David E Kelly

In 2006, the shock and awe campaign of securing the major cities had ended, and the Iraq War had moved into an alien phase for the clandestine operators of Blackflag1. Their motto "swift, silent, deadly," the Marine operators of 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion were not intended for conventional warfare but they were now tasked with holding the Zaidon region of Iraq. In this deadly zone, where even Saddam would not send his most elite troops, the operators were faced with the war on a new front; fierce local tribes who proclaimed they would kill any who entered their lands, foreign insurgents or Marines alike.

In March 2004, the unprovoked ambush, killing and desecration of the bodies of American civilian security contractors in Fallujah, Iraq, caused the National Command Authorities in Washington, DC. to demand that the newly arrived Marine Expeditionary Force there take action against the perpetrators and other insurgent forces. Planned Stability and Support Operations were cast aside as insurgent fighters dared the Marines to enter Fallujah. Marine infantrymen, tankers, helicopter crews, and amphibious vehicle drivers all pitched into high-intensity battles and firefights during the first fights of Fallujah in April 2004. Across the board cooperation and innovation marked these fighting Marines in combined arms fights that no one expected. Marines fought in the streets, conducted house-to-house searches, cleared buildings of enemy, and used tank main guns in direct support of urban environment operations. Helicopter crews supported operations on the ground with rockets and machine-gun fire, and Amtrac Marines transported forces to face enemy RPG and machine-gun fire. Marines from infantry squad members to a battalion commander were interviewed by Marine Corps field historians within days or weeks of the events at nearby combat outposts and camps. This book combines these interview notes and the words of the men themselves to create a unique narrative of Marines in this combat.

During the April 2004 fights throughout Iraq, most media attention was focused on the city of Fallujah. However, at the same time, out on the border with Syria in and around the city of Husaybah, fighting was equally intense. This book tells the story of that period through many first-person accounts of intense fighting in the town of Husaybah, Iraq, during. It is based on interviews with Marines at all levels of the fight, from battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Matt Lopez, USMC, to infantrymen and squad leaders. When the Lima Company commander Captain Richard Gannon (Call sign Lima 6) was killed on entry to an enemy-held building, the company’s executive officer, Lieutenant Dominique Neal (Lima 5) informed his Marines that he had assumed command with the radio message, “Lima 5 is now Lima 6.” It also details the heroic actions of Corporal Jason Dunham who saved the Marines around him by covering an enemy grenade with his body.

Lightroom 4(R) Made Easy is a fresh look at Adobe's software program for photographers. Written by Adobe Certified Instructor Dave Kelly, this is a concise, straight to the point "how to" book. It is created to sit at the computer with the photographer and guide her or him through all the techniques available in the software using step by step easy to understand instructions. Some of the techniques have never been presented before in either a book or video tutorial. All seven modules of Lightroom 4(R) are covered in detail with images of the panels and bullet points for the techniques. In this book the photographer will learn simple image importing and organizing procedures, new techniques for developing images, creating books, slideshows and web galleries. The section on printing from Lightroom is one of the most complete presented.