1st Armored Division withdraws after 15 months

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BAGHDAD -- The Army's 1st Armored Division stowed its flags yesterday and prepared to head home after the longest tour in Iraq of any American combat command -- 15 months.

Even though it arrived after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, the Germany-based division saw 135 of its soldiers killed -- mostly fighting Iraqi guerrillas. It was getting ready to leave in April when a pair of violent guerrilla uprisings halted its departure.

The division's dead make up about 16 percent of the 858 U.S. troops killed as of yesterday since the war started in March 2003. More than 1,100 1st Armored soldiers were wounded.

"We have learned a lot about the price of freedom," 1st Armored commander Maj. Gen. Martin Dempsey said during a Fourth of July ceremony for the division and its companion 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment.

"We learned that people experiencing freedom for the first time may not understand how fragile it can be and how much sacrifice may be required to earn it and preserve it," he said.

Gen. Dempsey said the division's work in Baghdad and Shi'ite Muslim cities to the south helped guide the country through a rough year of occupation en route to sovereignty, which was restored last week.

Now, Iraqis have the freedom to reshape the country on their own, said Gen. Dempsey, who was promoted from a one-star to a two-star general during his tour in Iraq.

The division is packing and shipping its mountains of gear to Kuwait, then to Germany. The entire unit is expected to be out of Iraq by July 15.

Soldiers are eager to see family and friends, relax out of danger and drink beer. U.S. troops are prohibited from drinking in Iraq.

"I had a son born last July while I was here. He just celebrated his first birthday and he's just about ready to walk, so I hope to make it home to see that," said Maj. David Gercken, the division's public affairs officer.