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As I checked my email one last time before heading to bed,
I noticed I had a new message from Melissa (our daughter in-law).

Although,
as of 7:45 am on the 9th of April, I still have not heard my son's voice since Feb. 16th. when he called to let me know he was leaving for Iraqi in a day or two.
At this point in time,
NO NEWS is Good News for some of us.

Each day is the same struggles,
I fight back tears with prayers, nevertheless,
knowing
God Never Fails,
Keeps my spirits up.

Please keep not just my son LT. Robert Scott in your prayers, but all those that
keep the peace for others around the world and this country safe and free.

Semper Fi.
marine wife/mom in Chicago

The message from LT. CO. Paul Kennedy:

Dear Ladies, the last two days have been the hardest two days this battalion has faced in over 30 years. Within the blink of an eye the situation went form relatively calm to a raging storm. You've known that since arriving there has been violence; attacks have been sporadic and mostly limited to roadside bombs. Your husbands have become experts at recognizing those threats and neutralizing them before we are injured. Up to this point the war has been the purview of corporals and sergeants, and the squad they lead.

Yesterday the enemy upped the ante.

Early in the morning we exchanged gunfire with a group of insurgents without significant loss. As morning progressed, the enemy fed more men into the fight and we responded with stronger force. Unfortunately, this led to injuries as our Marines and sailors started clearing the city block by block. The enemy did not run; they fought us like soldiers. And we destroyed the enemy like only Marines can. By the end of the evening the local hospital was so full of their dead and wounded that they ran out of space to put them. Your husbands were awesome all night they stayed at the job of securing the streets and nobody challenged them as the hours wore on. They did not surrender an inch nor did flinch from the next potential threat. Previous to yesterday the terrorist thought that we were soft enough to challenge. As of tonight the message is loud and clear that the Marines will not be beaten.

Today the enemy started all over again, although with far fewer numbers, only now the rest of the battalion joined the fight. Without elaborating to much, weapons company and Golf crushed their attackers with the vengeance of the righteous. They filled up the hospitals again and we suffered only a few injuries. Echo company dominated the previous day's battlefield. Fox company patrolled with confidence and authority; nobody challenged them. Even Headquarters Company manned their stations and counted far fewer people openly watching us with disdain. If the enemy is foolish enough to try to take your men again they will not survive contact. We are here to win.

The news looks grim from back in the States. We did take losses that, in our hearts, we will always live with. The men we lost were taken within the very opening minutes of the violence. They could not have foreseen the treachery of the enemy and they did not suffer. We can never replace these Marines and Sailors but they will fight on with us in spirit. We are not feeling sorry for ourselves nor do we fear what tomorrow will bring. The battalion has lived up to its reputation as Magnificent Bastards.

Yesterday made everyone here stronger and wiser; it will be a cold day in Hell before we are taken for granted again.

Paul Kennedy and Jim Booker

Great letter from the Lt. Col.

Even assuming he's shined it up some to relieve some of the worries of his audience, I think it's extremely clear that the Marines are serious about their mission, and are not acting like "PC nancy-boys," as some on FR have been moaning and whining. Rather, they're doing as Marines have always done: kill the people who mess with them, in large numbers.

God bless Lt.Col. Kennedy, and all of his fine fighting men.

God bless you and your family. Stay strong, and thank you for posting that note from Iraq.

I'm going to start a separate thread, because I think your letter from the front deserves a higher profile.

Thank you for posting this!

I am getting really annoyed with some people here on FR who are wringing their hands and screaming that the sky is falling. Our guys are the best, and, on top of that, we're right and the enemy's wrong. I trust our guys to take care of it.

Many prayers for all of them, particularly Robert Scott.

wow. thank you for sharing this. a prayer for you tonight as well. God bless you.

UUUUUUUURRRRRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

S E M P E R F I