Nov 8th 2011 - Viaje C4

Today’s cigar is the Viaje C4 in its only size of 5x56. The Viaje C4 is box pressed and features a double cap that requires you to cut both ends before smoking. With all Nicaraguan tobaccos the C4 hails from Honduras. I can’t find much on the C4 and I haven’t smoked one yet as I only have 1 that I acquired in a trade. What I have heard is that the C4 is a powerhouse. I chose this to be today’s cigar because it was on this day 7 years ago that Operation Phantom Fury officially started. On 7 Nov 2004 the US Marines staged just north of the city of Fallujah, Iraq. Operation Phantom Fury was one of the bloodiest and hardest fought battles that occurred during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Roughly 6,500 US Marines, 1500 Army Soldiers and 2,500 Navy support personnel along with 2,000 Iraqi forces and 850 British personnel took on an estimated 2,500-5,000 insurgent in the battle. On Dec 23rd 2004 when Operation Phantom Fury officially ended US Casualties stood at 95 killed and 560 wounded, British Casualties 4 killed and 10 wounded, Iraqi casualties 8 killed and 43 wounded. Insurgent deaths stood in the range of 1,200-2,000 with roughly 1,500 captured. Some of the bravest tales of the war come from this battle. 2 Medal of Honor nominations and multiple Navy Crosses highlight the awards that came from the heroism showed by US Forces. Tales of men being shot and blown up and receiving basic medical aid and then returning to the fight as to not leave their men, their friends out there to fight alone have been told from this operation. Let us never forget what they did. To those who are still here and fought in Phantom Fury and to those we lost thank you. We are forever in your debt. RIP brothers…