It is my hope that I will be able to construct a history of events as they occured in regards to the unit's mobilization, training, and deployment and service in Operation Iraqi Freedom II. To make it clear, all errors are mine and the only assistance I have come from news reports and FRG documents. SSG Martin Gibson was as helpful as he could safely and legally be in providing access to missing FRG documents and it is appreciated.
| July 26 | Alerted by Army that unit may be activated for federal service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| September 26 | Department of Defense approves call-up of 39th Enhanced Support Brigade, which includes Battery F 1/202 ADA |
| October 12 | Official date of active duty mobilization |
| October 28 | Advance team of 12 departs for Fort Hood, TX |
| November 1 | Departure review of unit at Galva High School and Armory |
| November 2 | Early morning departure for Fort Hood for remainder of unit |
| November/December | Training at Fort Hood (urban warfare/peacekeeping) |
| December 20 - January 2, 2004 | Unit given holiday leave and return home to Illinois |
| February 1 | Transfer to Fort Polk, LA for continued training and Arab-immersion civil operations drills; some members sent seaborne transferring equipment to Kuwait |
| February 15 - 26 | Mission Rehearsal Exercise (counter-insurgency, defense, MOUT) |
| February 17 | Bush visit to Fort Polk; Galva Armed Services Yahoo group created by Jim Doherty |
| February 28 | Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL) visits troops at Fort Polk; flag casing ceremony |
| February 28-29 | Family visitation period at Fort Polk |
| Late February - Early March | Advance team departs for Kuwait; assigned escort duty while awaiting rest of unit |
| March 5 | Arrival of remainder of unit in Kuwait |
| Late March | Unit moves into Iraq, stationed at Camp Victory North; operational area patrolling MSR Tampa and other convoy routes |
| April 7 | Unit members injured while patrol attacked. SPC Jeremy Wrotny injured and flown to Germany for treatment. SPC William McDaniels and SGT John Arneson injured, treated, and returned to duty. |
| April 9 | 3rd Platoon combats looters; SPC Paul Calhoun receives minor injury, returned to duty |
| April 7 - 11 | Battle of Holy Week; Foxtrot Battery named "Hero of the 1st Cavalry Division" for actions during combat, culminating in battle at Baghdad International Airport on 4/11; SPC Mark Bomleny injured 4/11, treated, and returned to duty |
| April 13 | SSG David Jensen and SGT Bruce Hartman remove car bomb from convoy route on April 13 (later receive Army Commendation Medals) |
| May 21 | SSG Larry Comer first unit member to return for 15-day leave |
| June 10 | Grand opening of the Dahash Water Treatment Plant; which unit members help construct |
| Mid-August | Roadside bomb injures SPC Jason Baldwin and SPC Richard Douglas |
| September 21 | Four members injured in car bomb attack after unit moves and begins duty near center of Baghdad; PFC Dustin Hill seriously injured and medevaced out of theater; SSG Daniel Quimby, SSG David Jensen, and SPC Lucas Seimers also injured but eventually return to duty in short order. Other bombing incidents occur in same period, but no Foxtrot members are involved as casualties. |
| November 15 | Unit transferred to Camp Taji |
| December 14 | Eight unit members injured in car bomb attack when returning from patrol; SSG Troy Wolford and SSG Derrick Glisan among the wounded |
| December 24 | Marcus Johnson wounded in car bomb attack; sent to Germany for treatment |
January
By all means, please report any errors/omissions/clarifications to the email below. I want this to be as accurate as possible and I could use all the help I can get. Thanks.