A member of the U.S. Marine 15th Expeditionary Unit Fox Company "Raiders" mans a machine gun in the town of Nassiriya in central Iraq, April 4, U.S. Marines, closing in on Baghdad from the southeast with tanks and other armor, said on Friday they aimed to isolate the Iraqi capital and start picking off its defenders.

Soldiers of the U.S. Marine 15th Expeditionary Unit Fox Company 'Raiders' wait for a supply of water in the town of Nassiriya in central Iraq, April 4, U.S. forces swarmed over Baghdad's airport on Friday in the first ground attack of the war on Iraq's capital after armored units thrust to the city outskirts in a drive to overthrow President Saddam Hussein.

Corporal William Algarin-Mendoza, of West Palm Beach, Florida, of the U.S. Marine 15th Expeditionary Unit Fox Company 'Raiders,' mans a machine gun on a truck in the town of Nassariya in central Iraq, April 4, 2003.

Iraqi people gather by the Euphrates River to wash clothes in the town of Nassiriya in central Iraq, April 4, 2003.

A U.S. Army combat engineer with the 3rd Infantry division (ID) passes a dead Iraqi soldier as 3rd ID task forces clear and combat engineers secure a bridge over the Euphrates river to push the 3rd infantry's convoy of more than 3,000 vehicles towards Baghdad, April 4, 2003.

An Iraqi soldier who claims to be a member of the Republican Guards is seen through the window of a house where he was hiding, on the banks of the Euphrates river, after he was captured by U.S. Army combat engineers who secured the important bridge, about 20 km outside Baghdad, during a push by the 3rd infantry's convoy of more than 3,000 vehicles towards Baghdad, April 4, U.S. forces seized control of Baghdad's international airport on Friday, their biggest prize so far in a 16-day-old war to overthrow President Saddam Hussein. "We control the airport. It's a big area with a lot of buildings that need to be cleared, but it's ours," Colonel John Peabody, commander of the Engineer Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, told Reuters.

A U.S. Army combat engineer, with Psalm 21 written on his kevlar helmet, bows his head as he takes a short rest after securing an important two lane bridge over the Euphrates river, about 20 km outside Baghdad, to push the 3rd infantry's convoy of more than 3,000 vehicles towards Baghdad, April 4, 2003.

A hungry puppy tries to find food beside heavy armored vehicles of the 3rd Infantry division of the U.S. Army after the combat engineers secured an important two-lane bridge over the Euphrates river, about 20 km outside Baghdad, to push the 3rd infantry's convoy of more than 3,000 vehicles towards the city, April 4, 2003.

A U.S. Army combat engineer receives medical aid after injuring his foot while he and his comrades built a floating bridge beside an existing two-lane bridge over the Euphrates river, about 20 km outside Baghdad, to push the 3rd infantry's convoy of more than 3,000 vehicles towards the city, April 4, 2003.

Bombed Out Plane: A bombed out plane shows the aftermath of overnight fighting for control of Saddam International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq. U.S. and Iraqi troops clashed overnight.

3rd Infantry Secures A Runway U.S. Troops with the Third Infantry Division secure a runway at Saddam International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq. U.S. forces battled with Iraqi military overnight for control of the airport.

U.S. Army Pvt. Nicholas Lopez, 19 of San Antonio, Texas, of Bravo Company 3/7, guards a perimeter around the Euprates River bridge despite a visit from two cows.

Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 11th Engineer Battalion cross the Euphrates River to check for explosives on a bridge just south of Baghad Wednesday. The bridge was rigged with explosives on the western side and one small section had been detonated without significant damage to the span. Other explosives on the beams did not detonate, and the troops cleared the explosives while still taking fire.

A U.S. Army 3rd Division 3-7 Task Force soldier takes a surrendering Iraqi Lieutenant Colonel into custody Wednesday at an army outpost in the outskirts of Baghdad.

Cutting Wires Rigged To Explosives: Sgt. Robert Stevens, with the US Army's 11th Engineer Battalion, Alpha Company tasked with the 3rd Battalion, 69th Regiment Armor Task Force hits the water of the Euprates River to cut wires rigged to explosives on the top of the bridge just south of Baghdad. The bridge was rigged with explosives on the western side and one small section had been detonated without significant damage to the superstructure. Other explosives on the beams did not detonate and the engineers and EOD cleared the explosives while still taking fire.

A U.S. Marine from Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 adjusts the torque on the fins of a 2,000 pound Guided Bomb Unit 12 Wednesday at an air base near the Iraqi border.

U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Jacob Noack from Houston, Texas of Task Force Tarawa rides a bicycle April 2, 2003 in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. The city, which was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles in the war, remains quiet as the Marines further gain control over the area.

Searching For Remains Of Fallen Friends United States Marines from Task Force Tarawa search for remains of their fallen friends who disappeared during intense fighting five days ago in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. The Marines continue to secure the town of one of the bloodiest battles so far of the war.

Bowing Their Heads In Prayer United States Marines from Task Force Tarawa bow their heads in prayer as they stand by the remains of seven Marines lost during fighting in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. The Marines continue to secure the town of one of the bloodiest battles so far of the war.

Precision rifle Staff Sgt. John Coughlin from Waltham, MA, aims with his precision rifle with the help of PFC. Daniel Tracy, Mississipi - both of the U.S. Marines 3rd batallion 4th Regiment - during a patrol alongside the road used by U.S. led coalition forces in Central Iraq, to advance to Bagdad in central Iraq, Wednesday.

The nose of an F/A-18C Hornet displays symbols of the amount and variety of bombs dropped during Operation Iraqi Freedom aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk in the Gulf, Friday April 4, Jet number 313 has droppped five laser guided and four JDAM bombs as well as a JSOW AGM-154.