The “Lionheart” tank crew was a four-man United States Marine Corps team from Charlie Company, 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Augmented to Alpha Company 1st Tanks deployed to Al Anbar Province, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On May 8, 2005, Mothers Day, their M1A1 Abrams tank, callsign Lionheart, was struck by a massive improvised explosive device (IED). The blast was catastrophic, completely destroying the tank and marking the first Abrams tank lost to an IED during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Against all odds, every member of the Lionheart crew survived.This is a story about modern armored warfare, the evolving threat of IEDs, and the resilience, training, and brotherhood of U.S. Marines operating in one of the most dangerous combat environments of the Iraq War.

It’s also a reminder of the thin line between life and death in combat and the warriors who continue the mission, even after surviving what should have been impossible.

Their Names Are:

Staff Sergeant Chad Brumpton – Tank commander

Lance Corporal Joseph Lowe -- GunnerLance Corporal Mitch Ehlke – Loader

Lance Corporal Fernando Lazalde (later Sergeant) – Driver

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