Key Marine Commander Is Removed

Washington Post ^ | April 5, 2003 | Thomas E. Ricks

[Backwoods Southern Lawyer]

Key Marine Commander Is Removed No Explanation Given for Decision

Col. Joe W. Dowdy has been removed as commander of the 1st Marine Regiment, which is engaged in combat in Iraq.

By Thomas E. Ricks Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, April 5, 2003; Page A01

The Marine Corps relieved one of its top commanders in Iraq yesterday, an extremely unusual action, especially for a unit engaged in combat.

Col. Joe W. Dowdy has been the officer in charge of the 1st Marine Regiment, one of the three major Marine Corps ground units fighting toward Baghdad. His regiment is reported to have been used to pin down Republican Guard units in the city of Kut while the other two major units, the 5th and 7th Marines, crossed the Tigris River on Thursday and raced toward Baghdad. Those units encountered heavy ground fighting yesterday on the outskirts of the capital and had at least three M1 tanks disabled by Iraqi fire.

[Happy2BMe]

I'm holding off judgement until something reliable comes in.

You just don't bust an Eagle in the heat of battle against the better wishes of his men.

Hoping for the best, bracing for the worst.

God bless America.

[American Soldier]

Can you explain the other part of the question? I know a number of Marines that were embassy guards, but I don't understand what specialties they were in (Infantry, Security, etc.?) In the Army you have to be a pure combat arms officer all along to end up in command of a maneuver regiment. I just don't understand the guys career path.

Sounds like the higher-ups thought he was too risk averse. Sometimes, commanders who take the time to use deception and indirect approaches are criticized as being too risk averse by those who favor "hey diddle diddle, straight up the middle" (or "three yards and a cloud of dust") approaches to ground warfare... I hope that's not the case here.