Operation: PROMETHEUS

Summary
The battle was a suicide mission ordered by the ONI Brass. However, it was not in vain, because it was necessary for the survival of the UNSC. It took place on K7-49, a volcanic asteroid which also served as a Covenant shipyard. The mission was to destroy its plasma reactors to disable the shipyard, halting Covenant assaults. The success of the mission would save countless lives.

Alpha Company succeeded, but at a great cost: All of the Spartan-III's died in the battle.

July 27, 2537:

 * 300 Spartan-IIIs of Alpha Company landed on K7-49 at 0700.

July 28, 2537:

 * The Spartan-III's manage to disable 7 of the reactors on the surface.


 * The Covenant responds with the first heavy wave of troops. The first wave contains legions of Jackals.

July 31, 2537:

 * The Spartan-III's have disabled 20 of the 30 reactors.


 * The Covenant responds with a second heavy wave of troops. This time, groups of Elites and Banshees.

August 2, 2537:

 * 27 of the 30 reactors are disabled. The Spartan-IIIs have fulfilled their mission.


 * A third heavy wave of Covenant troops arrive, containing Elites and Hunters.


 * The Spartan-III's are cut off from their Calypso-class Exfiltration Craft. The remaining Spartans are eventually overrun and killed.

Historical Significance
This is most likely an allusion to the Battle of Thermopylae. There were 300 Spartans at both battles, both were a suicide mission, both were fought in order to slow the enemy down enough for their sides to prepare and survive longer, and in both all the Spartans died.

Trivia

 * According to Ghosts of Onyx, Hunters were first seen by humans during this operation, although all of the participating SPARTAN-IIIs were killed. However, Hunters are prominently featured in Halo Wars, which takes place in 2531, six years prior. This is most likely because the only people to see the Hunters, the crew of the Spirit of Fire, were not in contact with the rest of the UNSC.

Related Pages

 * Spartan-Shane
 * Spartan-Robert
 * Spartan-Jane