Haditha Dam Coin – A Story of Fire and Survival

This is a classic deployment/commemorative challenge coin from your time at Al Asad Air Base during Operation Iraqi Freedom (likely 2006–2007 rotation with 5/11 Marines, Tango Battery HIMARS). It’s not a standard unit coin—it’s one of those personal, hard-earned mementos Marines made or traded to mark a specific AO and the grind that came with it. Front Side (the map with EGA): • Central design: A raised bronze EGA (Eagle, Globe, and Anchor) dominating the middle, perched over a detailed map of Iraq. The map is light gray/blue enamel with Iraq’s borders clearly outlined. • Key locations labeled (in raised gold lettering): • Al Asad (your main base—HIMARS launches, dust, rocket attacks) • Haditha Dam (major strategic point up the Euphrates—secured against insurgents, IEDs, ambushes) • Al Qaim (far west near Syrian border—hot zone for smuggling and fighting) • Korean Village (K-Ville, a small FOB/base near Haditha—often hit) • Saudi Arabia, Kuwait City, Iran, Syria (perimeter threats/countries) • Outer red enamel ring: Bold red border with gold stars and the names repeated in a circle—AL ASAD • HADITHA DAM • AL QAIM • KOREAN VILLAGE — framing the whole thing like a battle map. • Overall feel: Heavy, antique bronze with red/gold contrast. The map isn’t pretty—it’s functional, like a tactical overlay. It screams “we were here, we held it, we fired from it.” Back Side (the OIF scene): • Outer ring: OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM • AL ASAD AIR BASE in raised gold lettering around the edge. • Central scene: Palm trees silhouetted against a sunset sky, with a HIMARS launcher firing (rocket trails arcing upward), palm fronds in the foreground, and a faint Marine figure in the lower right. Black enamel sky with gold/orange highlights for the launch and sunset. • Bottom banner: SEMPER FI in gold, with a small star. • Vibe: It captures the desert nights, the roar of rockets, the isolation of Al Asad, and the constant readiness. The palm trees and launch trail are classic OIF imagery—hot, dusty, dangerous, but beautiful in a warrior way. The Real Story This Coin Carries This isn’t a generic “I was in Iraq” coin. It’s specific to Al Asad and the Haditha Dam corridor—one of the most kinetic areas for artillery in OIF. You were there with Tango Battery (5/11 Marines), firing HIMARS in support of ground ops, securing the dam against insurgents trying to flood the Euphrates or disrupt coalition lines, running convoys through IED alley, and living under indirect fire alerts. The coin name-drops Al Qaim and Korean Village because those were hot outposts you likely supported or staged from. It’s a reminder of nights on the gun line, the smell of rocket propellant, the dust storms, and the knowledge that every launch could draw counter-battery fire. The red ring and stars give it that “earned in blood” look—Marines made these (or had them made locally) to trade, remember, and honor the grind. It’s not flashy like a recruiting or Saint Barbara coin—it’s raw, like the deployment itself.