Stories of heroism should not be forgotten and as such people who remember such go to great lengths to preserve the stories, either creating memorials, books, and if the story gets the attention of a movie producer, a  film. But what is much better than having the story told by someone who served in the same unit and saw action himself?

"No Enemy, But Peace" is a graphic novel by Richard Meyer, machine gunner with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines who witnessed Corporal Marco Martinez and squad of Marines who fought heroically against Iraqi Fedayeen, a paramilitary unit loyal to Saddam Hussein  in April 12, 2003 while outnumbered. Here is an excerpt of the citation:

For extraordinary heroism while serving as 1st Fire Team Leader, 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM on 12 April 2003. Responding to a call to reinforce his Platoon that was ambushed, Corporal Martinez effectively deployed his team under fire in supporting positions for a squad assault. After his squad leader was wounded, he took control and led the assault through a tree line where the ambush originated. As his squad advanced to secure successive enemy positions, it received sustained small arms fire from a nearby building. Enduring intense enemy fire and without regard for his own personal safety, Corporal Martinez launched a captured enemy rocket propelled grenade into the building temporarily silencing the enemy and allowing a wounded Marine to be evacuated and receive medical treatment. After receiving additional fire, he single-handedly assaulted the building and killed four enemy soldiers with a grenade and his rifle. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Corporal Martinez reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

You can read a little bit more of the story at "Our Military Heroes" of the DOD.

What led to Meyer creating the Graphic Novel was when he came back to the US after doing his tour that "no one had heard of the incredible bravery exhibited that day. To the rest of the world, it was as if that battle simply never happened."

Determined to tell the story, Meyer released the "No Enemy, But Peace" in black and white in 2008 to rave reviews.  But now, he wants to release a full color version of the Graphic Novel and has turned to Kickstarter to help fund the new project and time its release on the 10th anniversary of this battle which will be on the 12th of April 2013. Apart from having the color edition done and selling it online and at bookstores, he wants to get it into schools, museums, and libraries to further spread the story of Martinez and the rest of the Marines who fought with him on that day.

The goal of Meyer is to raise US$3,600 to get the color edition project going which will also be expanded to include new pages to be done by illustrator Martin Montiel Luna who also served as the inker of the original black and white graphic novel in 2008.

If you want to support the book, you can pledge at least US$10 to get a digital copy of the book, US$25 to get a print version and if you are more generous and pledge US$500 or more, you get one of the 6 original pages drawn for the book made by Martin Montiel Luna and there's only one remaining for this type of pledge. So far, the project is more than halfway through its goals, with just less than US$1,000 remaining to be pledged and 15 days to go before the fundraising project ends.

Be one of the first to receive the initial copies of the new color edition of "No Enemy, But Peace" by selecting what kind of pledge you want to make at the Kickstarter page of the project. It will be much appreciated by Meyer and those who want the heroic story of Martinez not only to be preserved, but told to a greater number of people.

Below is the video of Meyer describing the project: