Joint Base Balad

I1 i3

I8 i10 i12

Joint Base Balad, formerly Balad Air Base and Logistics Support Area Anaconda later (LSA Anaconda or Camp Anaconda ) was until the withdrawal of American troops in December 2011, one of the largest American military bases in Iraq. The 3rd Sustainment Command ( Expeditionary ) of the U.S. Army and the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing of the U.S. Air Force had their headquarters there. The base was the central logistics center of the U.S. forces in Iraq, and at times the most active military airfield in the United States around the world.

The base

The base is located about 110 kilometers north of Baghdad, in the so-called Sunni Triangle near Balad. In contrast to most other military bases are there among other pools, a movie theater or fast food restaurants available. The base is a popular destination for visiting celebrities and politicians visiting Iraq. The device connected to the base military hospital prides itself with a survival rate of 96 % is provided for U.S. and Iraqi troops.

The base was mainly in 2004 almost daily target of mortar attacks, which usually only the open areas between the runways met. However, it came sporadically to injury and death by the attacks. By mid-2006, the rate of attacks decreased by about 40%. Due to the frequent attacks the base among the soldiers as " Mortaritaville " is known, but this designation was used for a further bases.