Operation Iraqi Freedom Day for the year 2023 is celebrated/observed on Sunday, March 19th. There are until the next observance.
Every year on March 19, Operation Iraqi Freedom Day is observed. It occurs on the anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the day in 2003 when the US, together with coalition troops led principally by the United Kingdom, declared war on Iraq. It is sometimes referred to as the Second Persian Gulf War. The United States invaded Iraq with the goal of destroying Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and bringing Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship to an end. An insurgency started to fight against the coalition troops and the Iraqi government after the invasion. This made the war last for most of the next decade.
📆 When is Operation Iraqi Freedom Day?
This year, Operation Iraqi Freedom Day is on March 19th. It is the 3rd Sunday in March; in 2024, it is on Tuesday.
→ Did you know: General Tommy Franks headed the American forces.
You can also discover all fun things you didn’t know about and facts about March 19, 2023.
📜 History of Operation Iraqi Freedom Day
This war resulted from the George W. Bush administration’s War on Terror in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Hussein fled into hiding shortly after the American invasion, communicating with his people solely by audiotape. It barely took the coalition forces three weeks to destabilize his administration and take control of Iraq’s main cities. In May of that year, President Bush proclaimed the end of significant combat operations.
This was the first of two phases of the war. The second was a lengthier conflict in which a US-led occupation of Iraq was met by an insurgency. This conflict resulted in at least 155,000 fatalities and the relocation of over 3.3 million people within the country. After a two-year pursuit, US forces discovered Saddam Hussein hiding in Tikrit in 2005. The trial began after he was arrested.
Power was given to the Iraqi Interim Government in June 2004, and the Iraqi people elected a 275-member Iraqi National Assembly the following year, in January 2005. The country’s new constitution was passed in October. There were no weapons of mass destruction discovered, and the United States proclaimed the war over in 2011, over ten years after it began.
☑️ Operation Iraqi Freedom Day facts
✅ The first Prime Minister was Ayad Allawi
Ayad Allawi was the first prime minister of Iraq’s new government, and he resigned after one year in office.
✅ It was given a new name
In September 2010, Operation Iraqi Freedom was renamed Operation New Dawn.
✅ The number of dead is uncertain
There are several estimates, one of which was made in late 2006 and estimated the amount at more than 650,000, although many other estimates put the quantity closer to 40,000 to 50,000.
✨ Things to do on Operation Iraqi Freedom Day
⚡ Visit a museum
Spend the day learning about this time in American history at a museum. Discover the legacies of people who battled for liberty and justice.
⚡ Have a movie night
Gather your friends and spend the evening viewing films on the war and its history. You’ll be spoiled for options.
⚡ Share on social media
Start a discussion online. Help raise awareness of the significance of this day.
📅 Operation Iraqi Freedom Day Observances
| YEAR | DATE | DAY |
| 2023 | March 19 | Sunday |
| 2024 | March 19 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | March 19 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | March 19 | Thursday |
| 2027 | March 19 | Friday |
You can view all March holidays, including Special Interest and other American holidays.
We will continue to update this page with new information and must-know facts about Operation Iraqi Freedom Day. So be sure to check back soon.