Their Story
Remembering Douglas A. Zembiec.
Major Douglas A. Zembiec was killed in action (KIA) on May 11, 2007, during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq.
Major Zembiec graduated from La Cueva High School, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he was a two-time state champion in wrestling and was undefeated his senior year.
At the Naval Academy, Major Zembiec was a member of the wrestling team and was a two-time NCAA All-American. After graduation, Major Zembiec service selected Marine Corps and served combat tours in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Major Zembiec earned the name "The Lion of Fallujah" as a result of his heroic actions leading Echo Company 2/1 during Operation Vigilant Resolve in 2004. As a rifle company commander, he led 168 Marines and sailors in the first conventional ground assault into Fallujah, Iraq.
Zembiec was serving in the CIA's Special Activities Division Ground Branch in Iraq when he was killed. Zembiec was leading a unit of Iraqi forces he had helped train. Reports from fellow servicemen that were present in the dark Baghdad alley where he was killed indicate that he'd warned his troops to get down before doing so himself and was hit by enemy fire.
The swimming pool located at the Marine Corps' Henderson Hall is named in honor of Major Zembiec and the Douglas A. Zembiec Award for Outstanding Leadership in Special Operations was created to annually "recognize the Marine officer who best exemplifies outstanding leadership as a Team Leader in the Marine Corps Special Operations Community."
He is a recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart with one star.