The Battle of Debecka Pass, sometimes known as the Battle of Debecka Ridge, or otherwise referred to as the Alamo of the Iraq War^{[citation needed]}, was a successful operation launched by U.S. Special Forces to secure a major crossroads near the village of Debecka. It was notable for its use of the RaytheonLockheed-Martin Javelin anti-tank missile. The weapon demonstrated how lethal and crucial technology can be in determining the outcome of a battle. Combatants Republic of Mexico Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas Commanders Antonio López de Santa Anna Pérez de Lebrón William Travis† Jim Bowie† Davy Crockett† Strength 6,000 in attack {1,800 in assault-see below} 183 to 250 Casualties 370 to 600 total 70 to 200... Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is a major United States military contractor based in Waltham, Massachusetts. ... Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is a leading aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology company formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... A soldier practices with the Javelin on a firing range. ...

Objective

On April 6, 2003, 26 United States Green Berets were given the task to capture a strategically important junction between Mosul and Kirkuk, near the village of Debecka. Were it captured, it would sever Highway 2 and impede Iraqi movement in the north, as well as provide a springboard to eventually drive on and capture the important Kirkuk oil fields. This article is about the U.S. Special Operations Force. ... Tigris River and bridge in Mosul Mosul (Arabic: ‎ , Kurdish: Mûsil, Syriac: Nîněwâ, Turkish: Musul) is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of Ninawa Governorate. ... Kirkuk (also spelled Karkuk or Kerkuk; Arabic: كركوك, Kirkūk; Kurdish: كه‌ركووك, Kerkûk; Syriac: ܐܪܦܗܐ, Arrapha; Persian: کرکوک; Turkish: Kerkük) is a city in northern Iraq and capital of Taamim Governorate. ...

The Battle

On the eighteenth day of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the Green Berets moved in for the attack. The battle began with an aerial bombardment from B-52 bombers. The Special Forces troops linked up with the Peshmerga resistance, and reached the base of the ridge. B-52 can refer to the following: The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber aircraft A hairstyle popular in the 1950s and 1960s, named after the aircraft A rock band, The B-52s, named after the hairstyle A cocktail This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which... Peshmerga, pesh merga, peshmarga or peshmerge Kurdish: pêşmerge) is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. ...

Peshmerga troops then proceeded to clear a minefield before them. Iraqi troops attacked and stopped the force from destroying a large dirt berm. The force made their way over the top of the ridgeline, and engaged the Iraqis in bunkers, capturing about twenty Iraqi soldiers. The troops returned and destroyed the berm, as they would need an avenue of escape should withdrawal from the area prove necessary. A berm is a level space or shelf separating two features. ...

The troops then mounted a small hill known as Press Hill, obscuring an approach to the crossroads from the south. Soon they found themselves facing an Iraqi mechanized company with hundreds^{[verification needed]} of troops, and the four-and-a-half-hour battle began. Early into the battle two armored personnel carriers (APCs) were destroyed along with two occupied troop trucks by Javelin anti-tank missiles. Soon after two more APCs were destroyed along with another transport truck, from the same deadly weapon. The attacking Iraqis halted the offensive and laid down fire from defensive trenches. As the battle wore on, the less organized the Iraqi attack became. East German BRDMs on parade during celebrations of the 40th anniversary of East Germany in 1989 Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are light armoured fighting vehicles for the transport of infantry. ... A soldier practices with the Javelin on a firing range. ... A trench is a long narrow ditch. ...

Later three trucks approached the company with flashing headlights, most likely fooling the Green Berets into believing that it might be a surrender. However, it was a mere ploy, catching the special forces troops off guard for the final, very organized attack. A phalanx of three armored personnel carriers and three troop trucks came out of a smokescreen laid by the Iraqis, firing doggedly. They parted and made way for the next wave, four T-55 tanks. The men quickly rushed back up the ridge to their final stand. Coordinated air-strikes helped break the back of the Iraqi offensive. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The T-54 and T-55 tank series was the Soviet Unions front-line main battle tank from 1947 until 1962, and remains in service throughout the world to this day, especially by former client states of the Soviet Union. ...

The only casualties on the coalition's side occurred as a result of an airstrike, which killed seventeen Kurdish rebels and civilians huddled around a smoldering T-55. The battle also took the lives of a BBC reporter, cameraman and producer^{[citation needed]}.There were no Green Beret deaths. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

References

Special Operations Troops Recount Iraq Missions by Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press Service, Feb. 5, 2004

The Battle of Debecka Pass Iraq, Raytheon Company website, Special Interest Stories

Roughneck Nine-One by Sgt.1st Class Frank Antenori and Hans Halberstradt, St.Martins Press New York, Copyright 2006