The operations officer for 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment during that unit's participation in Operation Phantom Fury (Al Fajr) - the November 2004 combined-joint assault to retake the Iraqi city of Fallujah - Major Tim Karcher was involved in the "grassroots of planning" with Marine Regimental Combat Team 1, the organization under which Task Force 2-7 was assigned for this particular battle. Having previously provided some "pretty robust destruction" for Marine units in Najaf, 2-7 had built a reputation "as a unit that could go in and mix it up with whatever the enemy had to offer." In this interview, Karcher offers unique insights into the task organization for Phantom Fury and especially into the joint nature of the operation. "We relied on the Marines to clear and they relied on us to make clearing easier." As he put it, 2-7 "wasn't much in the way of clearing; we were in the mode of destroying." Overall, "it was a very symbiotic relationship" between 2-7 and RCT-1. "We had something they needed and they had something we needed.” Looking back, Karcher added, “I’m very proud of having been there. I’m very proud of the contribution that our unit made. I thought we did some great work and I thought we probably saved a bunch of American lives in the process. But it’s still killing, and if you can ever put a pretty face on that, then you’re a better (or worse) man than I am.”

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