Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
5:05 | Eddie Wright was on top of the world. He had just become a Recon Marine, his goal since he was young. At the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, he was assigned to a new team where he already knew several of the guys. Then it was time to return to Iraq. (Caution: strong language)
Keywords : Eddie Wright Iraq Recon Marine hazing Eric Kocher Fallujah
His father was an Air Force medical officer and would take him out on morning runs. That's where Eddie Wright saw his first Marines. They were running in formation and he thought they were just the best. He would be a Marine. (Caution: strong language)
After training at Twentynine Palms, Eddie Wright was deployed to Okinawa. On Sept.11, 2001, he was in Australia's outback beginning a survival course. A voice came from over by the radio. "Oy, get all the Yanks. America's been attacked." (Caution: strong language)
While in Kuwait, waiting for the invasion of Iraq to begin, Eddie Wright's unit got in a bunch of green Marines, fresh from training. There was one Marine who was disorganized and had just returned from being AWOL. He would be the unit's first casualty of the war and it didn't take long. (Caution: strong language)
The sky was full of munitions as Eddie Wright crossed into Iraq. He was moving fast and his outfit was out in front of any other Marine unit. Suddenly, there were three trucks full of Iraqis with questionable intent. Those were easily handled but then a full blown battle was under way and he got his baptism of fire. (Caution: strong language)
The Iraqis were standing under a water tower in the small desert town where Eddie Wright rolled in with his fellow Marines. He got excited when someone shot a TOW missile at them. Would it hit the tank and douse them with water? That wouldn't be the strangest thing he saw in Iraq. (Caution: strong language)
Before he rotated back to the States, Eddie Wright and some of his buddies met Gen Jim Mattis, who made a lasting impression. The young Marine saved his phone number and set out to pass the screening to become a Recon Marine. It had been his goal for a long time but it was going to be tough. (Caution: strong language)
He was living his dream. He had read books about Recon Marines and now he was one. As Iraq deteriorated into civil war, Eddie Wright deployed to Fallujah, where, in the dead of night, his team tried to find and destroy IED operations. One night, he was spotted by a group of Iraqi women. Another time, he was nearly shot by Blackwater employees. (Caution: strong language)
They got hit every day in Fallujah. When they were lucky and back at the base, they still got rocket and mortar fire. Eddie Wright was part of a small team of Marines who was there as the Awakening began. Iraqis had learned that ISIS was a much worse enemy than the Americans. How did we get to this point? Someone derailed a good plan. (Caution: strong language)
Fallujah had been cordoned off and the supply lines for the Marines were stretched thin. Eddie Wright was in the lead vehicle of a convoy and he passed the word, it looked like they were going to get ambushed. Keep going, he was told. They should have listened to him. The fire started on the right side and then the whole world opened up. They were in a kill zone. Part 1 of 4. (Caution: strong language)
Eddie Wright had just taken a hit from an RPG. His mind went through several states of semi-consciousness and, when the lights came back on, he began to feel pain. He looked at one arm and then the other and then at his leg. He didn't see anything good. He knew he needed to put tourniquets on but he had one major problem with that. Part 2 of 4. (Caution: strong language)
After being seriously wounded in an ambush, Eddie Wright was getting tended to by the Corpsmen and waiting for a helicopter. When it arrived, his stretcher was put aboard, then another. On it was his platoon commander, who was white as a ghost. Part 3 of 4. (Caution: strong language)
Eddie Wright gives a shout out to his platoon commander, who was killed during the ambush which nearly killed him. Wary of getting triaged as nearly dead, when the helicopter opened up, he sat up and spoke and startled the Corpsman coming aboard. Once inside, he tried to lighten the mood, despite his grievous wounds. Part 4 of 4. (Caution: strong language)
While in recovery at Walter Reed, Eddie Wright got a visit from his Recon team leader, who got him dressed and took him to the 1st Recon Battalion reunion. There, he met the author of the book that inspired him to become a Recon Marine. (Caution: strong language)
Despite losing both hands in Iraq, Eddie Wright kept up an active life. After leaving the Marine Corps, he worked in the private sector and advocated for veteran's issues. He networked with fellow wounded warriors and, together, they kept spirits up. (Caution: strong language)
Eddie Wright reveals why Recon Marines are such good fighters. It comes down to having a huge heart. He also reveals what Bjork was doing in the combat zone. (Caution: strong language)
