The 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry was the spearhead and the screening force for the main elements of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division during the Iraq War. The 3d Squadron launched an attack under the command of LTC Terry Ferrell on 20 March 2003.[citation needed]
The 3rd Squadron was the "Eyes and Ears" for the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) and the "Iron Fist" for the U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps. The Squadron was engaged with the enemy earlier and more often in the war than any other unit.[citation needed]
Combat operations for Operation Iraqi Freedom began on 20 March 2003, when the squadron crossed into Iraq as the lead element of the 3rd Infantry Division. The Squadron attacked towards Baghdad fighting both the Republican Guard and the Sadam Fedayeen. With the capture of Baghdad, the division and the squadron transitioned to stabilization operations. By the time the Squadron had redeployed, it had killed 2,200 Iraqi personnel, 64 tanks, 41 armored vehicles, numerous active air defense systems, as well as trucks and civilian vehicles used as suicide bombers.
3/7 Cav. 3rd ID is going to be the unit I plan to use. Even though they probably used all desert colored vehicles I'm claiming "artistic license".
Gonna try this "salt technique" for chipped paint. The color I used was Iraq Sand by Vallejo. The paint in the bottle looks more yellow than the paint dose, which is more tan in color. For the base, a former coworker brought back from Jordan some desert sand. Thanks for looking. Gary S. XXXXV XX XX