By Maureen Rossi<\/a><\/p>\n

On Friday, December 12, 2014 about ten young men in their 30\u2019s marched into the RJO Auditorium. \u00a0Their comradely was omnipresent; they joked around and poked each other as brothers would. \u00a0\u00a0A handsome lot, they were there to discuss the book Lava Dawgs; A Fight for Fallujah and the events that led to the book. \u00a0\u00a0Laughing and chatting, they were casual in blazers, loafers and collared shirts. \u00a0They were the soldiers who took down Fallujah in 2004\/2005 and allowed for the first Democratic \u00a0elections.<\/p>\n

<\/a>The Veterans took the podium surround their unofficial leader, the author of the book Lava Dawgs Charlie Moose. \u00a0\u00a0His real name is Nick Misiano and his father is a graduate of KPHS. \u00a0\u00a0Misiano and his team are the famed but humble crew of Marines who first took down Fallujah in 2004. \u00a0An operation that was supposed to take months took only weeks. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cFallujah was one of the safest places in Iraq for almost a decade after that,\u201d said Misiano.<\/p>\n

Misiano\u2019s father was present as well as many of his KPHS classmates from the mid-sixties. \u00a0they were joined by local Veterans representing WWII, Korea, Vietnam, The Gulf War and both the recent Iraq and Afghan wars.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father Sal Misiano is a retired Marine so we have a proud military tradition in our family,\u201d said the author and veteran.<\/p>\n

The thirty-something said the heaviest fighting they saw was from November until January \u2013 he admits it was probably the heaviest urban fighting since Vietnam. \u00a0\u00a0Misiano and his comrades were up against the Mujahedeen at the time \u2013 this was ten years back. \u00a0It\u2019s a term you no longer hear but the Mujahedeen were the men the United States armed to rid Afghanistan of the Russians back in the 70\u2019s or 80\u2019s. \u00a0Ruthless and unrelenting The Mujahedeen were successful and they drove the Russians from Afghanistan for good.<\/p>\n

But as history was to come to fruition, they turned into the enemy of the United States and became affiliated and part of al Qaeda, part of the jihad movement against the West. The men we armed became our enemies decades later.<\/p>\n

Fallujah was deemed a critical battle because the once thriving city had become a very dangerous and violent place. \u00a0\u00a0The country\u2019s first elections were set up to occur in 2005 and Fallujah was slated as one of the main voting places. \u00a0So it would make sense that the United States Military sent in their best and brightest to take and secure the city. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe epic battle of Fallujah is synonymous with one of the greatest battles of this generation,\u201d said Misiano.<\/p>\n

It was Ironic that that the young men were in Kings Park on 12\/12 because it had been exactly ten years since one of their men, their friends, their brother was shot and killed that day. \u00a0Misiano explained the soldier had been wounded but refused to be taken by a copter to a nearby hospital. \u00a0After a few weeks of rest and healing, on the twelfth day of December he re-entered battle with his troop members and lost his life.<\/p>\n

The entire crowd at RJO Auditorium became somber and took a moment of silence for that soldier.<\/p>\n

Some quiet tears ran down the faces of the strapping young veterans and many in the audience as well. \u00a0\u201cThis is just the kind of men we had working with us in Fallujah, they were all incredible,\u201d said Misiano.<\/p>\n

Misiano decided to pen his riveting novel for a myriad of reasons, for one it was something that lived inside of him that had to come to come out \u2013 it had to escape somehow and Misiano chose words. \u00a0In addition he and his fellow Marines wanted to have a platform to bring to light the inequities of the Military handing out Purple Hearts.<\/p>\n

\u201c39 Marines were killed when their copter went down on January 26, 2005, it was the deadliest day in the history of the war and not one of them received a Purple Heart,\u201d he lamented.<\/p>\n

At first the enemy was claiming the hit but later Military reports said it was pilot error, inclement weather.<\/p>\n

\u201cI advocate for this today because those men deserve a Purple Heart, they died in active duty,\u201d he shared. \u00a0\u00a0Misiano said he wants to honor them, and wants their children to receive the education benefits that come along with a Purple Heart. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cMany men have received a lot more for doing a lot less, that copter was surrounded enemy fire,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Misiano and the other men shared their sentiments \u2013 many were similar. \u00a0They agreed they had fought with some of the most incredible men they have ever known. All the gentlemen beside Misiano were written into the book but had various names like Saw Gun or Machine Gun \u2013 some in the audience asked the young men to identify who they were in the book. \u00a0\u00a0Several audience members had already read the book and many more bought it that day as it was on sale through the Heritage Museum.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of these brave men for ten years Fallujah was considered one of the safest places in all of Iraq, businesses were thriving, schools were open, we oversaw the very first election at during our mission,\u201d said Misiano proudly.<\/p>\n

When asked if they follow what\u2019s happening in Fallujah now \u00a0-- most of them shook their head. \u201cWe did really well there \u2013 it\u2019s a different war now than the one we fought and one,\u201d said Misiano\u2019s fellow Marine who did not want to give his name.<\/p>\n

Vietnam Veteran and Purple Heart recipient Larry Noon (a KP Native) was in the audience. \u00a0He told the young men that Fallujah shall forever define them and shared the story of his Vietnam Era Fallujah which was a deadly battle in Duey Canyon \u2013 the biggest battle in Vietnam.<\/p>\n

The soldiers were all hoping to go forth from Kings Park and celebrate the holidays with their families around the country but all had plans to advocate for Purple Hearts for all the men that fell that day their copter went down in 2005.<\/p>\n

Members of the audience recommended they contact Congressman elect Lee Zeldin who is on active duty and a member of several military committees. \u00a0He is being sworn in on January 1, 2015.<\/p>\n

The soldiers fought for 75 straight days morning noon and night and concluded their mission with the successful Democratic election in Fallujah.<\/p>\n

Before culminating \u2013 Misiano said he would be remiss if he didn\u2019t mention the twenty-two veterans they were losing a day due to suicide. \u00a0The entire auditorium took a moment of silence to pray for their families and all the veterans suffering throughout the country and overseas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere should be none \u2013 we need to change this,\u201d said Misiano.<\/p>\n

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<\/p>\n

Lava Dawgs, A Fight for Fallujah is an outstanding read. It\u2019s a quick read because you can\u2019t put it down. \u00a0It can be bought from the Kings Park Heritage Museum or ordered online at Amazon.com \u00a0I\u2019ve read a lot of military books in my fifty years, this is a must.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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