On December 13, 2003, during Operation Red Dawn, U.S. forces captured former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein near his hometown of Tikrit. Hussein was found hiding in a “spider hole” beneath a farmhouse in ad-Dawr. The operation involved approximately 600 soldiers, including special operations units such as Delta Force and the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), under Task Force 121, supported by the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division. The capture was a significant milestone in the Iraq War, marking the end of Hussein’s attempts to evade coalition forces following his regime’s collapse earlier that year.

Learn More:

• 10 Year Reflection (2013): Army.mil
• Capture of Saddam Hussein: Wikipedia Entry
• Historical Footage: 60 Minutes, December 17, 2003
• Historical Footage: NBC News, December 14, 2003
• Our Place in History, Story of Eric Maddox: Defense Intelligence Agency (2013)
• Recounting the Capture: Shawn Ryan Show

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