View source for 2004 Forward Operating Base Marez bombing

{{Short description|2004 Islamist attack on a US base in Mosul, Iraq}}
{{coord|36.302433|43.122342|display=title}}
{{Infobox terrorist attack
| title            = Attack on Forward Operating Base Marez
| location         = [[Mosul]], [[Iraq]]
| target           = Forward Operating Base Marez
| date             = {{Start date and age|2004|12|21}}
| partof           = [[Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006)]] in [[Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011)]]
| type             = [[suicide bombing]]
| fatalities       = 14 U.S. soldiers <br />4 U.S. civilians <br />4 Iraqi soldiers
| injuries         = 72 (including 51 U.S. soldiers)
| perps            = [[Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna|Army of Ansar al-Sunna]]
| motive           = [[Occupation of Iraq (2003–2011)|Occupation of Iraq]]
}}
{{Campaignbox Iraq War bombings}}

The '''Forward Operating Base Marez bombing''' took place on December 21, 2004.  Fourteen U.S. soldiers, four U.S. citizen [[Halliburton]] employees, and four Iraqi soldiers allied with the U.S. military were killed by a suicide bomber in a [[mess|dining hall]] at the [[Forward Operating Base]] next to the main U.S. military airfield at [[Mosul]].<ref name="task">{{Cite web |last=Redmon |first=Jeremy |date=2020-12-02 |title=The inside story of the deadliest attack on a U.S. military base during the Iraq War |url=https://taskandpurpose.com/history/iraq-war-fob-marez-bombing/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Task & Purpose |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315094844/https://taskandpurpose.com/history/iraq-war-fob-marez-bombing/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Pentagon report==
The Pentagon reported that 72 other personnel were injured in the attack carried out by a [[suicide bomber]] wearing an explosive vest and the uniform of the Iraqi security services. The Islamist insurgent group [[Army of Ansar al-Sunna]] (partly evolved from [[Ansar al-Islam in Kurdistan|Ansar al-Islam]]) released an internet message taking credit for the attack.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fleishman |first=Jeffrey |date=2005-01-28 |title=Displaced Militants Adapt, Widen Their Scope |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jan-28-fg-ansar28-story.html |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912005308/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jan-28-fg-ansar28-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The bomber entered the mess tent and approached a large group of U.S. soldiers, detonating himself and killing 22 people. It was the single deadliest suicide attack against the US military in Iraq.

==After attack==
Weeks before the attack, soldiers from the base intercepted a document that mentioned a proposal for a massive "Beirut"-type attack on U.S. forces.<ref name="abc">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Military Had Warning of Planned Mosul Attack |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=352705&page=1 |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=ABC News |language=en |archive-date=2023-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215020505/https://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=352705&page=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> The reference was apparently to the [[1983 Beirut barracks bombing]] in which 241 U.S. service members were killed. Following the discovery of the papers, commanders at the base — which is about {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in|0}} south of Mosul and is used by both U.S. troops and the interim Iraqi National Guard forces — ratcheted up already tight security.

Ansar al-Sunnah said the suicide bomber was a 24-year-old man from Mosul who worked at the base for two months and had provided information about the base to the group.<ref name=abc/>

The AP reported that the bomber was a twenty-year-old medical student from [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=2005-01-04 |title=Bomber of Mess Hall Was Reportedly Saudi |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jan-04-fg-bomber4-story.html |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206074811/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jan-04-fg-bomber4-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A US Army report identified a different Saudi national as the suicide bomber and said he got help from Iraqi troops working at the base.<ref name=task/>

==The dead==
* Fallen soldiers from [[133rd Engineer Battalion]] (Maine); Sergeant Thomas Dostie of Somerville, Maine, Sergeant Lynn R. Poulin Sr. of Freedom, Maine
* Fallen soldier from 1st Battalion, [[5th Infantry Regiment (United States)|5th Infantry Regiment]] "Bobcats", Ft Lewis, WA); SSG Julian S. Melo
* Fallen soldiers from [[24th Infantry Regiment (United States)|Deuce Four Infantry]] (1/24- Ft Lewis, WA); CPT William Jacobsen, SSG Robert Johnson, SPC Johnathon Castro, PFC Lionel Ayro 
* Fallen Soldiers from [[276th Engineer Battalion (United States)|C276 Eng]] ([[Virginia National Guard]], West Point, VA); Sgt Nick Mason, Sgt David Ruhren
* Fallen Soldier from [[2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment]]; SSG Darren Vankomen
* Fallen Sailor from NMCB-7; Chief Petty Officer Joel Baldwin
* Fallen Soldier from US Army Intelligence and Security Command, Sergeant Major Robert Daniel Odell<ref>{{cite web | url=https://t2t.org/gold_star_family/robert-daniel-odell/ | title=Robert Daniel Odell }}</ref>
* Fallen Soldier from 705th Ordnance Company; Specialist Cory Hewitt
* Fallen Soldier from 2nd Battalion, 390th Infantry Regiment SFC; Paul Karpowich
*Iraqi Army Chief Warrant Officer Majdee Yousef Aziz, Iraqi Army 1st Lt. Mushtag Satar Jabar, Iraqi Army Sgt. Ahmad Hashem Mahdi, Iraqi National Guardsman Sherzad Kamo Bro

== See also ==
* [[Battle of Mosul (2004)|Battle of Mosul - Iraq War]]
* [[Iraq War]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142157,00.html Deadly Attack on U.S. Military Base] [[Fox News]]
*[http://www.vqronline.org/articles/2008/fall/woods-unforeseen-things/ "A Few Unforeseen Things"], by Elliott Woods, [[Virginia Quarterly Review]], Fall 2008. Video interviews with the families and comrades of two victims of the attack.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forward Operating Base Marez bombing, 2004}}
[[Category:Bombings in the Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011)]]
[[Category:2004 murders in Iraq]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Iraq in 2004]]
[[Category:December 2004 in Iraq]]
[[Category:December 2004 crimes in Asia]]
[[Category:2004 building bombings]]
[[Category:Suicide bombings in 2004]]
[[Category:Building bombings in Iraq]]
[[Category:Suicide bombings in Iraq]]
[[Category:Mass murder in 2004]]
[[Category:Mosul in the Iraq War]]
[[Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in Mosul]]
[[Category:Attacks on military installations in 2004]]
[[Category:Attacks on military installations in Iraq]]
[[Category:Mass murder in Mosul]]