The following are events related to the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT) that took place on this day.

2002

• End of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan

2004

• (March 17-18) The Marine Corps suffered its first casualties in its second Operation Iraqi Freedom rotation when three Marines were killed by enemy forces in the Al Anbar province in Iraq.
• Start of Operation Iron Promise in Iraq

2007

• The main party of Marines from Hawaii-based 1st Battalion, 3d Marines, began departing for its second seven-month deployment to the Al Anbar Province in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Three days later, Marines with 2d Battalion, 3d Marines and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, began arriving home from Iraq.

Casualties on March 18:

• ESPOSITO, MICHAEL JOHN JR – March 18, 2004
• LAGMAN, ANTHONY SANTOS – March 18, 2004
• BROWNFIELD, ANDREW DAVID – March 18, 2004
• CHAN, DORON – March 18, 2004
• MORRIS, RICKY ARDEL JR – March 18, 2004
• SUTPHIN, ERNEST HAROLD – March 18, 2004
• LEWIS, LEE ARTHUR JR – March 18, 2005
• GREEN, RYAN PATRICK – March 18, 2007
• BROWN, ADAM LEE MR – March 18, 2010
• RIECKHOFF, ROBERT MICHAEL – March 18, 2010
• BOWERS, JAMAL HASAN – March 18, 2011