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THE SECOND IRAQ WAR
Part One in a new series by Nathaniel R.
Helms...
The Thundering Third Platoon, 2003:
The March to
Third Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion–the Thundering Third–1st Marines is an enigma. It is built for speed and power projection, the blunt end of American foreign policy.
Its Marines are trained and equipped to crush their opponents with unmatched aggressiveness, overwhelming firepower, and incomparable espirit décor. History has already shown that Third Platoon does its duty with unmatched valor and élan.
Its legion of critics says too much. During four combat deployments seven of its enlisted Marines have been charged with murder and other varieties of unlawful killing, a record unmatched in American military history. Read more...
Correcting the Record
Politics
During Wartime (regarding the rescue of Pfc. Jessica Lynch), New York Times Op-Ed by
Books from the Battlefronts
My Men Are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story as told to Nathaniel R. Helms
Take Down by Jim Lacey. The combat history of the 3rd ID's twenty-one assault on Baghdad.
Ambush Alley by Tim Pritchard. Nasiriyah, March 23, 2003
Thunder Run by David Zucchino. The Second Brigade (the Spartan Brigade) of the Third Infantry Division (Mechanized) as that unit thrust into Baghdad in April 2003.
No True Glory by Bing West. Fallujah 2003-2004.
General
An Autumn of War the book by Victor Hanson Davis
Between War and Peace by Victor Hanson Davis
The New Greatest Generation
Deuce Four Silver Stars (the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment)
Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith: Medal of Honor
Video
Air Strike in Fallujah (must be seen to be believed)
Taking Out Insurgents (The pictures were probably taken from an AH-64 Apache two and a half miles away. The insurgents in the picture are setting up a roadside bomb, you'll see them pacing off the distance, to ambush an American convoy which followed a short while after the pictures were taken. The guns on the Apache, by the way, are 30mm.)
Selection of films submitted to Military.com entertainment (http://shock.military.com/)
A soldier in Iraq called HP to deal with a
broken all-in-one printer. He was told he'd have to pay them in order to
learn how to fix it. These are the subsequent events that follow...
wmv, 2.16MB
The US Army spoof of the infamous SNL short
film "Lazy Sunday", called "Lazy Ramadi." Starring SSG Matt Wright and SSG
Josh Dobbs.
wmv, 7.59 MB
Watch as suspicious characters are surveilled
and swift action ensues.
WMV, 5.47 MB
Allies
British units in Operation Iraqi Freedom (Operation Telic)
Australian support in Iraq: Operation Falconer
Poland Re-Ups New York Sun: 30 December 2005
Timelines
Gulf War to Iraq War: 2 August 1990—19 March 2003
Iraq War: 19 March 2003—14 April 2003
Forces supporting Iraqi Freedom
British units in Iraq
Two speeches: 19 March 2003
President Bush addresses the nation
Lt.-Col. Tom Collins addresses his troops of the Royal Irish
New Yorkers in Iraq: 23 February 2004
PHOTO AT LEFT: CAMP FALLUJAH, IRAQ - Corporals Keith Richardson, Andy Aranda, Wade Scott, Jarrod Bowers, Stephen Cornish, Nolan Ruby, Nicholas Mentges, Daniel Nichols and Sgts Christopher Rosetti and Daniel Blackwell all hold up banners sent to them from students at Fagley Middle School in Portage, Indiana. The students took time to put packages together to send to one of their teacher's brother-in-laws, Capt. Ed Nevgloski, Weapons Company Commander. The Marines are from 1st and 3rd Platoons.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Athanasios L. Genos (5/15/05)