Black Hearts and Painted Guns: A Battalion's Journey into Iraq's Triangle of Death

by Kelly Eads, Daniel S. Morgan

"...a page-turner that reads like a novel, made better by the fact that it is true." ― ARMY Magazine

Kelly Eads joined the 101st Airborne Division soon after 9/11, his experience reflecting the patriotism and commitment of so many young men and women who responded to the attack. He deployed to Iraq twice with the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment.

Early in their deployment to Iraq, the 2nd Battalion brought the fight directly to the enemy by setting up patrol bases in the local areas where they lived and operated. Soon they built a reputation for themselves, becoming known to the enemy as the Black Hearts—The 502nd had been distinguished on the battlefield by black hearts on their helmets since World War II. Their Scout Platoon became known as Painted Guns due to their practice of camouflaging their rifles.

During Eads’ deployments, the battalion would experience thousands of Improvised Explosive Devices and firefights. They would spend countless hours in blistering 120-degree desert heat, controlling roads and preventing enemy freedom of movement; and would dedicate months to hunting enemy mortar teams and terror cells.

With the help of Dan Morgan, an Infantry officer who deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan as a commander and operations officer, Eads takes the reader on a rollercoaster of combat experiences during the hunt for the most violent terrorist in Iraq, Abū Muṣʻab Zarqāwī, bringing to life the painstaking and horrid details of combat in a sectarian war. He tells the story of the soldiers’ camaraderie, built through adversity, and the love of family that sustained them.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Military Terms and Ranks
Introduction
Prologue
Chapter 1 A Call to Serve
Chapter 2 The Legacy of the 101st Airborne “Screaming Eagles”
Chapter 3 Training for War
Chapter 4 Deployment to Hell
Chapter 5 The Grim Reaper (a.k.a. Route Motorhead)
Chapter 6 Kill Zone
Chapter 7 “Blue on Blue”: The Chaos and Confusion of War
Chapter 8 Patrol Base Gator Swamp
Chapter 9 Operation Glory Light
Chapter 10 Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown
Chapter 11 Offense is the Best Defense
Chapter 12 Battalion Scout Reconnaissance/Sniper Platoon
Chapter 13 Clearing the Chakas
Chapter 14 Keeping up the Pressure
Chapter 15 Heading Home
Chapter 16 The Kitchen Table Battlefield
Epilogue
Appendix I In Memoriam
Appendix II Memorial Photos

208 pages, Hardcover

Published January 5, 2023

Reviews

[Steven Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who lived the before and after of the Triangle of Death, Black Hearts and Painted Guns struck a resounding chord. That I know many of the people who fought there only made the book more meaningful. This is a powerful memoir of war that captures one of the most brutal periods of the Iraq War. It is brilliantly written and stunningly impactful.

[Thomas Rastatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closer to 3.5 stars. Interesting stories to hear, but I listened on audiobook/read on Hoopla. May have scored higher if I had a physical copy or on kindle and was able to focus a bit more and retain some of the story.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writer had a story to tell about his deployments and combat. The book was more high level story telling, as an analogy it was like watching the news; gives you the big picture but not the details. As a veteran myself I respect him and his sacrifice.

[Jack Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plenty of detail while not losing sight of the personal stories which is what makes the book. Also some interesting bits on time in-between tours and post duty as well as what it was like for families.