In April 2003, Al Taji was an airfield and supply depot for Saddam Hussein's Iraqi Army start of the Iraq War. The 14th Combat Engineer Battalion and 5th Combat Engineer Battalion ("The Fighting Fifth"), attached to the 4th Infantry Division, pushed from Kuwait to Al Taji Iraq and cleared the majority of buildings at Al Taji. It was simply referred to as Taji. The 14th ENGR BN pushed further to Tikrit. 5th Engr left C.CO and HHC on Taji pushing B.co and A Co. farther into Iraq. C.Co 5th Engr cleared and secured buildings and the perimeter of the Al Taji airfield along with an infantry Unit from a US National Guard, Co B, 1–179 IN, 45th iBCT, Oklahoma Army National Guard. After the C.co 5th Engineers and a National Guard infantry unit had already cleared the Airfield and supply depot, several weapons and mortar caches were found and taken control of on Taji and the surrounding area.