USMC 1st MARDIV Iraq Patches — Embroidered Patch
The Deepest Penetration in Marine Corps History
In 2003, the 1st Marine Division wrote a new chapter in the Old Breed's storied history — one measured in speed, violence of action, and the deepest ground penetration in Marine Corps history. This patch represents the Marines who surged from the Kuwaiti border to Baghdad and beyond, covering 808 kilometers in 17 days of sustained combat.
Under Major General James Mattis, the 1st Marine Division served as the ground combat element of I Marine Expeditionary Force during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The division fought through the Rumaila oil fields, feinted toward Basrah, then drove north through An Nasiriyah, across the Tigris and Euphrates, and into the heart of Baghdad. After the capital fell, the division formed Task Force Tripoli and pushed north to secure Tikrit. The division returned to Iraq in 2004, taking control of the volatile Al Anbar province and leading Operations Vigilant Resolve and Phantom Fury in Fallujah — some of the most intense urban combat since Hue City.
Perfect For:
Marines who deployed with 1st MARDIV to Iraq, OIF veterans, Fallujah veterans, military history collectors, and anyone who appreciates the warrior spirit that drove the Old Breed from Kuwait to Tikrit in just over two weeks.
Speed, speed, speed — the Old Breed answered the call again.
