Black Hearts and Painted Guns: A Battalion's Journey into Iraq's Triangle of Death

Author:   Kelly Eads ,  Daniel S Morgan
Publisher:   Casemate Publishers
ISBN:  

9781636245348


Pages:   208
Publication Date:   30 June 2025
Format:   Paperback
Availability:   Not yet available   Availability explained
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Our Price $56.99 Quantity:  
Add to Cart

Share |

Black Hearts and Painted Guns: A Battalion's Journey into Iraq's Triangle of Death


Add your own review!

Overview

""…a pageturner that reads like a novel, made better by the fact that it is true."" - ARMY Magazine Kelly Eads joined the 101st Airborne Division soon after 9/11, his experience reflecting the patriotism and commitment of so many young men and women who responded to the attack. He deployed to Iraq twice with the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment. Early in their deployment to Iraq, the 2nd Battalion brought the fight directly to the enemy by setting up patrol bases in the local areas where they lived and operated. Soon they built a reputation for themselves, becoming known to the enemy as the Black Hearts-The 502nd had been distinguished on the battlefield by black hearts on their helmets since World War II. Their Scout Platoon became known as Painted Guns due to their practice of camouflaging their rifles. During Eads' deployments, the battalion would experience thousands of Improvised Explosive Devices and firefights. They would spend countless hours in blistering 120degree desert heat, controlling roads and preventing enemy freedom of movement; and would dedicate months to hunting enemy mortar teams and terror cells. With the help of Dan Morgan, an Infantry officer who deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan as a commander and operations officer, Eads takes the reader on a rollercoaster of combat experiences during the hunt for the most violent terrorist in Iraq, Abu Mu??ab Zarqawi, bringing to life the painstaking and horrid details of combat in a sectarian war. He tells the story of the soldiers' camaraderie, built through adversity, and the love of family that sustained them. AUTHOR: Daniel S. Morgan graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, DC with degrees in national security and defense industry. He retired as a US Army Colonel in 2018. His experience has taken him from policy making to congressional legislative affairs to defense strategy across the world. Dan deployed worldwide to multiple combat operations at every level in peacemaking, counterterrorism, counterinsurgency and major combat operations. Over half his military active duty service was in hostile combat zones. In the 1990s, he supported counternarcotic strategy and operations across the globe to include serving in the Clinton Administration at the highest levels. He is a published author on leadership, military strategy, counter narcotics, and US policy. Today, Dan works in the defense industry, providing cutting-edge intelligent sensing technology across space, air, land, and maritime domains. Today, he lives in the Hill Country in Texas west of Austin. 100 photographs

Full Product Details

Author:   Kelly Eads ,  Daniel S Morgan
Publisher:   Casemate Publishers
Imprint:   Casemate Publishers
ISBN:  

9781636245348


ISBN 10:   163624534
Pages:   208
Publication Date:   30 June 2025
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Not yet available   Availability explained
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

Reviews

""...will give readers a feeling for what it was like to fight in the Global War on Terror and the kind of young people who stepped forward to do it.""-- ""On Point: The Journal of Army History"" ""The authors are both Iraq War veterans, with Eads a veteran of this unit covered in this book. The work is an intimate and well-done memoir of one unit's experiences in Iraq.""-- ""Military Heritage Magazine"" ""...a page-turner that reads like a novel, made better by the fact that it is true. This is a story about faithful and selfless service to the nation, the valor of America's 21st century warriors and the sacrifices of the families at home.""-- ""ARMY Magazine"" ""The ending is really why you should read Eads and Morgan's work because it shows the costs of long and multiple deployments.""-- ""Musings on Iraq""


Author Information

Kelly Eads grew up in Cameron, MO and joined the US Army as an infantryman after high school. He deployed twice to Iraq, supporting counterinsurgency and counterterrorist operations. He was awarded as a Distinguished Member of the 502nd Infantry Regiment, a designation that he holds close to his heart. He lives in Kansas City with his wife and their two children. Kelly continues to serve his nation and community as a police officer, where he focuses on the safety of the areas he works in and still assists in counterterrorism efforts. Daniel S. Morgan graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, DC with degrees in national security. He retired as a US Army Colonel in 2018. Dan deployed worldwide to multiple combat operations at every level. In the 1990s, he supported counternarcotic strategy and operations across the globe. He is a published author on leadership, military strategy, counter narcotics, and US policy. Today, Dan works in the defense industry, providing cuttingedge sensing technology across space, air, land, and maritime domains.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions
Latest Reading Guide

RGJUNE2025

 

Shopping Cart
Your cart is empty
Shopping cart
Mailing List