2003 Iraq War

M777 in the 2003 Iraq War

U.S. Marines used M777A2 155 mm howitzers in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, with direct records from Camp Fallujah documenting Excalibur firing, high-explosive fire, and artillery fire-support roles.

Weapon profileM777
SideUnited States and coalition forcesRoleFire SupportLong-Range Strike
M777, 155 mm towed howitzer, Artillery - 2003 Iraq War
Image source: M777 Light Towed Howitzer image

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Sierra Battery, 5th Battalion, 10th Marines fired and prepared Excalibur rounds from M777A2 howitzers at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sources: DVIDS M777A2 Excalibur Firing, DVIDS M777A2 Excalibur Preparation

Sierra Battery was described as the first battery to employ the M777A2 cannon in combat and was shown firing a 155 mm high-explosive round from Camp Fallujah.

Sources: Marines Test Three Big Guns

Sierra Battery fired M-777 howitzers during a March 2008 exercise at At-Taqaddum, Iraq, and the story described the battery's role as supporting troops on the ground from a distance.

Sources: 5/10 Marines Bring Pain by Steel Rain

Battery M, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, operated in Anbar province with Regimental Combat Team 1 and retained M777 fire-support units while also performing security roles.

Sources: Artillery Marines Always Flexible, DVIDS Battery M Camp Fallujah Image

Timeline

M777 In 2003 Iraq War

  1. Sierra Battery has the M777A2 mission-ready

    A Marine Corps Times caption says Sierra Battery had the M777A2 mission-ready at Camp Fallujah on November 1 before firing a high-explosive round there on December 3.

    Sources: Marines Test Three Big Guns

  2. Excalibur firing documented at Camp Fallujah

    DVIDS image records identify Sierra Battery Marines firing and preparing Excalibur rounds from M777A2 howitzers at Camp Fallujah, Iraq.

    Sources: DVIDS M777A2 Excalibur Firing, DVIDS M777A2 Excalibur Preparation

  3. Sierra Battery M777 firing exercise reported at At-Taqaddum

    DVIDS reported Sierra Battery, 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, firing M-777 howitzers during a training exercise at At-Taqaddum, Iraq.

    Sources: 5/10 Marines Bring Pain by Steel Rain

  4. Battery M fire-support role described in Anbar

    DVIDS reported that Battery M, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, was serving with Regimental Combat Team 1 in al-Anbar province while still providing fire-support units with M777 howitzers at Camp Fallujah.

    Sources: Artillery Marines Always Flexible, DVIDS Battery M Camp Fallujah Image

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The M777A2 is directly documented in the 2003 Iraq War through U.S. military imagery and reporting from Camp Fallujah. A DVIDS image record dated November 4, 2007 identifies Lance Cpl. Kendric Pipken of Sierra Battery, 5th Battalion, 10th Marines, firing an Excalibur round from an M777A2 Lightweight Howitzer at Camp Fallujah and says it was the first deployment of an artillery battery with the M777A2 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

A second DVIDS image from the same date identifies Gunnery Sgt. Michael D. Hamby of Sierra Battery preparing an Excalibur round for an M777A2 at Camp Fallujah. Marine Corps Times later republished a Marine Corps caption showing Sierra Battery, 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6 firing a 155 mm high-explosive round from an M777A2 at Camp Fallujah and describing the battery as the first to employ the cannon in combat.

Sources: DVIDS M777A2 Excalibur Firing, DVIDS M777A2 Excalibur Preparation, Marines Test Three Big Guns

Dated use in Iraq

The documented Iraq sequence begins with Sierra Battery making the M777A2 mission-ready at Camp Fallujah in early November 2007. The DVIDS image records place Excalibur-related M777A2 firing activity at Camp Fallujah on November 4, while the Marine Corps Times caption says the battery had the weapon mission-ready on November 1 and fired a high-explosive round from Camp Fallujah on December 3.

By March 2008, DVIDS reporting placed Sierra Battery, 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, at At-Taqaddum, Iraq, where the Marines fired M-777 howitzers during a training exercise after moving from Fallujah. The story described the battery's fire-support role as softening enemy positions and supporting troops on the ground from a distance.

Sources: DVIDS M777A2 Excalibur Firing, Marines Test Three Big Guns, 5/10 Marines Bring Pain by Steel Rain

Operational role

In Iraq, the M777A2 appears in the sources as a U.S. Marine Corps artillery system rather than an Iraqi-government or insurgent weapon. The named units are Sierra Battery, 5th Battalion, 10th Marines, and Battery M, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, both operating in Anbar province during the later Operation Iraqi Freedom period.

The sources show a mixed artillery and security environment. DVIDS reporting on Battery M in May 2008 says the unit was serving with Regimental Combat Team 1 in al-Anbar province, filling personal-security and explosive-ordnance-disposal security roles while still providing fire-support units. The same report notes that reduced violence in Anbar lowered demand for heavy artillery, but that the battery could still return to its guns quickly if needed.

The available direct sources support fielding, firing, and fire-support roles at Camp Fallujah and At-Taqaddum. They do not identify a specific target struck by an M777A2 in Iraq beyond the general high-explosive, Excalibur, and fire-support descriptions.

Sources: Artillery Marines Always Flexible, 5/10 Marines Bring Pain by Steel Rain, DVIDS M777A2 Excalibur Firing, Marines Test Three Big Guns

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Sources