Once a Marine: An Iraq War Tank Commander’s Inspirational Memoir of Combat, Courage, and Recovery

Nick Popaditch · Mike Steere

Oct 2008 · Savas Beatie

About this ebook

The Silver Star–awarded marine chronicles his service in Iraq in this “transcendent memoir of military service and its personal consequences” (Ralph Peters, Lt. Col., ret., author of Looking For Trouble).
 
In April, 2003, an AP photographer captured a striking image seen around the world of Gunny Sergeant Nick Popaditch smoking a victory cigar in his tank, the haunting statue of Saddam Hussein hovering in the background. Though immortalized in that moment as “The Cigar Marine,” Popaditch’s fighting was far from over.
 
The following year, he fought heroically in the battle for Fallujah and suffered grievous head wounds that left him legally blind and partially deaf. But he faced the toughest fight of his life when he returned home: the battle to remain the man and Marine he was.
 
At first, Nick fights to get back to where he was in Iraq-in the cupola of an M1A1 main battle tank, leading Marines in combat. As the seriousness and permanence of his disabilities become more evident, Nick fights to remain in the Corps in any capacity and help his brothers in arms. Then, following a medical retirement, he battles for rightful recognition and compensation for his disabilities. Throughout his harrowing ordeal, Nick fights to maintain his honor and loyalty, waging all these battles the same way—the Marine way—because anything less would be a betrayal of all he holds dear.

Ratings and reviews

Haveing had the the Honor of meeting Mr. Nick this past week at a Focus Camp for injured Veterans. I instantly took a strong likeing to this fellow trigger puller. Alot of what he mentions in his book about the Sep Boards, Va system, really hits home as I instantly had flash backs of my own experiences with my last command leaders, fellow marines, and when I was in the Battle of Fallujah. This man and so many of us can and will accomplish what ever we put our hearts and minds to. SEMPER FI USMC CPL SELLARS, JASON RET. AMAZING BOOK GUNNERY SERGEANT. NICK POPADITCH A MUST READ FOR ALL.

Having my husband a wounded marine this book was amazing to help bring back some motivation that was lost through all that has happened

About the author

From East Chicago, Indiana, Nick Popaditch enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1986. He was wounded while commanding a tank in Fallujah (Iraq) in 2004 and medically retired from the Marines in 2005 at the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. “Gunny” and his wife April have two children, Richard and Nicholas. They reside in Chula Vista, California.