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[[Image:2nd MEB insignia.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Insignia of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade]]

'''Task Force Tarawa''' (TFT) was the name given to the [[2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (United States)|2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade]] during the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]].  It was a [[Marine Air-Ground Task Force]] commanded by [[Brigadier General]] [[Richard F. Natonski]]<ref name="Natonski">Natonski message.</ref> that was attached to the [[I Marine Expeditionary Force]] during the course of the invasion and was most notable for its participation in the heavy fighting in the city of [[Nasiriyah|an-Nāṣiriyyah]]. During its time supporting [[Iraq War#2003: Invasion|Operation Iraqi Freedom]], the task force suffered 23 Marines [[killed in action]].

==Deployment==
The 7,100 Marines and Sailors of TFT departed [[Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune]], [[North Carolina]] on January 15, 2003.  They were transported on seven [[United States Navy]] ships that together formed Amphibious Task Force East (ATF East); otherwise nicknamed the 'Magnificent Seven'.  The ships were the {{USS|Kearsarge|LHD-3}}, {{USS|Saipan|LHA-2}}, {{USS|Bataan|LHD-5}}, {{USS|Ashland |LSD-48}}, {{USS|Portland|LSD-37}}, {{USS|Gunston Hall|LSD-44}}, and the {{USS|Ponce|LPD-15}}.{{sfn|Andrew|2009|pp=4}}  ATF East arrived in [[Kuwait]] on February 15, 2003 and quickly debarked their aircraft and ships then headed into the northern Kuwaiti desert.

The Task force's equipment consisted of 81 aircraft, 46 [[Amphibious Assault Vehicle]]s, 24 [[LAV-25|LAVs]], 14 [[M1A1 Abrams]] tanks, 18 [[M198 howitzer]]s, and 4 [[M9 Armored Combat Earthmover|M9 ACEs]].
(however they only had 12 Abrams when the fighting started.)

==Operation Iraqi Freedom==
TFT crossed into [[Iraq]] on March 21, 2003 with the missions of securing [[Jalibah Southeast Air Base|Jalibah Airfield]] and then securing the 3 bridges over the [[Euphrates River]] at An Nasiriyah to allow the [[1st Marine Division (United States)|1st Marine Division]] to continue its attack north.  From March 23 to March 29, 2003, Task Force Tarawa was engaged in heavy fighting in and around the city of An Nasiriyah as they came in contact with [[Saddam Hussein]]’s [[Fedayeen]] and members of the Iraqi [[11th Division (Iraq)|11th Infantry Division]]. TFT lost 18 Marines in the fighting and were involved in a [[friendly fire]] incident in which two [[A-10 Warthog]] aircraft killed a number of Marines when they strafed their [[Amphibious Assault Vehicle]]s with 30mm depleted uranium rounds and Maverick missiles. The A-10 pilots were not prosecuted.

During this time the original task force grew with the additions of the [[15th Marine Expeditionary Unit|15th]] and [[24th Marine Expeditionary Unit]]s.  The Marines of TFT were the first U.S. unit to come in contact with the remnants of the [[507th Maintenance Company]] after they were ambushed and later on were on standby to assist with the rescue of [[prisoner of war]] [[Jessica Lynch|PFC Jessica Lynch]].

After leaving An Nasiriyah, the Task Force was tasked with securing the highways to the rear of the 1st Marine Division and on April 3, 2003 they secured the town of [[Ad Diwaniyah]].  They continued to move and on April 7, pushed into [[Al Amarah]], securing the 10th Armoured Division HQ and the nearby [[Amarah Air Base|Al Amarah airfield]] and finally ended the invasion outside of [[Baghdad]] after conducting security and stabilization operations in [[Al Kut]] on April 11.

On May 14, 2003 Task Force Tarawa turned its Area of Operations over to the [[1st Marine Division (United States)|1st Marine Division]] and returned to the United States via naval ship.

While en route back to the United States on June 12, 2003, [[3rd Battalion 2nd Marines]] (3/2) while aboard {{USS|Kearsarge|LHD-3}} was deployed in support of [[Operation Shining Express]] to support the rescue of U.S. embassy personnel and American citizens during the [[Second Liberian Civil War]].

==Order of battle==
* [[2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (United States)|2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade]] - BGen R.F. Natonski
:Company A, 8th Communication Battalion
:Detachment, 2nd Intelligence Battalion - Maj J.P. Christopher
:Detachment, 2nd Radio Battalion - Maj T. Naughton
: [[2nd Marine Regiment]]
:: [[1st Battalion, 2nd Marines]] (1/2)
:: [[2nd Battalion, 8th Marines]] (2/8)
:: [[2nd Battalion, 6th Marines]] (2/6)
:: [[3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines]] (3/2)
:: [[1st Battalion, 10th Marines]] (1/10)
:: Company C, [[2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion]]
:: Company A, [[2nd Reconnaissance Battalion (United States Marine Corps)|2nd Reconnaissance Battalion]]
:: Company A, [[2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion]] (Attached to 1/2)
:: Company A, [[8th Tank Battalion]] (Attached to 1/2) (deactivated currently Company E, 4th Tank Battalion)
:: Company A, [[2nd Combat Engineer Battalion]]
:: Company A, [[6th Engineer Support Battalion|6th Combat Engineer Battalion]] Battle Creek, MI
: [[Marine Air Control Group 28]]
::[[2d Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion]]
::[[Marine Air Support Squadron 1]]
: [[Marine Aircraft Group 29]], MCAS New River, North Carolina
:: [[Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29]]
:: [[HMH-464]]
:: [[HMLA-269]]
:: [[VMM-162|HMM-162]] - Helicopter Marine Medium
: [[Combat Logistics Battalion 22|Combat Service Support Battalion 22]]

==See also==

* [[Marine Expeditionary Unit]]
* [[Justin LeHew]]

==Citations==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* ''This article incorporates text in the [[public domain]] from the [[United States Marine Corps]].''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060615120609/http://www.lejeune.usmc.mil/meb/default.asp 2nd MEB website].  Retrieved on 2006-08-06.
*{{cite web |url=https://www.marines.mil/portals/1/Publications/U.S.%20Marines%20in%20Battle_An-Nasiriyah%20%20PCN%2010600000700.pdf |title=U.S. Marines in Battle An Nasiriyah 23 March - 2 April 2003 |last= Andrew|first=Rod |date=2009 |website=Marines.mil |publisher=United States Marine Corps |access-date=2023-09-25 |quote=}}
*{{cite web|url =  http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/desertstorm/annasiriyah/default.aspx
  |title=The Battle of An Nasiriyah
  |author=Lowry, Richard S.
  |year=2004
  |publisher=Military History Online
  |accessdate=2006-08-06}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.iraqi-freedom-diary.com/uss-bataan.html
  |title=Operation Iraqi Freedom: A Personal Account of the Battle of An Nasiriyah
  |work=Iraqi Freedom Diary
  |author=Feiring, Doug
  |accessdate=2006-08-06}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.lejeune.usmc.mil/meb/MessCG.asp
  |title=Message from the Commanding General 2nd MEB / Task Force Tarawa
  |author=Natonski, R. F.
  |accessdate=2006-08-06 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060615140056/http://lejeune.usmc.mil/meb/MessCG.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2006-06-15}}

==External links==
*{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/keegan200407010933.asp
  |title=Bumps in the Road
  |date=July 1, 2004
  |author=Keegan, John
  |work=The Iraq War
  |publisher=National Review Online
  |accessdate=2006-08-06}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/taskforcetarawach_1.htm
  |title=Task Force Tarawa: A Personal Perspective of Operation Enduring Freedom
  |author=Henthorn, SSgt Creighton L., Jr.
  |year=2003
  |accessdate=2006-08-06}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/2003/iraq-030410-usmc01.htm
  |title=Task Force Tarawa Marines aid Iraqi Freedom Force in reclaiming town
  |work=USMC News
  |author=Rhodes, Cpl Shawn C.
  |id=Story ID 20034109350
  |date=April 8, 2003
  |accessdate=2006-08-06}} Reprinted on GlobalSecurity.org.
*{{cite web|url=http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13387
  |title=Task Force Tarawa Marines, lost but not forgotten
  |work=The Globe
  |accessdate=2006-08-06}}  Reprinted on Leatherneck.com.
*{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/coalition/deployment/marines/2nd.marine.exp.html
  |title=2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade
  |work=War in Iraq
  |publisher=CNN.com
  |accessdate=2006-08-07}}

[[Category:Ad hoc units and formations of the United States Marine Corps]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps in the Iraq War]]