Corporal Nick Gotelli, was in Kilo Battery, 3/12 Marines (Artillery). During the invasion of Iraq, the unit was attached to 2/11 Marines (Artillery) under Regimental Combat Team 5 (RCT-5) of the 1st Marine Division. The unit compromised of Oshkosh 8 ton trucks towing 155mm M198 howitzers.

On March 2003 just days right before the invasion begun, the 2/11 artillery hammered Iraqi Army positions; paved the way for the RCT-5’s infantry and armored units to cross the line of departure on March 21. The RCT-5 was credited as the first regiment to cross into Iraq; supposedly making 2/11 the first artillery unit to fire into Iraq.

The 2/11 also supported the notable operation of capturing Saddam international Airport with a fire mission.

Cpl. Gotelli was issued old used Desert Combat Uniforms that were handed down by U.S. Army due to the shortage of desert camouflage uniforms (DCU). The uniform has evidence where U.S. Army patches were stripped off. He was issued few sets of USMC ega (Eagle, globe, anchor) iron-on transfers which he had to apply to uniforms and helmet cover himself. The unit also had SOP requiring him to sew velcro square on sleeves of his DCUs and top of helmet cover for reflective squares (To distinguish friendly/foe in night).

Chris Ayres was the journalist that embedded 2/11 Marines; he wrote a book about his war experience: War Reporting For Cowards. The book turned out different and unique from other war books; it is about how Chris Ayres ended up being an “accidental” war journalist and how he was so terrified that he couldn’t embed all the way to Baghdad. He covered some of what the unit did during the invasion (half of it anyway). Nick Gotelli remembers how terrified Chris Ayres was. Despite this, the book was funny and entertaining like a sitcom.

Special thanks to Nick Gotelli for loaning his actual uniform and gear to make this exhibit/photoshoot possible.