Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Elliot Leedom Ackerman Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Iraq War, 2003-2011; Afghan War, 2001-
- Branch of Service: Marine Corps
- Unit of Service: 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment; 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion
- Location of Service: Iraq; Kunar Province, Afghanistan; Herat Province, Afghanistan; Paktika Province, Afghanistan; Farah Province, Afghanistan
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/108527
Captain Elliot Ackerman remembers being a typical laidback "California kid" as a child, but by the time he entered college he was determined to become a Marine and serve in special operations. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in May 2003, his classmates lamented that they had "missed the war" in Iraq, but by the time they finished training, a virulent insurgency had developed there, and Ackerman found himself leading an infantry platoon in combat six weeks after graduation. He later served as one of the early members of Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) as a Team Leader, and deployed to Afghanistan in this role in 2008. After leaving the Marine Corps, he also served in the Central Intelligence Agency before becoming a successful author, and he has published several novels related to the experience of war.
Interview / Recording
Transcript
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PlayChildhood in California, England, and Washington, D.C.; deciding to become a Marine officer and entering the NROTC program at Tufts University; completing Airborne school, Combat Diver Qualification Course, and Amphibious Reconnaissance School in the summers while still a midshipman; being mentored by Douglas Zembiec. 00:00:02.0 - 00:06:42.0
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PlayBeing commissioned as a Marine officer in May 2003; training as an infantry officer; his cohort of officers started training believing they had missed the war in Iraq, only to find out while still in training that an intense insurgency was developing there. 00:06:53.0 - 00:11:57.0
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PlaySwapping assignments in order to get to deploy to Iraq; the challenges of being a new platoon commander, including a confrontation with one of his non-commissioned officers. 00:11:58.0 - 00:19:14.0
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PlayFirst deployment to Iraq as a platoon commander; hitting an IED on one of his first patrols; complex ambush and firefight in Haditha that lasted half a day; earning the trust of the Marines he led; humorous memories of time in Iraq. 00:19:14.0 - 00:28:30.0
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PlayBecoming a Team Leader with 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion in the early days of Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC); deploying to western Afghanistan, where they partnered with an Afghan National Army commando battalion, and often had to find creative ways to accomplish their missions. 00:33:29.0 - 00:42:46.0
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PlayMotivation for becoming a novelist, and the process of becoming a successful author; thoughts on how his novels reflect his life experiences, including his time in the military. 00:43:37.0 - 00:48:53.0
About this Item
Title
- Elliot Leedom Ackerman Collection
Names
- Library of Congress
- Veterans History Project
- Huber, Andrew
- Ackerman, Elliot Leedom
Home State
- Washington (D.C.)
Headings
- - Ackerman, Elliot Leedom
- - Iraq War, 2003-2011 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Marine Corps.
- - Afghan War, 2001- -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Marine Corps.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
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Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Branch of Service: Marine Corps
- Unit of Service: 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment; 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion
- Location of Service: Iraq
- Dates of Service: 2003-2011
- Entrance into Service: Commissioned
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran served as a rifle platoon command, Marine Special Operations team leader, and paramilitary case officer.
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Afghan War, 2001-
- Branch of Service: Marine Corps
- Location of Service: Kunar Province, Afghanistan; Herat Province, Afghanistan; Paktika Province, Afghanistan; Farah Province, Afghanistan
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Entrance into Service: Commissioned
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Video: Digital File [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2017-09-13; 2017)
- Video: Flash Drive [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2017-09-13; 2017-10-13)
- Manuscript: Clippings [2 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 2007-2015)
- Manuscript: Military papers (orders, personnel/201 files, etc) [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2004-11)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of video recording (collected 2017-09-13)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/108527
Cite as
- Elliot Leedom Ackerman Collection (AFC/2001/001/108527), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Farah Province, Afghanistan
- Herat Province, Afghanistan
- Iraq
- Kunar Province, Afghanistan
- Paktika Province, Afghanistan