FOB Paliwoda

FOB Paliwoda or Camp Paliwoda was a US forward operating base (FOB) in Balad, Iraq. The base was named for Captain Eric Paliwoda, an Engineer Officer and West Point Graduate from Farmington, Connecticut serving with the 4th infantry division, 3rd brigade combat team who was killed in an enemy mortar attack in Balad on 2 January 2004; it had formerly been called FOB Eagle.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom II (2004), the camp was occupied by elements of the U.S. Army's 1st Infantry Division (1-77 Armor Bn.). It was during OIF II (2005) that the Balad Joint Cooperation Center (B-JCC) was established by TF 1-77AR. OIF III saw 3rd U.S. Army Infantry Division elements (Task Force 5-7 Cavalry, consisting of Bulldog, Combat, Devil and Headhunter Troops), commanded by Lt. Col Jody Petery and under operational command of the 42nd I.D., occupied the post. Serving as the main counter battery and route security between samara and North Baghdad (Al Taji) some major actions that happened included The fall of 2005 coordinated insurgent bombing attack on the city of Balad that resulted in approximately 125 local civilian deaths including the District Police Chief, and 100 wounded, due to 3 VBIEDs detonated in coordination with a 60mm mortar attack as a major mosque was ending its service, overflowing the local medical treatment centers and causing massive casualty evacuations by both US and Iraqi forces. Over 130 counter battery missions were fired by 1-41 Artillery in support of Samarra, LSA Anaconda, Fob Dragon, Fob Paliwoda, and Fob Orion within 30 km of the M109A6 Paladins stationed 24/7 at poliwoda to combat constant indirect fire threats in the area. In October 2006, as part of Task Force Lightning under the umbrella command of the 25th Infantry Division, elements of the U.S. 3rd Battalion 8th Cavalry Regiment (Warhorse), 1st Cavalry Division took control of FOB Paliwoda. The warhorse battalion was charged with monitoring and clearing the Jabauri Peninsula, a hot bed for terrorists fleeing from places like Syria, Iran, and Pakistan. In Oct. 2007, 3/8 Cav, 1CD turned over control to elements of 1/32 Cav 1st BCT 101st Airborne Division. In Oct 2008, the 101st conducted Relief in Place/Transfer of Authority (RIP/TOA) with 3-4 CAV (Nightraiders), 3BCT (Broncos), 25ID (Tropic Lightning). Early in 2009, Bravo and Charlie Troops, 3-4 CAV would leave the FOB and live on Joint Base Balad (JBB). The HHT elements of 3-4 CAV (including both the SCO and SCSM) and Apache Troop, would remain on FOB Paliwoda until OCT 2009, when they turned over control of the FOB to HHC 1-28 INF, an Infantry Battalion from 1st ID based out of Fort Riley, Kansas.

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