THE MISSION was a gambit, a dangerous trap and it was fitting that it kicked off on April Fools Day. 

In the Spring of 2005, the 6-lane highway running from Fallujah to Abu Ghraib was a nesting ground for IEDs--the roadside bombs that have killed and maimed so many Soldiers and Marines. 

It was the mission of Vengeance Platoon, a mixture of active duty Marines from Camp Lejeune and reserve Marines from Kansas City, to eliminate the IED threat on the highway. 

At that time, there were very few from-the-factory up-armored humvees.  The armor on the one I was riding in consisted of a kevlar pad duct taped to a 1/3 mild steel 'saloon door.'  A door that, like the swinging doors of the old west saloons, only covered only 3/5 of the opening. 

That armor would do nothing to slow down the shrapnel from an IED made from a 155mm artillery shell.

"When have we ever taken a hero on the battlefield and put them up on a pedastal that we would put an athlete?" David Bellavia asked.

For expressing that sentiment, Bellavia has bourne the scorn of lesser and 'accurs'd' men. 

I interviewed Bellavia during the Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour stop in Kansas City at the World War I Museum. 

A Silver Star recipient, Bellavia has been nominated for the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Fallujah in 2004.  Bellavia went into a house full of terrorists.  Bellavia came out alive--the terrorists didn't.

In the stone and glass interior of the WWI museum, it struck me that Bellavia has much in common with WWI's most famous hero--Sgt. Alvin York . 

The Vets For Freedom--National Heroes Tour stopped in Kansas City on March 26th.

The Kansas City media, true to form, ignored the event.

Luckily I brought along my camera...