FOB Key West

Qayyarah Airfield in northern Iraq, 30 miles north of Mosul, is near the northern oil fields and was a primary target during the onset of the war. The airfield's runways and hangers were hit with just under 45 precision guided bombs. The bombs left the base with some craters in the runways 30 feet deep and 120 feet across and most of the buildings destroyed. Some of these craters still had unexploded 2000 lb bombs sitting in them.

Once US forces got on site it took only a week and a half to repair the runways and to start receiving the largest transport plane in the Air Forces inventory, the C-5 Galaxy.

Life at Key West is a whole lot different than the Key West most of us know. Q-West is all dust, scorpions and camel spiders. The first troops on site lived in tents but the pre-fab housing units have since arrived and living conditions are much better. Looking out over the base it's dirt piles, holes and broken concrete as far as the eye can see.

Key West does have something that no other base in Iraq has. A golf course. It's only six holes and there are no grass greens but to the Soldiers who miss their game, it's heaven. The courses six holes range from fifty yards to 250 yards. Large rakes at the "greens" are accompanied by signs that politely ask that you rake the green smooth for any golfers following.