The Clone Wars
The Clone Wars (22–19 BBY) were a significant, galactic-spanning conflict, between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, which had declared a state of independence from the Republic.
501st Journal #1 – Geonosis: Attack of the Clones
“My first day as a member of the 501st… it was hot, it was sandy, chaotic.
Nothing at all like the simulations on Kamino. Of course that’s pretty much the way it was for all of us, wasn’t it? All that breeding, all those years of training… doesn’t really prepare you for all the screaming or the blood, does it? Frankly, I’m still amazed we ever made it through the first hour, never mind the first day.”
“Incredibly, the 501st survived the crucible of Geonosis, emerging battle-hardened, and ready for whatever the war would throw at us.”
501st Journal #2 – Mygeeto: Amongst the Ruins
“In the waning months of the Clone Wars, the 501st faced missions critical to the agenda of Chancellor Palpatine. When we arrived at the bombed out ruins of Mygeeto, our Jedi commander believed we had been sent to take out a droid energy collector. What Ki-Adi-Mundi didn’t know however was that our unit of the 501st was really after an experimental Mygeetan power source, that the Chancellor wanted for his superlaser. Keeping Mundi in the dark wasn’t easy; the Jedi had become increasingly wary of the Chancellor’s doings, and was on the lookout for the slightest hint of treachery. Just like the rest of them though, he never caught whiff of what was really going on, until it was far too late.”
“The success of the mission on Mygeeto was something of a revelation for the men of the 501st. Suddenly, we realized that the Jedi could be fooled. And if they could be fooled, they could be killed.”
501st Journal #3 – Coruscant Orbit: A Desperate Rescue
“As the Clone Wars progressed, more and more ground-based legions found themselves pressed into space combat, including the fighting forces of the 501st. For months, every hour of our downtime was spent in the simulator, preparing for the time we would face our enemies from the cockpit of a 170. Finally the day came to earn our wings. The CIS had staged a daring kidnapping of Chancellor Palpatine, and was being escorted from Coruscant by a fleet of Separatist ships. With only a few veteran pilots on-planet, many of the 501st were pressed into service to drive off the Seps, and buy time for a pair of Jedi Knights to rescue the Chancellor.”
“After disabling the final capital ship, General Kenobi and Skywalker took advantage of the opportunity we’d created and rescued the Chancellor. Took all the credit, too.”
501st Journal #4 – Felucia: Heart of Darkness
“It’s been said that the 501st got the best of the war. We also got the worst. On Felucia, the Seps dug their metal heels into the muck of that alien hellhole and dared the Republic to come in after them. So we did, only to be met with month after month of flesh-eating diseases, shrieking nocturnal predators, and other sights that haunt me to this day. Cut off and for all we knew abandoned by our superiors, our only hope was Aayla Secura, our Jedi commander. Without her iron will, none of us would have come out of that mess with our sanity, or our lives. When her death came, I hope it was quick. She earned that much.”
“When the 501st was finally rotated out of Felucia, Aayla Secura made a point of seeing us off personally, calling us the bravest soldiers she had ever seen. It’s a good thing we were wearing helmets, because none of us could bear to look her in the eye.”
501st Journal #5 – Kashyyyk Orbit: First Line of Defense
“When the Separatists’ invasion of Kashyyyk caught the Republic flatfooted, a detachment of the 501st was sent in to stop the bleeding until reinforcements could arrive. It was a textbook suicide mission and we knew it. As we fought our way into Kashyyyk’s atmosphere, most of us believed that the only way we’d be getting off this planet was in a body bag.”
“As the 501st finally broke through the Sep blockade over Kashyyyk, I took a long look back at the battle that continued to rage over the planet, and wondered why so many had to die for a bunch of walking carpets. Then I followed my orders, and turned planetward.”
501st Journal #6 – Kashyyyk: A Line in the Sand
“When we arrived on Kashyyyk, things were just as bad as we’d feared. The droids had us outgunned, outmaneuvered, and outmanned by a five-to-one margin. What none of us had counted on was the Wookiees. We’d all heard the stories, of course, but we’d never fought next to them, never seen them rip apart a droid with their bare hands. They were magnificent. Even so it was still a suicide mission, at least until Master Yoda arrived.
Then it became a battle; a winnable battle.”
“With the timely arrival of Master Yoda, the 501st were able to hold the line against the Seps on Kashyyyk. We left as heroes. Years later, we’d return as conquerors.”
501st Journal #7 – Utapau: Underground Ambush
“In our bones, we knew the war was almost over. The Galaxy held its breath, waiting to see which side would make the final daring move. As fortune would have it, the Republic moved first. After the Chancellor informed the Jedi Council that General Grievous and the Sep leaders were hiding on Utapau, General Kenobi gathered an army large enough to capture three star systems. When the orders reached the 501st, our morale soared. For better or worse, this would be the beginning of the end.”
“With the death of General Grievous at the hands of General Kenobi, the Utapau raid had broken the back of the Separatists. Under normal circumstances, it would have been a time for celebration. But our next orders put pain to those thoughts.”
501st Journal #8 – Coruscant: Knightfall
“What I remember about the rise of the Empire is… is how quiet it was. During the waning hours of the Clone Wars, the 501st Legion was discreetly transferred back to Coruscant. It was a silent trip. We all knew what was about to happen, what we were about to do. Did we have any doubts? Any private, traitorous thoughts? Perhaps, but no one said a word. Not on the flight to Coruscant, not when Order 66 came down, and not when we marched into the Jedi Temple. Not a word.”
“With the fall of Coruscant and the elimination of the traitorous Jedi, Palpatine’s rise to power was complete. In recognition of our service and loyalty to the Emperor, the 501st were placed under the direct command of Lord Vader. Armed with deadly new weapons, blazing new ships, and shiny new armor, our presence let the galaxy know that the days of the Old Republic were well and truly over. We were establishing a new era, an era of order and peace.”