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King Faisal Bridge re-dedicated in Fallujah

Photo By 1st Lt. Esteban Vickers | King Faisal Bridge as seen through a bullet hole in the rubble of what once was a...... read more read more

FALLUJAH, IRAQ

04.05.2008

Courtesy Story

I Marine Expeditionary Force

By Regimental Combat Team 1

FALLUJAH, Iraq — There are structures that, by their historical background or dominating appearance, seem to define a particular city. For example, the Empire State building, the Golden Gate Bridge, or the Space Needle.

With just a glance at a photograph or movie clip recognizing the city is quite simple. As if your subconscious memory identifies that specific structure as a subliminal symbol of that city. Here in Fallujah, whether you like it or not, the one structure that symbolizes the city is the King Faisal Bridge.

The bridge was originally dedicated in 1927 by King Faisal bin Al Hussein Bin Ali El-Hashemi who ruled as king from 1921 until his death in 1933. The bridge opened access to the fledgling city of Fallujah and to this day it still acts as a gateway into the sprawling Andaloos District marketplace. Since the bridges inception in 1927, it has witnessed key events in the history of Fallujah. On April 5, the bridge was rededicated to King Faisal, marking a new chapter in the distinct life of the bridge and the city it leads into.

Throughout the years, the bridge has mirrored the city it leads into. Similar to Fallujah, the bridge has been through turmoil, destruction, and now, rebirth. During the first Gulf War, the bridge was a target for coalition bombers, however, due to a laser guidance malfunction the bomb missed its intended target and hit a marketplace killing an estimated 200 people.

In 2004, the bridge was the scene of a horrific act of violence when the charred bodies of four Blackwater USA employees were hung from the bridge. Later that year the bridge was the scene of heroic and intense fighting as Marines charged across it in their gallant effort, to seize the city from the grip of the insurgency.

Emulating the bridge, the city of Fallujah has seen its fair share of horror, chaos, heroics and now rebirth. In 2004, the city was overrun with insurgents and according to military reports, the entire region was considered the "wild west." Later that year, Fallujah was witness to some of the most intense urban fighting since the battle of Hue City during the Vietnam War.

Now, like the bridge, the city has been refurbished; transforming itself from a bastion of the insurgency to a model city in al Anbar province, with thriving marketplaces, a working police force, and an emerging self-sufficient economy.

The decision to refurbish the bridge was a difficult one according to Lt. Col. Chris Dowling, commander, 3rd battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1. Dowling's Marines operate in the city and work jointly with its citizens. There had been considerations to completely destroy the bridge that had come to symbolize the atrocities that occurred there. However, when the local citizens of the area requested the Marines help in refurbishing it, Dowling looked at the project in a different light. "This shows the Iraqis' willingness to move forward," said Dowling. "This project was for the people."

The wounds of war are still present at the bridge; nicks and indentations on its outer infrastructure show signs of battle, much like numerous buildings in Fallujah are still pockmarked with bullet holes depicting the battle that occurred just a few years ago. However, they are both moving forward. The bridge is now renovated and has become a heavily traveled gateway into the refurbished city. While both still show the scars of war, they both show signs of renewed life.

As in the past, the bridge and the city now share a common bond and a hopeful future.