Douglas A. Zembiec

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Major Douglas A. Zembiec
April 14, 1973 (1973-04-14) – May 11, 2007 (aged 34)
Capt. Doug Zembiec, the 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 Fallujah, Iraq April 8, 2004. The company entered Fallujah April 6th to begin the effort of destroying enemy held up in the city. Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen
Place of birth	Kealakekua, Hawaii
Place of death	KIA in Baghdad, Iraq
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1995 - 2007
Rank	Major
Unit	2nd Battalion 1st Marines
Commands held	Company E
Battles/wars	Kosovo War Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom *Operation Vigilant Resolve
Awards	Silver Star Bronze Star with Combat V Purple Heart Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal

Major Douglas Alexander Zembiec, (April 14, 1973 - May 11, 2007), the "Lion of Fallujah"^[1]^[2]^[3] and also referred to as the "Unapologetic Warrior"^[4] was an officer in the United States Marine Corps who was killed in action while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is best known for his actions during Operation Vigilant Resolve which were detailed in the book No True Glory: A Front-line Account of the Battle of Fallujah by Bing West and for an article which ran in the Wall Street Journal following his death.^[5]

1 Biography
2 Quotes
3 Awards
4 References
5 See also

[edit] Biography

Doug Zembiec was born on April 14, 1973 in Kealakekua, Hawaii. He attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he was a New Mexico State high school wrestling champion in 1990 and 1991. He went on to attend the United States Naval Academy where he was an All-American collegiate wrestler and graduate in 1995. Following college he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and went on to became an infantry officer. In addition to his service in Iraq, Major Zembiec had served a combat tour during the Kosovo War and two tours in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2001 he competed in the Armed Forces Eco-Challenge as team captain of Team Force Recon Rolls Royce.

As a wrestler, Doug was the first time New Mexico State Champion in any sport and the first repeat winner at La Cueva High School. He was undefeated in competition his senior year. At the Naval Academy he compiled a 95-21-1 record and finished a two time NCAA All-American.^[6] His fellow wrestlers sometime referred to him as "The Snake" for his anaconda-like grip. Doug was well known amongst his contemporaries throughout his athletic and professional life for his exceptional physical fitness. His coach, Reginald Wicks, referred to him as "the best-conditioned athlete I’ve ever been around."

Upon graduation on May 31, 1995 from the Naval Academy, Zembiec was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. After finishing The Basic School, and the Infantry Officer’s Course, he was assigned to First Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment as a rifle platoon commander (effective April of 1996). After successfully passing the Force Reconnaissance indoctrination in June of 1997, he was transferred to Second Force Reconnaissance Company, at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He served for two and a half years as a platoon commander, eight months as an interim company commander, and one month as an operations officer. Zembiec’s Force Reconnaissance platoon was among the first special operations forces to enter Kosovo during Operation Joint Guardian in June of 1999.

In September of 2000, he was transferred to the Amphibious Reconnaissance School (ARS) located in Ft. Story, Virginia and served as the Assistant Officer-In-Charge (XO) for two years. From ARS, Zembiec was selected to attend the Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia graduating in May 2003.

Following the Expeditionary Warfare School he took command of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division in July 2003.

He was named the "Lion of Fallujah" as a result of his heroic actions leading Echo Company 2/1 during Operation Vigilant Resolve in 2004. As a rifle company commander, he led 168 Marines and sailors in the first conventional ground assault into Fallujah, Iraq. He was awarded a Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device and two Purple Hearts due to wounds incurred in action.

He turned over command of Echo Company in November of 2004 and served as an assistant operations officer at the Marine Corps’ First Special Operations Training Group (1st SOTG) where he ran the urban patrolling/ Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) and tank-infantry training packages for the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit in preparation for an upcoming deployment to Iraq. Zembiec transferred from 1st SOTG to the Regional Support Element, Headquarters, Marine Corps on 10 June 2005. His promotion to Major was effective on July 1, 2005.

He was serving his fourth combat tour in Iraq when he was killed by small arms fire while leading a raid in Baghdad on May 11, 2007. Major Zembiec was leading a unit of Iraqi forces he had helped train.^[7] Reports from fellow servicemen that were present in the dark Baghdad alley where he was killed indicate that he'd 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^[8]" with Major Zembiec having been killed and his men saved by his warning. On May 16, 2007 a funeral mass was held at the Naval Academy Chapel and the following day he was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, Grave Number 8621, Section Number 60.

In July of 2007 Secretary of Defense Robert Gates publicly lost his composure showing a rare glimpse of emotion from senior political leadership while discussing Major Zembiec during a speech. Major Zembiec was also prominently featured in a high profile Wall Street Journal column during September of 2007. In November of 2007, Doug's High School Alma Mater, La Cueva High School inducted him as the charter member of their hall of fame and named the wrestling room in his honor.^[9] The NCAA announced that Major Zembiec would be awarded the 2008 NCAA Award of Valor.^[10] In January of 2008, General David Petraeus, Commanding General Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I) dedicated the Helipad at Camp Victory located at Baghdad International Airport in Major Zembiec's name. He referred to Major Zembiec as a "a true charter member of the brotherhood of the close fight.^[11]" Douglas Zembiec is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Don Zembiec, brother, and his wife and daughter, Pamela and Fallyn.

[edit] Quotes

Major Zembiec left many volumes of personal writings behind, some of which were shared at his funeral. The final words of the Eulogy, delivered by his friend Eric L. Kapitulik, have evolved into a new credo for many members of the USMC and USMIL^{[citation needed]} communities at large, amounting to what Kapitulik said was a summary of Zembiec himself.

Be a man of principle. Fight for what you believe in. Keep your word. Live with integrity. Be brave. Believe in something bigger than yourself. Serve your country.

Teach. Mentor. Give something back to society. Lead from the front. Conquer your fears. Be a good friend. Be humble and be self-confident.

Appreciate your friends and family. Be a leader and not a follower. Be valorous on the field of battle. And take responsibility for your actions.

Never forget those that were killed. And never let rest those that killed them.

Kapitulik said the creed came from the man who knew Zembiec the longest, as indicated by the Major's written description: "Principles my father taught me."