{"id":27582,"date":"2018-02-06T22:21:37","date_gmt":"2018-02-06T22:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/06\/these-marines-in-syria-fired-more-artillery-than-any-battalion-since-vietnam\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T21:05:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T21:05:53","slug":"these-marines-in-syria-fired-more-artillery-than-any-battalion-since-vietnam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/02\/06\/these-marines-in-syria-fired-more-artillery-than-any-battalion-since-vietnam\/","title":{"rendered":"These Marines in Syria fired more artillery than any battalion since Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-smg-jwplayer-video\"><atype-video-jwplayer nostick=\"true\" playlisturl=\"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/v2\/playlists\/fCzRqMW8?tags=09e7959e-cd31-431e-8f45-099073c6a505\" poster=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/video-poster-09e7959e-cd31-431e-8f45-099073c6a505.jpg\" aspectratio=\"16 \/ 9\" mute autostart=\"false\"><\/atype-video-jwplayer><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This sheds light on the immense level of lethal force brought in support of U.S. counter-ISIS operations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A small <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marinecorpstimes.com\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/02\/marine-artillery-barrage-of-raqqa-was-so-intense-two-howitzers-burned-out\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">Marine artillery battalion <\/a>fired more rounds than any artillery battalion since Vietnam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey fired more rounds in five months in Raqqa, Syria, than any other Marine artillery battalion, or any Marine or Army battalion, since the Vietnam war,\u201d said Army Sgt. Major. John Wayne Troxell, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s an explosive revelation that sheds light on the immense level of lethal force brought to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marinecorpstimes.com\/flashpoints\/2017\/10\/17\/us-backed-syrian-forces-liberate-raqqa\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">Raqqa and northern Syria <\/a>in support of U.S. counter-ISIS operations. <\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/02\/marine-artillery-barrage-of-raqqa-was-so-intense-two-howitzers-burned-out\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/3499007.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Marine artillery barrage of Raqqa was so intense two howitzers burned out<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The artillery barrage of Raqqa was so intense U.S. Marines burned out the barrels of two M777 howitzers while supporting U.S.- backed Syrian fighters.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn five months they fired 35,000 artillery rounds on ISIS targets, killing ISIS fighters by the dozens,\u201d Troxell told Marine Corps Times during a roundtable discussion Jan. 23. \u201cWe needed them to put pressure on ISIS and we needed them to kill ISIS.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To put the numbers in context: During all of Operation Desert Storm, both the Marines and the Army fired a little more than 60,000 artillery rounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the invasion of Iraq, just over 34,000 rounds were fired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These figures are supported by documents provided to Marine Corps Times by Luke O\u2019Brien, a former Army artillery officer and now historian, who acquired them from an Army historian at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Marines brought the M777 howitzers \u2015 a 155mm gun. A standard artillery battery has roughly six guns and up to 150 Marines; a battalion would include up to 18 guns or three firing batteries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There were more than 730 howitzers supporting Operation Desert Storm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In November, Marine Corps Times reported that the Marines supporting the Syrian Defense Forces managed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marinecorpstimes.com\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/02\/marine-artillery-barrage-of-raqqa-was-so-intense-two-howitzers-burned-out\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">burn out a couple howitzer barrels<\/a> \u2015 an extremely rare feat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBecause of all these rounds they were firing, we had to continue to recycle new artillery pieces in there because they were firing so much ammunition,\u201d Troxell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"539\" height=\"410\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/OIF-arty-study.png.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-57574\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/OIF-arty-study.png.png 539w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/OIF-arty-study.png.png?resize=300,228 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 539px) 100vw, 539px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Documents provided to Marine Corps Times reveal that just over 34,000 artillery rounds were fired during Operation Iraqi Freedom during the initial invasion. But, Marines in Syria supporting partner forces managed to fire 35,000 artillery rounds from just one battalion. (Courtesy photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In spring 2017, the small Marine artillery battalion for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marinecorpstimes.com\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2017\/05\/16\/new-marine-artillery-unit-arrives-in-syria-ahead-of-raqqa-offensive\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">11th Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed to northern Syria <\/a>to support America\u2019s partner force Syrian Democratic Forces with 24-hour, all-weather fire support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marinecorpstimes.com\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2017\/05\/16\/new-marine-artillery-unit-arrives-in-syria-ahead-of-raqqa-offensive\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">unit was eventually replaced in April <\/a>with another group of about 400 Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In mid-October, just prior to the liberation of Raqqa, Troxell visited with the Marine unit for a period of roughly four hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEvery minute we were there we were putting some kind of ordnance or some kind of attack on ISIS,\u201d Troxell told Marine Corps Times. \u201cI couldn\u2019t believe ISIS was still holding out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From June 2017 until Raqqa\u2019s liberation in October, U.S. aircraft dropped just under 20,000 total munitions. Those numbers, from U.S. Air Forces Central Command, reflect strikes in Iraq as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"532\" height=\"330\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/study-group.png.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-57576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/study-group.png.png 532w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/study-group.png.png?resize=300,186 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Just over 60,000 artillery rounds were in support of Operation Desert Storm, but those figures include 730 155mm Howitzers. But, one Marine artillery battalion in Syria fired 35,000 artillery rounds over 5 months in support of the coalitions fight against ISIS. (Courtesy photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Coalition aircraft supporting the liberation of Mosul and Raqqa still managed to drop less munitions than the 18 guns fired by the Marines in northern Syria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s a lot of rounds. Even on a daily average basis that\u2019s a lot,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cIt certainly speaks to demand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Corps\u2019 mission to support the SDF with fires support ended shortly after Raqqa\u2019s liberation. Those Marines have since returned home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the region\u2019s fight against ISIS is still ongoing. The terror group has lost 95 percent of its held territory, but is still clinging on to remote villages along the middle Euphrates River valley.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In five months they fired 35,000 artillery rounds on ISIS targets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":57567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":8,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[100,8,12,25,70],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3351],"class_list":["post-27582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-news","category-newsletters","category-your-army"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"RLR4KNVGFBBOJPRE775I4IT6EY","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2018\/02\/06\/these-marines-in-syria-fired-more-artillery-than-any-battalion-since-vietnam\/","remove_feature_photo":true,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"remove-feature-image","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>These Marines in Syria fired more artillery than any battalion since Vietnam - Army Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In five months they fired 35,000 artillery rounds on ISIS targets.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"These Marines in Syria fired more artillery than any battalion since Vietnam\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In five months they fired 35,000 artillery rounds on ISIS targets.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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