Operation Iraqi Freedom I: A Year in the Sunni Triangle

“Operation Iraqi Freedom I: A Year in the Sunni Triangle” is a 369 page hardback book that includes over 100 pictures from the deployment. All elements of TF Ironhorse are included in the history. It is of a quality that you can pass on to future generations of your family.
Chapters include: Foreword by MG Ray Odierno; The Army’s Leading Edge—Force XXI Overview; Our Proud Heritage—4ID History from 1917 to 2002; Alert for Iraq; Ready to Go, But Delayed; Deployed, Finally; Attack to the Sunni Triangle; Getting Established, The First Weeks; Making Our Presence Felt; A Long Hot Summer; Continuing the Mission, in Cooler Weather; “We Got Him!” - the Capture of Saddam Hussein; Winter in Iraq, and More Missions; Redeployment, Operation Iraqi Freedom I Comes to an End; Unit Highlights; Welcome Home; and Appendices which include TF Ironhorse Organization, Commanders and CSM List, List of Those Killed, Notes on Sources, and Glossary.
First edition copies are available now—send in the order form you will find on this web page.

First published in 2001, “War Stories—Utah Beach to Pleiku” has been out of print for the past two years. This 720 page soft cover book includes 450 war stories from veterans of the 4th Infantry Division—325 from WWII, 25 from the Cold War, and 100 from Vietnam.
Well received by 4ID veterans, family members, and all who have read it, I am in the process of reprinting the book—to be available in October 2005. This will be a great Holiday gift or to donate to your local library or school. This will also serve as the model for a future book that I hope to write with stories from 4ID and TF Ironhorse Soldiers who served in the Global War on Terror. More details on that at a later time.
To insure you reserve a copy or copies of this limited edition printing, please send the order form as soon as possible.

Several years ago, I wrote my personal story about my experiences with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam. It sat on the shelf and was never published. After encouragement from several friends, I am now going to print a limited edition of “What Now, Lieutenant?” - An Infantryman in Vietnam.
LTC Steve Russell, CO of 1-22 IN in Tikrit, Iraq wrote, “Every now and then a work comes along that is so simple and refreshing in its originality that it immediately captures the spirit of American fighting men throughout the ages.  Such is this work by Bob Babcock.  What makes this work unique is that it is based upon his wartime writing as it occurred, without the softening of time and the refining of modern memory applied to past experience.  In it you will find the thinking of a young officer as he struggles to take in all that he is responsible for while experiencing everything himself for the first time.  It is an honest, unvarnished look at soldiering in 1966 and is as fine an example of the early American experience in Vietnam that one is likely to come across...” 
Reserve a copy by filling out the order form.

Please click here to download the order form

All of his life, Rob Babcock has been exposed to his father's passion for Soldiers, especially those of the 4th Infantry Division and 22nd Infantry Regiment (the units he served with in Vietnam). Since he was in elementary school, Rob has used his talents to make his father a series of 4ID items. The first item, which he made when he was in the fifth grade, still hangs on the wall in his father's office - this painting of the 4ID shoulder patch.
As he grew older and became even more talented, Rob made several 4ID items out of metal for his father.
After much urging by his father, who knows that other 4ID vets would also love to have these unique 4ID pieces of art, Rob has settled on three items that he will make available to 4ID vets, family members, and other interested individuals. If requested, he will be responsive to creating different 4ID or other military items that someone would like to have.

Ivy Leaf key chain - $15
The 4th Infantry Division's symbol is the Ivy Leaf - IV is the Roman numeral for "four". The Ivy Leaf shoulder patch was first designed by MG Cameron when the 4ID was formed in 1917, during World War I. It is made of four ivy leaves, joined together with a circle in the center. In the division history, written in 1920, it states that "in the language of flowers, ivy means steadfast and loyal - which is the motto of the 4th Infantry Division. The Ivy Leaf is the symbol that all veterans recognize for the 4th Infantry Division - it is called the Ivy Division. This is the patch that was prominently seen around the world when Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division, along with Special Operations Forces, captured Saddam Hussein on December 13, 2003.

The single ivy leaf is hand forged and will last a lifetime. From top
to bottom it measures 2 1/2", the width is 1 1/2".
Price is $15 each, including shipping charges.
Orders will be shipped via first class mail within three days of receipt of order.
Orders received by December 15 will hopefully arrive in time for Christmas.

(click for larger image)

Proudly hanging on the family room wall in his father's house is the 4ID patch, hand forged by Rob as a Christmas present in 2002. The patch is very much like the 4ID patch that was painted on the front of 4ID helmets in WWII, but with much more intricate detail.
This patch is 15" from point to point and can be made larger or smaller.

Since the amount of detailed work remains the same, the price for sizes from 6" across to 18" across is $125. Price does not include shipping, customer pays shipping. Item can be shipped via priority mail or parcel post or UPS. Allow at least one week to ten days for shipment of this item, based on workload. For orders received by December 10, all efforts will be made to ship it to arrive before Christmas, but that can not be guaranteed.

            (click for larger image)

For those who like to display small items on their desk or table, these individual Ivy Leaf paper weights are ideal. Larger than the key chain and smaller than the wall mounted patch, it is a constant reminder of the Ivy Division and a good conversation piece and memento.

Each ivy leaf is individually hand forged and each is slightly different. From top to bottom it measures 2 1/2", width is 2 3/4". Price is $12 each, including shipping charges - an order for three shipped to the same location is $30, all others beyond three are $10 each (shipped to same location). Orders will be shipped via first class mail within three days of receipt of order. Orders received by December 15 will hopefully arrive in time for Christmas. (click for larger image)

Babcock Metalworks had nothing to do with the manufacture of these two monuments to the 4th Infantry Division. As a strong supporter of the 4th Infantry Division and all they have done in WWI, WWII, the Cold War, Vietnam, and in the Global War on Terror; and as a metal artist who appreciates the work of other metal artists, Rob has included these pictures for all who have not seen them in person.

This monument, dedicated to all past, present, and future veterans of the 4th Infantry Division sits on the road leading into Arlington National Cemetery, just outside Washington, DC. The monument was installed in June 2000 and formally dedicated on July 5, 2001.

This monument, located between the 4th Infantry Division museum and the 4th Infantry Division parade field at Fort Hood, TX is dedicated to the 81 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse Soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom I. It was installed in April 2004 and formally dedicated on September 2, 2004.