WE WERE FIGHTING WITH SOME DEDICATED IRREGULAR FORCES THAT WERE USING COVER AND CONCEALMENT MUCH BETTER THAN THE REPUBLICAN GUARD DIVISION. A FEW YEARS LATER, I WAS A VETERAN OF FALLUJAH, AND THE ENEMY TACTICS MOST MIRRORED THIS KIND OF FIGHTING. One glaring difference from 3rd ID's Thunder Run was the absence of Marine Corps armor outside of 2 OR THREE COMPAINES OF main battle tanks. The events in Nasiriyah the month prior were magnified in this battle. The lack of armor and firepower against an irregular and concealed enemy was a significant disadvantage, leaving us vulnerable. A FEW THINGS THE ANIMATION DIDN’T CAPTURE WAS HOW CLOSE THE SUPER COBRAS AND COMMAND HUEY’S WERE GETTING IN THEIR GUN RUNS. I RECALL THE COBRAS USING THEIR ROCKETS AND 20MM CANNONS TO ATTACK THE HARDENED FACTORIES ALONG THE ROAD AS THE ENEMY WAS USING THEM TO PROVIDE COVER. ALSO, THE MARINE AAVS, WITH THEIR ALUMINUM HAULS, WOULD HAVE A SQUAD OF MARINES STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE HATCHES WITH THEIR M16/SAW AND A FEW 240S PROVIDING FIRE SUPPORT AS IF WE WERE ON A BATTLESHIP. THIS MADEUP SOME WHAT FOR THE LACK OF HEAVY WEAPONS. I ALSO RECALL CAPTAIN LATER MAJOR HOUSTON OUTSIDE OF HIS TANK, HOLDING HIS NECK WITH ONE HAND AND CLUTCHING HIS BERRETTA M9 AS THE NAVY CORPSMAN WAS ATTENDING HIS WOUNDS NEXT TO THE BURNING TANK. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAD ONE MORE KIA THAT NIGHT THAT WAS LEFT OUT, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST SERGEANT SMITH; HE LOST HIS LIFE DUE TO AN IRAQI ARMY AMMO DUMP EXPLODING. THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO DOZEN MARINES SERIOUSLY WOUNDED AND BEING MEDEVACKED AT THE END OF THE BATTLE. REFLECTING ON THAT BATTLE, I ALWAYS FELT THAT WAS THE LAST ARMORED THURST AND THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF USING THE MARINE CORPS AS A SECOND ARMY. WHAT CAME AFTER WAS YEARS OF IRAQI/AFGHAN COIN OPERATIONS. AS WE KNOW, THE MARINE CORPS NO LONGER HAS ANY TANKS, AS THE FUTURE IS LIGHT LITTORAL COMBAT BRIGADES. THAT BATTLE CHANGED MY LIFE PROFOUNDLY AND CONTINUES TO IMPACT MY LIFE TODAY. I HAD NEVER BEEN SO PROUD AFTER THAT BATTLE OF BEING AN AMERICAN.

love this content..clear..concise and narration brief, but informative...Bravo..and gives me a better understanding of our countless heroes battling..

Thank you for your continued series. As much as it was broadcast on MSM, so many don't know what happened.

Surprising and ironic that Syrian volunteers where among the defenders of Baghdad considering the highly acrimonious, and deadly split between the Iraqi and Syrian Baath party factions. Most of the party's top leaders wound up assassinated or executed by one another's intelligence services.

Terrific animation and fascinating details of battles. This is one of the best channels on KZfaq.

I was based out of FOB Falcon in 06-07. Been up and down that highway at least a hundred times.

20:14 these people never cease to amaze XD "surely my Toyota Hilux will annihilate or disable this giant war machine yes?"

Another excellent video. I always love waking up to see that you've got a new upload live.

leaping from HMMWV to HMMWV in the middle of a firefight while flying down the road is the most badass thing ever

Thank you for this series Ops. I was there I MEF. 7th ESB. If my son were ever to ask about the conflict I would direct him to your channel above all else. Good work!

Love your content!! Keep up the good work!

The book Thunder Run by David Zucchino is a fantastic, detailed and entertaining account of the Baghdad thunder runs. If you are interested in a more in depth analysis of those battles, you can't do much better. Highly recommended.

Thank you for this once-again great video!

Been looking forward to your next video.

Thanks a bunch for sharing this with us Big Dog!

I’ve been waiting for this video for so long lmao great video

Thank you so much for these in depth videos. I love learning history and combat operations. My dad served in Iraqi Freedom in the 3rd ID so this is also interesting to see the enviornment he was in.

GoodJob! I incredible work as usual!

Hell yeah, a new OR video for my lunch break

These 'Iraqi Freedom' and other 2000s conflict videos are the best! Thanks for making these! I hadn't heard of the second thunder run until this video.

Great video. I never knew about the story of the M-1 that had the wonky turret and was by itself. I read the book Thunder Run: The Armored Strike to Capture Baghdad by Zucchino, David which i thought was very good. I want more!

I arrived to Charlie 3/15 Infantry sometime around May in 2004 =D. Everybody go check out the book - Letters Home: From 9/11 to Operation Iraqi Freedom: A Military Mom Shares Her Family's Story of Patriotism, Courage and Love It's about my team leader, Sean Ward. I was deployed to Baghdad in 2005, with a bunch of the stopped lossed dudes from C-3/15. Before we deployed we split into Alpha and Bravo 1/64 armor. While talking to my mom on the phone one day, she said she had watched Opra or something and she was talking about a book a mom wrote. As soon as she said the last name, Ward, I was like... wait what? Mom thats my current team leader lol Hope you are well Sgt Ward.

The roundabout scene with lone tank wandering while not getting killed is one the most bizarre and luckiest thing in the war stories.

Another excellent video, thanks.

Thank you for this! Are you guys still looking for sponsors? I runs WW2 online store and I’d love to sponsor you guys.

Been waiting for this one.

The amount of lead they put out while moving in speed, one of the good examples of modern armored and maneuver warfare

Another great video!

Brilliant video!

McPhilips is from my town. His parents are wonderful people and speak every year at our veterans day ceremony.

Hey, I know your channel is moving up in combat era with every video, WW2-Vietnam-gulf-Iraq. But is there any chance you could take us back to Tarawa? Or maybe even Peleliu? Great content as always! 🤟🏽

Despite my many years, I don't think I've ever been this early. Cannot wait to watch the video, it's gonna be a banger 🎉🎉

Excellent job! I’m curious do you have any plans to make any content about Afghanistan??

Dope video! Big time fan here saying how awesome some napoleon videos would be!

Great video. Love using the real pictures. I'd appreciate even more. The real pictures help paint the picture with even more detail .I can image what a tank looks like but so see the real thing and the tanks on the highway is so great.

God this could have gone so wrong so quickly if the Iraqis weren't so entirely disorganized from the on going air and land campaigns.

I've noticed a lot of battle reports from Iraq go like "Coalition convoy ambushed by 1000 Iraqi soldiers. 10 marines killed, 1135 Iraqi soldiers killed"

Baghdad Bob: *"The Iraqi army has fought heroically and has stopped the Americans at the Euphrates River!"* Coalition Colonel: *"Tell that to my VW Passat."*

Love this series

babe wake up the operations room posted again

I took a closer look of this tank at @17:41 & 23:32 the day after the battle. It was destroyed near from Dora crossroads. Located only a 3 minutes walk from my house, i went there driven by the curiosity of a 9 years old kid!

I have watched the Army University Press' thunder run documentary and now this, and I'm still completely baffled and confused that this worked with so few casualties. How did the Iraqi Army and its allied paramilitaries fail to decisively engage a massive armored column driving straight down an open highway in an urban center? The incompetence of the Iraqi military is difficult for me to wrap my head around. Untrained Mahdi Army militia managed to halt American columns with rudimentary equipment in Sadr City in 2004, so it's not like it can't be done.

Thank you

Thats crazy, I have pictures of the aftermath of SSG Jason Giaz's M1 Abrams. But for some unknown reason, in the picture it's in the ditch in between the two opposing lanes, but you can clearly tell it's the same tank because of the highway ramp/ exit/ overpasse.

Thank you.

it's even better if you list out the enemies and combat mission on the upper right corner with these cute logos

There was an afternoon radio host in Milwaukee who joked that the airport should have been renamed Rumsfeld Regional.

I had the pleasure of working with LTC Schwartz at the time; it was MAJ Schwartz, one of the most humbled men then… I can only see that he would apologize to every person in his command after that; it is true to his character.

**sings Teenage Dirtbag with the guys**

Something that I think needs to be pointed out is how many civilians were likely killed by random american and Iraqi fire in this thunder run. If there were people driving around still, there were definitely people in those buildings that were hit by missed 120mm HE rounds, 50 cal, Rpgs, A10 runs, 30 cal, etc. I shudder to think how many families had their lives destroyed by this action.

Thats some pretty wild tactics.

TY🙏🙏

Hang on... Dowdy? RCT 1? Ambush where they have to turn around and find bodies of iraqi noncitizens? For a second I was wondering if this was a Generation Kill episode

Baghdad Bob: "There are no Americans in Baghdad!" *Tanks just rolling through the background*

For those that dont know, a AK round severed a fuel line, which caused the fire to keep coming back on the damaged Abrams. And they put out the fire several times before the fire kept coming back.

Will you do a video about Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah?

As a Vet of this ACTUAL event. Was part of Task Force 3-15 (A Co 3-15 INF) and ran the Thunder Runs to the airport and all the way to Objective Moe where we held the highway junction area for several days. Ultimately combat operations shifted to "Occupation" in April. I made a video about our thunder runs on my channel. Actual Hi8mm footage from the thunder runs, Objective Moe and other good times while in Iraq.

Very nicely put together, again. It's a shame you can't do medieval battles, I doubt that there is enough info about the battles to make a episode. 😎👍

What happened to the A-10’s giving air cover?

Yoooo my neighbor was there Pretty cool dude 😅 Was there for the 91 war too

This is how the Russians imagined to roll into Grozny in 1994 and into Ukraines main cities in 2022... Both times the Russians encountered the kind of fierce resistance Schwarz was worried to meet in Baghdad. There is a thin red line between daring genius and criminal risking the life of your soldiers.

I think it would be great if the minds and talent behind @TheOperationsRoom created a video game, if not based on the events in their videos, similar to them. Similar maps, similar 2D vehicles.

i remember there was word of Thunder Run being made into a movie. i hope this idea gets revisited

This could be a brilliant game mission

Ohhh, THAT Booker.

I'm Thunder Runnin' to this episode

you just made my day.

Will there be another video on this war, or is this the finale? I saw some comments saying this would be the last

Maybe I missed it in the video but what happened to the Warthog's supposed to be flying close air support? I feel like the column really could have benefitted from more air support, or was it too dangerous to fly aircraft in the area?

personally apologizing from soldier to soldier, shows some character

13:01 pretty sure that guy in the car saw the tanks and was like 'Not today....not today' and just went the other way

This needs to be made into a movie

I was a kid when Iraq happened. This bring back some memories.

there's a slight problem with the intro: the M1's engine doesn't growl, it screams

Is There Any Movie About Thunder Run ? I want To See Humvee fight in the city in black hawk down but with M1 Abrams and Bradley.

Broad daylight. Little route intel. No Scouts or Apaches up front. What could go wrong....

The fastest armored assault in modern warfare. They also did this more than once

@TheOperationsRoom When are you doing the battle of Najaf?

16:21 Remind me of the scene in The Two Towers where Aragorn is screaming at Legolas to shoot the orc bomber.

That part with Gruneisen's tank could be a comedy movie.

9:30 Kinda weird hearing that the ones who fought harder than the Iraqis weren't iraqi

I can't believe there hasn't been a film made about this yet.