EightWheeled Warriors and Grunts: U.S. Marine LAV and Infantry Operations, Spring 2004

In 2004, most areas of Al Anbar province in Iraq exploded into wide-scale insurgencies and attacks on US and allied forces. In both Fallujah and throughout Al Anbar province, elements of the 1st Marine Division engaged in a wide range of operations, ranging from control of border crossings in Western Iraq, to infantry-centered urban combat in Ramadi, the provincial capital. Unique to many of these actions was the use of the Marine Corps' Light Armored Vehicle, the LAV 25. These vehicles screened large areas of desert, searched for hidden IEDs along highways, and provided extra firepower for infantry units in combat. Using LAVs, the 1st LAR Battalion, with attached infantry company Echo 2/7, patrolled large stretches of the borders with Syria and Jordan as well as highways used for commerce and smuggling. In addition to providing camp security and raid elements for the 1st LAR Battalion, Echo Company also dispatched two infantry platoons to supervise border crossings with Jordan. During Operation Vigilant Resolve the 1st LAR Battalion drove from the Western border areas to Fallujah to support the Operationwhen Marine forces isolated the city in April. An LAR company from Camp LeJeune--Delta Company 2nd LAR Battalion--under Captain Ladd Wilkie Shepard, provided added firepower to the fighting on the outskirts of Fallujah. This company suffered its first deaths from a large vehicle-born IED that destroyed one of its LAVs during a routine patrol near the city. Delta Company supported the efforts of Regimental Combat Team 1 in Fallujah. In the city of Ramadi, insurgents created a hostile environment for the infantry Marines of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, almost as soon as they arrived. These Marines, assisted by a US Army mechanized brigade, fought nearly daily, culminating in a particularly deadly ambush for the Marines of Echo Company, 2/4, in April 2004. The Marines of the LAV and infantry units tell their stories of preparations for deployment to Iraq, early actions on arrival, and fighting under a variety of locations and conditions in the early part of 2004. They have created a remarkable legacy of their actions, highlighted by their own words. AUTHOR: Lieutenant Colonel David E. Kelly received his commission in 1971, and served as an infantry officer with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion 4th Marines with an Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) off the coast of Vietnam in 1972-73. Prior to retirement from the Reserves in 1999 he was Operations Officer for the Marine Field History Detachment. He volunteered to return to active duty to deploy to Iraq in 2004 as senior Field Historian in order to conduct interviews with Marines and Navy personnel at all levels in Iraq. He is a retired high school teacher living in Springfield, Pennsylvania.

About the Author :
Lieutenant Colonel David E. Kelly received his commission in 1971, and served as an infantry officer with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion 4th Marines with an Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) off the coast of Vietnam in 1972-73. Prior to retirement from the Reserves in 1999 he was Operations Officer for the Marine Field History Detachment. He volunteered to return to active duty to deploy to Iraq in 2004 as senior Field Historian in order to conduct interviews with Marines and Navy personnel at all levels in Iraq. He is a retired high school teacher living in Springfield, Pennsylvania.

Review :
"The words of the Marines, their matter-of-fact accounts of loss, of fear, of the demands of duty at the rough end can be very moving, and the scenes of combat are often gripping."-- "The Journal of America's Military Past" "...the book is an engaging read that captures the intensity of the insurgent war in Iraq. If you're looking for a tactical history of the Marine Corps in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, this is a great start."-- "War Wheels" "...filled with all the details troops noticed while securing Iraq and fending off insurgent ambushes and other attacks."-- "Historical Miniatures Gaming Society" "Essential reading for all military historians, and civilians who have always wondered what it's like to be a Marine. What makes this series remarkable is that Kelly interviewed his contributors in the battle zone where Marines face life-and-death decisions every day during their lengthy tours in Iraq. He documents the extraordinary unsung courage and bravery that modern-day Marines endure as they execute their mission that the general public takes for granted."--Richard Lyntton, former British army tank commander in Operation Desert Storm and author of the Deception series "Lt. Col. David E. Kelly has done it again! From the gripping title to his closing thoughts, he has brought a slice of recent Marine Corps history to life. His technique--part diary, part narrative, part oral history--creates a powerful 'you are there' effect. This is the royal road to learning what actually happened, one highly recommended to anyone interested in the first two years of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and, especially, how Marines in eight-wheeled monsters forged an unbeatable team with the infantry."--Colonel Nicholas Reynolds, USMC (Ret.), NR, New York Times best-selling author and former head of USMC Field History "In this book we see Marines behaving as professionals with grace under fire to reverse the gains of the Iraqi insurgency in 2004. Colonel Kelly has given us valuable insights into how our military 'got it done' through their bravery, esprit de corps and military expertise. Eight-Wheeled Warriors and Grunts is well worth reading. Place it on a special shelf in your library."--Paul J. Sanborn, historian (Ret.), Freedoms Foundation, Valley Forge, PA., Military Intelligence Analyst (Ret.)