Camp Victory
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| Also known as | Camp Victory South; Al-Faw Palace (headquarters building); Qasr al-Faw / Presidential Palace North (pre-2003 site); Abu Ghurayb presidential palace complex (area) |
|---|---|
| Location | Beside Baghdad International Airport, western Baghdad |
| Type | Headquarters and life-support camp (former presidential palace compound) |
| Category | U.S. installation in Iraq |
| Opened | 2003 |
| Closed or transferred | 1 December 2011, transferred with the rest of the Victory Base Complex to the Government of Iraq |
| Coordinates | 33.24100, 44.22600 (33°14′27.6″N 44°13′33.6″E) |
Overview
Camp Victory was the principal installation of the Victory Base Complex, the ring of U.S. camps around Baghdad International Airport. It was one of the largest U.S. military installations in Iraq during the war and lay roughly 5 kilometers from the airport terminal.
The camp was built around the Al-Faw Palace, one of Saddam Hussein's newer palaces, set on an artificial lake ringed by villas. The palace was named after the southern town of al-Faw, which Iraq retook from Iran in a costly battle, and Saddam reportedly built it to commemorate Iraq's claimed 'victory' over Iran. U.S. forces began occupying the area in April 2003; Wikipedia states, without a citation, that the camp took its name from V Corps, the 'Victory Corps.'
Al-Faw Palace served as the headquarters of Multi-National Corps-Iraq and later of United States Forces-Iraq. A succession of Army corps headquarters rotated through it, including III Corps, XVIII Airborne Corps and I Corps, under commanders such as Lt. Gen. John Vines, Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, Gen. Raymond Odierno and Gen. Lloyd Austin.
Living areas on the camp included Freedom Village, Dodge City North and South, Omaha Beach, the Audie Murphy and Red Leg life-support areas, the Brickyard and Building 51F, known as 'Area 51.' Amenities included the Sports Oasis dining facility, a shoppette, two Morale, Welfare and Recreation buildings, a gym and 'Tumlin Field,' a popular spot for pickup football games. The camp was a frequent stop for USO tours and hosted WWE's Tribute to the Troops several times.
On 1 December 2011 the United States transferred Camp Victory and the rest of the Victory Base Complex to the Government of Iraq. Part of the former complex later housed the State Department's Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center. In 2026 the site was attacked repeatedly by drones during the Iran war, and in June 2026 U.S. logistics staff left the facility.
Timeline
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2003 | U.S. forces began occupying the Al-Faw Palace area in April; WWE performed for coalition troops at Camp Victory in December. |
| 2005 | Al-Faw Palace was illuminated in February for the change of command between III Corps and XVIII Airborne Corps; Lt. Gen. John Vines took command. |
| 2006-08 | III Corps under Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno served as the garrison headquarters from December 2006 to February 2008. |
| 2007 | Camp Victory was a featured 'Santa Cam' location for the NORAD Tracks Santa program. |
| 2008 | On 4 July, 1,215 service members re-enlisted in the Al Faw Palace rotunda in a ceremony led by Gen. David Petraeus. |
| 2009 | I Corps took over the headquarters in March; President Barack Obama addressed troops at Al Faw Palace on 7 April. |
| 2010 | Gen. Lloyd Austin succeeded Gen. Raymond Odierno in a change-of-command ceremony at Al Faw Palace in September. |
| 2011 | The United States transferred Camp Victory and the Victory Base Complex to the Government of Iraq on 1 December. |
| 2026 | The site was struck by drones in March during the Iran war; U.S. logistics staff left in June. |
Units stationed at Camp Victory
Units documented in public sources as based at or operating from Camp Victory. This list is not complete; units rotated frequently and many smaller elements were never reported. Veterans can add their unit on the message board below.
| # | Unit | When | Role at the base | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | V Corps | April 2003 | Began occupying the area; Wikipedia says the camp was named for V Corps ('Victory Corps'), a claim it marks as needing a citation | link |
| 2 | Multi-National Corps-Iraq (headquarters) | until 2010 | Corps headquarters based in the Al-Faw Palace | link |
| 3 | United States Forces-Iraq (headquarters) | 2010 - December 2011 | Theater headquarters based in the Al-Faw Palace | link |
| 4 | XVIII Airborne Corps | February 2005; February 2008 - March 2009; September 2010 - December 2011 | Corps headquarters garrison; a 2005 change of command with III Corps was held at the palace | link |
| 5 | III Corps | December 2006 - February 2008; from February 2010 | Corps headquarters garrison under Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, and again from 2010 | link |
| 6 | I Corps | March 2009 - February 2010 | Corps headquarters garrison; held its 'Trailblazer' NCO induction ceremony in the Al Faw Palace ballroom in September 2009 | link |
| 7 | Multi-National Corps-Iraq Special Troops Battalion Band | June 2009 | Band soldiers photographed at Camp Victory | link |
| 8 | Joint Combat Camera Iraq, Multi-National Corps-Iraq | April 2009 | Combat camera personnel stationed at Camp Victory | link |
| 9 | Multi-National Force-Iraq Public Affairs | July 2008 | Documented the mass re-enlistment ceremony in the Al Faw Palace rotunda | link |
Notable events and facts
- Al-Faw Palace, the centerpiece of the camp, was Saddam Hussein's palace commemorating Iraq's claimed victory over Iran.
- On 4 July 2008, 1,215 service members re-enlisted at once in the Al Faw Palace rotunda, with Gen. David Petraeus leading the ceremony.
- President Barack Obama made a surprise visit on 7 April 2009, met Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and spoke to troops at Al Faw Palace.
- USO tours to the camp included Charlie Daniels, Stephen Colbert and NFL players, and WWE held its Tribute to the Troops there several times.
- Camp Victory served as a 'Santa Cam' location for NORAD Tracks Santa in 2007.
- Internet in the housing areas was sold by a private contractor, Jackal Wireless, at $65 per month.
Photographs
Roll call: who served at Camp Victory
No names have been added yet. This roll call is built from the people who served here, one post at a time.
Message board: Camp Victory
Served here? Share a memory, name your unit, or send a correction. Posts are reviewed before they appear. The full community board is on the Message Board page.
Sources
- Camp Victory - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Victory
- Victory Base Complex - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_Base_Complex
- Abu Ghurayb Presidential Site - GlobalSecurity.org. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/abu_ghurayb-cc.htm
- Wikimedia Commons: Camp Victory Baghdad DCN. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Camp_Victory_Baghdad_DCN.JPG
- Wikimedia Commons: 1215 US servicemembers re-enlisted at Camp Victory in Baghdad July 4 2008. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1215_US_servicemembers_re-enlisted_at_Camp_Victory
- Wikimedia Commons: President Obama visits Baghdad DVIDS163980. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Obama_visits_Baghdad_DVIDS163980.jpg
- Wikimedia Commons: Joe Biden visits Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq (2010-09-01) 01. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joe_Biden_visits_Camp_Victory,_Baghdad,_Iraq_(2010
- Wikimedia Commons: Inducted in Baghdad (DVIDS). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inducted_in_Baghdad_DVIDS209223.jpg
- Wikimedia Commons: Father's Day In Baghdad (DVIDS). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Father's_Day_In_Baghdad_DVIDS181184.jpg
- Wikimedia Commons: Combat Fly Fishing in Baghdad (DVIDS). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Combat_Fly_Fishing_in_Baghdad_DVIDS162858.jpg