Operation Planet X Explained

Conflict:Operation Planet X
Partof:The War on Terrorism,
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Date:Early 15 May 2003
Place:a village near Ad-Dawr, 11miles south of Tikrit, Iraq
Result:Gen. Mahdi Al-Duri Al-Tikrit Adil Abdallah was captured along with 260 other prisoners, his bodyguards and members of his family
Combatant1: United States
Iraq
Combatant2:Iraqi Insurgency

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Planet X was a US Army mechanized raid conducted on a village near Ad-Dawr in Salah Al-Din province 11miles north of Tikrit on the night of 15 May 2003 by elements of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, U.S. 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse in search of Ba'ath party members and militants.

The name of the operation may have been inspired by the cartoon Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century.

As a result of this effort a key member of the former regime, Gen. Mahdi Al-Duri Al-Tikrit Adil Abdallah was captured along with 260 other prisoners.[1]

US fighting forces involved roughly 500 soldiers, 18 M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 12 artillery pieces, 30 HMMWVs, and 6 patrol boats.

Military Units Involved

US forces reported to be involved were
Iraqi Units involved

Casualties

No US, Coalition or Iraqi casualties or deaths were reported during the operation.

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: On point II : transition to the new campaign: the United States Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom, May 2003 – January 2005. Government Printing Office. 978-0-16-087243-3. 623.