U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004 - 2005: Into the Fray: U.S. Marines in the Global War on Terror [Illustrated Edition]

Download U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004 - 2005: Into the Fray: U.S. Marines in the Global War on Terror [Illustrated Edition] PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1782895442
Total Pages : 411 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (828 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004 - 2005: Into the Fray: U.S. Marines in the Global War on Terror [Illustrated Edition] by : Kenneth W Estes

Download or read book U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004 - 2005: Into the Fray: U.S. Marines in the Global War on Terror [Illustrated Edition] written by Kenneth W Estes and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes 103 photos, maps and illustrations The following account represents one of the earliest efforts to chronicle Marine Corps operations in Iraq between 2004 and 2005. This was a significant period in the history of Operation Iraqi Freedom, seeing two battles fought over the city of Fallujah, the eruption of the Sadr revolt in an-Najaf, continuous counterinsurgency operations throughout Iraq, and initial efforts on the part of Marines to cultivate and forge alliances with the tribes of Iraq’s al-Anbar Province. Almost as soon as Saddam Hussein’s regime collapsed in 2003, it became apparent to U.S. commanders that a second deployment of Marines to Iraq would be necessary to conduct security and stability operations. This monograph recounts the first two years of this second deployment during which Marines were responsible for Iraq’s vast al-Anbar Province. This study focuses on I Marine Expeditionary Force’s deployment in 2004 and II Marine Expeditionary Force’s deployment of 2005, paying close attention to planning, counterinsurgency operations, and efforts to build civil-military relations with the Iraqi population. Particular attention is also paid to the first and second battles of Fallujah and the battle of an-Najaf.

U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005

Download U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 212 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 by : Kenneth W. Estes

Download or read book U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 written by Kenneth W. Estes and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Almost as soon as Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed in 2003, it became apparent to U.S. commanders that a second deployment of Marines to Iraq would be necessary to conduct security and stability operations. This monograph recounts the first two years of this second deployment during which Marines were responsible for Iraq's cast al-Anbar Province. It focuses on I Marine's Expeditionary Force's deployment in 2004 and II Marine Expeditionary Force's deployment in 2005, and focuses on planning, counterinsurgency operations, and efforts to build civil-military relations with the Iraqi population. The first and second battles of Fallujah and the battle of an-Najaf are also highlighted.

U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004 - 2005: Into the Fray

Download U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004 - 2005: Into the Fray PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781470095079
Total Pages : 206 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (95 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004 - 2005: Into the Fray by : Kenneth Estes

Download or read book U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004 - 2005: Into the Fray written by Kenneth Estes and published by . This book was released on 2011-12-01 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This account represents one of the earliest efforts to chronicle Marine Corps operations in Iraq between 2004 and 2005. This was a significant period in the history of Operation Iraqi Freedom, seeing two battles fought over the city of Fallujah, the eruption of the Sadr revolt in an-Najaf, continuous counterinsurgency operations throughout Iraq, and initial efforts on the part of Marines to cultivate and forge alliances with the tribes of Iraq's al-Anbar Province. Almost as soon as Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed in 2003, it became apparent to U.S. commanders that a second deployment of Marines to Iraq would be necessary to conduct security and stability operations. This monograph recounts the first two years of this second deployment during which Marines were responsible for Iraq's vast al-Anbar Province. This study focuses on I Marine Expeditionary Force's deployment in 2004 and II Marine Expeditionary Force's deployment of 2005, paying close attention to planning, counterinsurgency operations, and efforts to build civil-military relations with the Iraqi population. Particular attention is also paid to the first and second battles of Fallujah and the battle of an-Najaf. This book was commissioned and written while U.S. forces were still engaged in combat operations in Iraq. Even now, just five years since the events recounted in this study, we already have a sense of the significance of these years and the Marine Corps' operations to the overall course of the war, and we can thank Dr. Estes for making this possible. This History Division monograph is based on the occasional paper, "U.S. Marine Corps Operations in Iraq, 2003-2006" by the same author. This revision slightly differs from that original publication in a number of ways. First, it contains maps to help orientate and familiarize readers to Iraq, al-Anbar Province, and the two battles for Fallujah. Second, the new edition contains photographs depicting major commanders, combat operations, equipment, and civil-military operations. Third, several informative sidebars have been added to provide readers with detailed information on specific topics. And finally, references have been redacted into short bibliographical essays at the end of the book to give readers a concise overview of available documentary sources. The author, Dr. Kenneth W. Estes, is a 1969 graduate of the United States Naval Academy who served in a variety of command and staff assignments in the U.S. Marine Corps before retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1993. He earned his PhD from the University of Maryland in 1984 and has taught at Duke University and the U.S. Naval Academy. His publications include The Marine Officer's Guide, Handbook for Marine NCOs, Marines Under Armor: The Marine Corps and the Armored Fighting Vehicle, 1916-2000, and A European Anabasis: Western European Volunteers in the German Army and Waffen-SS, 1940-1945. He resides in Seattle, Washington.

US Marines in Iraq 2004-2005

Download US Marines in Iraq 2004-2005 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (767 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis US Marines in Iraq 2004-2005 by : Kenneth W. Estes

Download or read book US Marines in Iraq 2004-2005 written by Kenneth W. Estes and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

U. S. Marines in Iraq 2004-2005

Download U. S. Marines in Iraq 2004-2005 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : www.Militarybookshop.CompanyUK
ISBN 13 : 9781780393865
Total Pages : 210 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (938 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U. S. Marines in Iraq 2004-2005 by : Kenneth W. Estes

Download or read book U. S. Marines in Iraq 2004-2005 written by Kenneth W. Estes and published by www.Militarybookshop.CompanyUK. This book was released on 2011 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Represents one of the earliest efforts to chronicle Marine Corps operations in Iraq between 2004-2005. Commissioned and written while U.S. forces were still engaged in combat operations in Iraq. Contains maps to help orientate and familiarize readers to Iraq, al-Anbar Province, and the two battles for Fallujah. Contains photographs of commanders, combat operations, equipment, and civil-military operations.

U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005: Into the Fray, U.S. Marines in the Global War on Terrorism, 2011

Download U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005: Into the Fray, U.S. Marines in the Global War on Terrorism, 2011 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (979 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005: Into the Fray, U.S. Marines in the Global War on Terrorism, 2011 by :

Download or read book U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005: Into the Fray, U.S. Marines in the Global War on Terrorism, 2011 written by and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

U.S. Marines In Iraq, 2003: Basrah, Baghdad And Beyond:

Download U.S. Marines In Iraq, 2003: Basrah, Baghdad And Beyond: PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1782896848
Total Pages : 415 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (828 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines In Iraq, 2003: Basrah, Baghdad And Beyond: by : Colonel Nicholas E. Reynolds USMCR

Download or read book U.S. Marines In Iraq, 2003: Basrah, Baghdad And Beyond: written by Colonel Nicholas E. Reynolds USMCR and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes more than 75 photos, maps and plans This particular book is about Marines during the first stage of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). It spans the period from 11 September 2001 to March and April 2003, when the Coalition removed Saddam Hussein from power, and concludes in November 2003 when the Marines left Kuwait to return to their home bases in the U.S.. While many then believed that the “kinetic” phase of the fighting in Iraq was largely over, as we now know, it was only a prelude to a longer but just as deadly phase of operations where Marines would be redeployed to Iraq in 2004 to combat insurgents (both foreign and domestic) who had filtered back into the country. However, this phase of the fighting would be very different from the one the Marines and U.S. Army had fought in the spring of 2003 in the march up to take Baghdad. The primary focus of the book is I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF)-the run-up to the war in 2002 and early 2003, especially the development of “the plan,” with its many changes, the exhaustive rehearsals, and other preparations, and then the conduct of decisive combat operations and the immediate postwar period, mostly under the control of the U.S. Central Command’s Coalition Forces Land Component Command. The book also touches upon other Marine activities in the Military Coordination and Liaison Command in northern Iraq and with the British in the south. Nonetheless, the primary focus remains on I Marine Expeditionary Force and the interactions of its constituent elements. Other forthcoming History Division publications will soon offer detailed narratives on Marines in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan and II MEF operations inside Iraq.

U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005

Download U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Department of the Navy
ISBN 13 : 9780160877049
Total Pages : 208 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (77 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 by : Kenneth W. Estes

Download or read book U. S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 written by Kenneth W. Estes and published by Department of the Navy. This book was released on 2011-03 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Almost as soon as Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed in 2003, it became apparent to U.S. commanders that a second deployment of Marines to Iraq would be necessary to conduct security and stability operations. This monograph recounts the first two years of this second deployment during which Marines were responsible for Iraq's cast al-Anbar Province. It focuses on I Marine's Expeditionary Force's deployment in 2004 and II Marine Expeditionary Force's deployment in 2005, and focuses on planning, counterinsurgency operations, and efforts to build civil-military relations with the Iraqi population. The first and second battles of Fallujah and the battle of an-Najaf are also highlighted.

U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2008

Download U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2008 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 314 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2008 by : Marine Corps University (U.S.). History Division

Download or read book U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2008 written by Marine Corps University (U.S.). History Division and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The selections in this collection include journalistic accounts, scholarly essays, and Marine Corps summaries of action. Our intent is to provide a general overview to educate Marines and the general public about this critical period in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps, the United States, and Iraq. Many of the conclusions are provisional and are being updated and revised as new information and archival resources become available. The accompanying annotated bibliography provides a detailed overview of where current scholarship on the period currently stands"--Foreword.

Three Block War

Download Three Block War PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : iUniverse
ISBN 13 : 0595310818
Total Pages : 128 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (953 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Three Block War by : Matt Zeigler

Download or read book Three Block War written by Matt Zeigler and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2004 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: U.S. Marine Corps General Charles C. Krulak predicted in the 1990s that 21st Century Warfare would be a multi-faceted endeavor, fought primarily on urban terrain. He defined it as Three Block War. The former Commandant's foresight was proven correct in the spring of 2003 during Gulf War II against Iraq. Block I: Humanitarian Aid. After three decades of Saddam/Baath Party rule and three wars, the Iraqi people would need everything from food, water and medical aid to a new justice system...Block II: Peacekeeping Operations. Once Saddam was defeated, Marines would contend with infighting amongst various religious and ethnic groups...Block III: Combat. In small towns and big cities throughout Iraq, Marines engaged Iraqi Army/Republican Guard forces in full-scale battles, including tank and artillery duels, with F-18, Harrier and Super Cobra gunship close air support. They'd also confront asymmetrical guerilla forces. Iraq was also a Mecca for terrorists, foreign and domestic. Battles at Baghdad, Nasiriyah, Umm Qasr, Diwaniyah and elsewhere made Gulf War II a grunt's war.

The Warriors of Anbar

Download The Warriors of Anbar PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Da Capo Press
ISBN 13 : 0306922665
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (69 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Warriors of Anbar by : Ed Darack

Download or read book The Warriors of Anbar written by Ed Darack and published by Da Capo Press. This book was released on 2019-11-05 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A riveting, edge-of-your seat account of how a battalion of Marines faced off against the most brutal of Al Qaeda at its most desperate and vicious moment--and how the Marines decisively crushed the terrorists When the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Marine Regiment ("2/3") arrived in the little-known "Haditha Triad" region of western Iraq's Al Anbar Province in September of 2006, the region exploded in a storm of terrorist violence. The most battle-hardened of Al Qaeda had fled to the Triad, and, taking their last, desperate gasps for survival after years of bloody war, lashed out at the battalion with everything they could muster. The Marines sent into this firestorm of violence immediately lunged into a complex, double-edged mission: crush Al Qaeda and help the locals rebuild their terrorist-smashed lives and homes. After months of grueling, fearsome battle--and the loss of twenty-three of their ranks--the warriors of 2/3 stood tall in victory. This is their incredible story. Warriors of Anbar is one of the greatest untold stories of modern war, one of grit, incredible courage, and utmost sacrifice. It is a story that illustrates the U.S. Marine Corps at its very finest.

U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005

Download U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : CreateSpace
ISBN 13 : 9781499528121
Total Pages : 212 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (281 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 by : Kenneth W. Estes

Download or read book U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 written by Kenneth W. Estes and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-05-13 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The following account represents one of the earliest efforts to chronicle Marine Corps operations in Iraq between 2004 and 2005. This was a significant period in the history of Operation Iraqi Freedom, seeing two battles fought over the city of Fallujah, the eruption of the Sadr revolt in an-Najaf, continuous counterinsurgency operations throughout Iraq, and initial efforts on the part of Marines to cultivate and forge alliances with the tribes of Iraq's al-Anbar Province. Almost as soon as Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed in 2003, it became apparent to U.S. commanders that a second deployment of Marines to Iraq would be necessary to conduct security and stability operations. This monograph recounts the first two years of this second deployment during which Marines were responsible for Iraq's vast al-Anbar Province. This study focuses on I Marine Expeditionary Force's deployment in 2004 and II Marine Expeditionary Force's deployment of 2005, paying close attention to planning, counterinsurgency operations, and efforts to build civil-military relations with the Iraqi population. Particular attention is also paid to the first and second battles of Fallujah and the battle of an-Najaf. This is a story of Marines, missions, and machines. The deployment of the I and II Marine Expeditionary Forces in that sequence to Iraq during 2004–05 contains a surprising number of turns of events. These were largely successes, but the situations did not always appear so favorable at the time and often they required tenacious efforts, skills, courage, and stamina of Marines and their Navy and Army comrades to reach the desired outcome. The combat record of Marine Corps forces in Iraq brings great credit upon the Corps and the armed forces of the United States of America. But, as will be seen in the following pages, the combat record lies interspersed with a seemingly endless range of tasks undertaken by the battalions and the squadrons the Corps operated as it engaged in security and stabilization operations in al-Anbar and the surrounding provinces.

The Marines Take Anbar

Download The Marines Take Anbar PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 : 1612511414
Total Pages : 314 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (125 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Marines Take Anbar by : Robert Shultz

Download or read book The Marines Take Anbar written by Robert Shultz and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2013-03-15 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The U.S. Marine Corps’ four-year campaign against al Qaeda in Anbar is a fight certain to take its place next to such legendary clashes as Belleau Wood, Guadalcanal, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Chosin, and Khe Sanh. Its success, the author contends, constituted a major turning point in the Iraq War and helped alter the course of events and set the stage for the Surge in Baghdad a year later. This book brings to light all the decisive details of how the Marines, between 2004 and 2008, adapted and improvised as they applied the hard lessons of past mistakes. In March 2004, when part of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) was deployed to Anbar Province in the heart of the Sunni triangle, the Marines quickly found themselves locked in a bloody test of wills with al Qaeda, and a burgeoning violent insurgency. By the spring of 2006, according to all accounts, enemy violence was skyrocketing, while predictions for any U.S. success were plummeting. But at that same time new counterinsurgency initiatives were put in place when I MEF returned for its second tour in Anbar, and the Marines began to gain control. By September 2008 the fight was over. Richard Shultz, a well-known author and international security studies expert, has thoroughly researched this subject. His book effectively argues the case for the Marines changing the course of the war at Anbar, which is contrary to the conventional wisdom that the Surge was the turning point."

U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2003

Download U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2003 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 364 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (9 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2003 by :

Download or read book U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2003 written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Operation Phantom Fury

Download Operation Phantom Fury PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Zenith Press
ISBN 13 : 1616732539
Total Pages : 319 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (167 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Operation Phantom Fury by : Dick Camp

Download or read book Operation Phantom Fury written by Dick Camp and published by Zenith Press. This book was released on 2009-12-15 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Second Battle for Fallujah, dubbed Operation Phantom Fury, took place over an almost two-month period, from November 7 to December 23, 2004. The Marine Corps’ biggest battle in Iraq to date, it was so prolonged and fierce that it has entered the pantheon of USMC battles alongside Iwo Jima, Inchon, and Hue City. This book offers an in-depth, intimate look into Operation Phantom Fury, the single most significant battle undertaken during the occupation of Iraq. The author, a retired Marine Corps colonel with combat service in Vietnam, conducted personal interviews with combatants, from the division commander in charge of the operation down to Marine infantrymen who did the fighting. The result--illustrated with a hundred action photographs--is a rare firsthand account of the brutal reality of the war in Iraq, how this battle for a key city was fought, and how such a crucial battle looks from positions of command and from the thick of the fight.

U.S. Marines In Battle: Al-Qaim, September 2005-March 2006 [Illustrated Edition]

Download U.S. Marines In Battle: Al-Qaim, September 2005-March 2006 [Illustrated Edition] PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN 13 : 178289683X
Total Pages : 122 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (828 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines In Battle: Al-Qaim, September 2005-March 2006 [Illustrated Edition] by : Dr. Nicholas J. Schlosser

Download or read book U.S. Marines In Battle: Al-Qaim, September 2005-March 2006 [Illustrated Edition] written by Dr. Nicholas J. Schlosser and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes more than 30 photos, maps and plans This study examines a counterinsurgency campaign conducted during the Iraq War between the fall of 2005 and spring of 2006 in the district of al-Qaim on the Syrian border. In many ways, the struggle to clear and hold the district marked a turning point for the U.S. Marines fighting to bring security and stability to al-Anbar Province. The tactics and procedures utilized by the Marines of Regimental Combat Team 2 as well as its numerous supporting units served as a model for future operations in 2006 and 2007. The Iraq War began in 2003 with a lightning quick assault by Coalition forces that toppled Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist regime within a matter of weeks. During the months immediately following the overthrow of the old regime, a lack of adequate security forces and indecision among policy makers rapidly led to a collapse of order and stability. By the summer a broad insurgency conducted by former regime loyalists, criminals, and Islamic fundamentalist fighters had broken out against the U.S. occupation of the country. The U.S.’ initial goal of creating an independent, democratic government was superseded by the more basic and pressing need to establish a secure and stable Iraqi state. The lack of a unified approach to U.S. strategy in Iraq meant that it often fell to the commanders of smaller units (brigades, regiments, and battalions) to devise an effective means for defeating the insurgency in their particular areas of responsibility. It was in this type of operating environment that the commander of Regimental Combat Team 2, Colonel Stephen W. Davis, and one of his battalion commanders, Lieutenant Colonel Julian D. Alford of 3d Battalion, 6th Marines, undertook a concerted campaign to clear and secure al-Qaim District in western Iraq.

Ambush Alley

Download Ambush Alley PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Presidio Press
ISBN 13 : 030741454X
Total Pages : 352 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (74 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Ambush Alley by : Tim Pritchard

Download or read book Ambush Alley written by Tim Pritchard and published by Presidio Press. This book was released on 2007-12-18 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: March 23, 2003: U.S. Marines from the Task Force Tarawa are caught up in one of the most unexpected battles of the Iraq War. What started off as a routine maneuver to secure two key bridges in the town of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq degenerated into a nightmarish twenty-four-hour urban clash in which eighteen young Marines lost their lives and more than thirty-five others were wounded. It was the single heaviest loss suffered by the U.S. military during the initial combat phase of the war. On that fateful day, Marines came across the burned-out remains of a U.S. Army convoy that had been ambushed by Saddam Hussein’s forces outside Nasiriyah. In an attempt to rescue the missing soldiers and seize the bridges before the Iraqis could destroy them, the Marines decided to advance their attack on the city by twenty-four hours. What happened next is a gripping and gruesome tale of military blunders, tragedy, and heroism. Huge M1 tanks leading the attack were rendered ineffective when they became mired in an open sewer. Then a company of Marines took a wrong turn and ended up on a deadly stretch of road where their armored personal carriers were hit by devastating rocket-propelled grenade fire. USAF planes called in for fire support play their own part in the unfolding cataclysm when they accidentally strafed the vehicles. The attempt to rescue the dead and dying stranded in “ambush alley” only drew more Marines into the slaughter. This was not a battle of modern technology, but a brutal close-quarter urban knife fight that tested the Marines’ resolve and training to the limit. At the heart of the drama were the fifty or so young Marines, most of whom had never been to war, who were embroiled in a battle of epic proportions from which neither their commanders nor the technological might of the U.S. military could save them. With a novelist’s gift for pace and tension, Tim Pritchard brilliantly captures the chaos, panic, and courage of the fight for Nasiriyah, bringing back in full force the day that a perfunctory task turned into a battle for survival. "Ambush Alley" is a gut-wrenching account of unadulterated terror that's hard to read yet impossible to put down. London-based journalist and filmmaker Tim Pritchard, who was embedded with US troops during the initial stages of the American-led invasion of Iraq, paints a compelling picture of one of the costliest battles of the Iraq war that will at turns anger, horrify, and sadden, regardless of one's political views." --The Boston Globe