Our intern fought in Fallujah: a gallery

By Orlando Weekly Staff on Fri, Jan 17, 2014 at 9:20 pm

The following slideshow features images our of our intern Fred in Iraq during 2004 and 2005. Fred served as a rifleman in the 5th Marines during the invasion of Iraq and the Second Battle of Fallujah; the images were captured by a professional photographer as well as other Marines and Iraqi soldiers, who used a disposable camera.

Read Fred's original blog here.

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Fred moves to a staging area in Camp Baharia, near Fallujah, Iraq, the day before Operation Phantom Fury. The photo was snapped by Max Becherer, a photojournalist who was freelancing for Time Magazine.

Fred sports an Iraqi soldier's AK-47 (traded with his M-16 for the photo) in a defensive position outside the city of Saqlawiyah, just north of Fallujah, Iraq.

After exiting the Marines in 2006, Fred poses with his dress blues uniform in the home of Gregory Rund. A Littleton, Colo. native, Rund was killed in action during the Second Battle of Fallujah in Dec. 2004.

Left to Right- Lcpl. Ross Smith (KIA), Lcpl. Joe Sawyer, Lcpl. Richard Ryba and Lcpl. Fred Lambert. The four Marines enjoy beers in the Bangor Airport during a layover in their flight from Iraq in Spring 2005. Smith would be killed in 2006 during his third tour to the region.

Marines from Fred's squad pose for a traditional unit photo. In hours they would begin the assault of Fallujah under cover of darkness.

Fred performs pull-ups -- the mainstay Marine exercise -- on a makeshift bar in Camp Baharia, near Fallujah, Iraq.

Fred and Lcpl. David Portillodelao before the assault on Fallujah, Nov. 2004.

Left to Right- Lcpl. Chris Sipe, Lcpl. Mike Seimbruzch and Lcpl. Fred Lambert. The body-shaped target with C4 explosives strapped on was a tool the Marines used to breach heavy and locked doors in Fallujah homes.

Fred was 18 years old when he joined the Marines; this was his photo from recruit training, taken July 2002.

Marines from Fred's squad take a break in the midst of an afternoon clearing houses; Fred is pictured at the top of the stairs. The photo was taken by a Marine sergeant working for Stars and Stripes.