Go to World War II/Korea/Persian Gulf/Panama/Grenada
Go to Afghanistan
Go to Iraq
When World War II broke out, 226,638 Iowa men and women answered the call to duty. Of those who served 8,398 died in the line of duty. But World War II would not be the last time Iowans would face danger in a foreign country. From June of 1950 to the end of combat on July 27, 1953, 85,341 Iowans served in the Korean Conflict. Of those, 508 were killed. Then came Vietnam. From the first landing of Marines at Danang in March of 1965 until Saigon fell in April of 1975, 115,000 Iowans were either drafted or enlisted in all branches of service. Eight hundred sixty-seven Iowans never came home. Two other calls to duty were the Persian Gulf (August 2, 1990-February 28, 1991) and Panama/Granada invasion (October 25, 1983-December 15, 1983). Between the two, 3,935 Iowans served. Of those 7 died in the Persian Gulf and 2 in Panama/Granada.
In response to the September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon, President George W. Bush launched the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), formally the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).
The United States executed Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) in Afghanistan, targeting al Qaeda leadership and infrastructure supported by the Afghan Taliban regime. U.S. forces contributed to a coalition of up to 50 Allied and partner countries as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to secure the country and develop Afghan security forces. U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan ended on December 31, 2014. During this time a total of 2,351 died, 21 were from Iowa. 20,149 were wounded in action. Of this 283 were from Iowa.
As part of Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL (OFS), U.S. forces remain in the country to participate in a coalition mission to train, advise, and assist Afghan National Defense and Security Forces and to conduct counterterrorism operations against the remnants of al Qaeda. A total of 107 died, luckily none from Iowa. 620 were wounded in action. Of this 4 were from Iowa.
In the face of Iraq’s resistance to open inspections, U.S. and coalition forces on March 20, 2003, launched Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, a combined air and ground assault. U.S. troops seized Baghdad after just twenty-one days. A broad insurgency that ebbed and flowed over the next seven years challenged efforts to create a democratic Iraqi government and threatened open sectarian warfare between minority Sunni and majority Shia, with northern Kurds aspiring to regional autonomy amid the unrest. In January 2007, U.S. military forces implemented “the surge”, a counterinsurgency strategy devised by General David Petraeus. A total of 4,418 died, 51 were from Iowa. 31,994 were wounded in action, of which 338 were from Iowa.
U.S. combat operations ended on September 1, 2010. American troops remained in the country to advise Iraqi security forces as part of Operation NEW DAWN until the final withdrawal on December 15, 2011. A total of 74 died. 1 was from Iowa. 298 were wounded in action with 1 of these being from Iowa.
Combined Joint Task Force – Operation INHERENT RESOLVE (CJTF-OIR) is comprised of U.S. military and coalition forces. The CJTF-OIR is united to build the military coalition to support Iraqi Security Force operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Kinetic operations started on Aug. 8, 2014. A total of 111 died during this time. Lucky none from Iowa. 620 were wounded in action with 4 of these being from Iowa.
