#fallujah

Iraqi resistance fighters in the streets of Fallujah, August, 2004.

Capt. Doug Zembiec, commanding officer of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, gives orders to his men over a radio prior to leaving their secured compound for a short patrol in the city of Fallujah on April 8, 2004.

He was nicknamed the "Lion of Fallujah" as a result of his heroic actions commanding Echo Company during Operation Vigilant Resolve in 2004. As a rifle company commander, Zembiec led 168 Marines and Navy Corpsmen in the first conventional ground assault into Fallujah. He earned the Silver Star and the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device and also received two Purple Hearts due to wounds incurred in action.

Years later, Zembiec was serving in the Ground Branch of the CIA's Special Activities Division in Iraq when he was killed by small arms fire while leading a raid in Baghdad on May 11, 2007. Zembiec was leading a unit of Iraqi forces he had helped train. Reports from fellow servicemen that were present when he was killed indicate that he had warned his troops to get down before doing so himself and was hit by enemy fire. The initial radio report indicated "five wounded and one martyred" with Zembiec having been killed and his men saved by his warning.

U.S. Marines from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, carry on the attack to an objective during the ground offensive of Operation Phantom Fury in the city of Fallujah, in November 2004.