From the General: Letter from MajGen James Mattis to Military families

e-mail | 04/13/04 | MajGen James Mattis

[RaceBannon]

This is a letter, reprinted with permission, from Major General James Mattis, the Commanding officer of the 1st MEF in Iraq.

The General and I served on the same ship off Iran in 1980 when I was a young Corporal and he was a young Captain. I was not one of his troops, but I still keep in touch with some men that were.

He is highly spoken of, and his record since 9/11 is exemplary.

[nutmeg]

I felt truly "tucked in" as I lay in my lonely bed when he said: "Sleep tight. Your Air Force is awake." Wow. I had never thought of it that way. MY Air Force.

"Wow" is right! :-)

[LucyJo]

Amen to post #40.

[nutmeg]

ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[nutmeg]

YES, it is! Thanks for making it smaller, so it's easier to see online without scrolling.

[nutmeg]

ping!

[Two-Bits]

Please call the President and let he know we back him 100%. Call the White House and leave a message. We must let him know the American people are behind him! What a better way since he does not pay attention to polls. The numbers are as follows:

Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 E-Mail President George W. Bush: president@whitehouse.gov Vice President Richard Cheney: vice.president@whitehouse.gov

[kezekiel]

My adopted daughter married a Marine. The Corps is one of the best things about America. Semper Fi.

[RaceBannon]

you might like this

[TEXOKIE]

Race, thank you for the posting this inspiring letter. This thread is now a Prayer Warrior Field Trip Destination.

General, Sir, we thank you for your service and for the obvious care you have for the ones who are serving under you.

There are a number of us at this forum who would like you to know that we have banded together to hold vigil for our men and women under arms and their families. We call these efforts our Troop Prayer Threads. All who wish to pray for our troops and those who stand with them are invited to join us in prayer. We also like to post links to threads or web sites which are inspiring or somehow relevant to someone holding vigil at this time. These we like to call "Prayer Warrior Field Trips." Participants in the prayer threads offer prayers, share relevant scriptures, and as much as one can on the cybernet, hold each others' hands during difficult times. We maintain a prayer list.

Our most recent thread can be found here:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/1101474/posts?page=284

Today we added a Marine to our prayer list, and this is the prayer we offered for him. We pray this for him and for all who are serving.

MERCIFUL HEAVENLY FATHER OF US ALL,

We come to you on bended knee asking you to please place your loving attention and protection upon JeeperFreeper's number one son in the Marines serving in Fallujah, Iraq.

Send to him and his buddies, in our name and in the name of our Lord Christ Jesus, legions of protection angels. Place upon him the whole armor of God, including but not limited to, one of our prayer-woven blankets and a burnished set of golden chain mail. We ask that you will assign to him a team of protection angels to guide, guard, direct, and protect him. Let there be a triple ring-pass-not of invisibility, invincibility, and invulnerability to all harm placed upon him by the hands of our Lord and His legions.

Father, dispense to this Marine all the qualities of protection, courage, power, love, faith, wisdom, hope, obedience to the Lord, health, ministry, and mercy according to his hour of need. Let him transcend himself, by thy Grace, to perform his duties with the honor and highest standards he holds for himself. We have great faith in him and are so grateful for his service. Please let him know deep in his heart that his actions on our behalf this day and in the days to come are supported by us and received with the gratitude they deserve.

Surround Jeeper and their entire family during this difficult time of separation. Hold them tangibly in your blessed great arms while they wait for news of their son during these days of uncertainty. Grant them an extraordinary abundance of faith and peace of mind. Grant them joy despite the stresses, and grant them the ability to rest with total trust that you, our heavenly Father, have all under your loving care and control.

Father, we ask that the way be made clear in Fallujah and in the other hot spots which are being reported in Iraq. Guide our civilian leadership. Guide our military leadership. Give to all those levels of leadership, from the President on down through the entire officer corps to the lowliest 2nd lieutenants YOUR Vision and Plan for what must take place in these circumstances. Grant our Troops and all the people of this nation and our allies that shared Vision of Victory which must be won.

Father, clear the way for our troops with our prayers, as General Patton has instructed us!* SHATTER!! all opposition to the Holy Cause of Freedom! SHATTER AND BIND!! all who are the Enemy, and who spew forth their hate and hate creation throughout the Middle East! SHATTER AND BIND!! the entire momentum of centuries of that hatred to the point that hatred is a habit and point of honor to these people, so that they dont even remember why they first began to hate! Cut free your children from those dark momentums of the centuries, and let those who are the originators of the cause and core behind that hatred be bound in the earth and be bound in unseen realms! CLEAR the way on that battlefield! Send forth those legions of VICTORY! AND LET THE VICTORY BE WON BY YOUR GRACE AND MERCY with a minimum of loss of life of your best servants! We invoke in this hour miracles of protection!

Father, if we have prayed amiss in any way, please adjust our prayers. Take the fervor of our hearts and let that fervor be as a fire to add to the flames of Victory which are descending in this hour by your divine Grace and Word and multiplied according to thy Will!

All which we have called forth for this special Marine, we call forth for all his buddies and each and every precious Marine, Sailor, Soldier, Airman, and CoastGuarder. We call it forth for all who gather intelligence or serve as support personnel. We call it forth wherever you have a lonely servant fighting the good fight for Freedom. Father, God, bless each and every one of them, for they are our greatest treasure.

Amen

* There is an article recounting the origins of General Patton's prayer for good weather. The chaplain who wrote the prayer tells us of the discourse the General gave him on the need for prayer in battle. The story can be found here:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1116011/posts

[radu]

AWESOME! Thank you, Race, for posting the General's words.
And thank you, General, (in case you peek in. :-) ) for allowing him to.

In the complex environment in which we operate, the Marines' generosity of spirit, their guardianship of their buddies, and their steadfastness in the face of adversity are the things that will ultimately build our families, our communities and our Nation into even greater examples of all that is good. The character of these fine young warriors is something to behold as I get to see each day. Yet I recognize that you don't get to see this reassuring presence and the best I can do is to try to articulate their strengths with these few awkward words.

"Awkward words"? I think not! These words make one's heart swell with pride for the men and women serving in our military.
Prayers continue for the safety of all.

Thanks again for this post, Race, and to you, SandRat, for the ping.

[MCFujiTanker]

I went to TBS in '76 with HOUSTON. I watched him beat the crap out of a guy once (they had big padded gloves on, it didn't help). The first time I saw a Steven SEAGAL movie, that's who I thought of. Another guy from my TBS class went CH-53's. Bruce DEVERS (got a Bravo Zulu once in the Navy Safety mag for saving a chopper from crashing during an emergency). Know him too? Semper Fidelis (Eagle, Globe and Anchor...Marine Corps Tanker)

[Imal]

General Mattis, if you chance to see this post, know that those of us who have the benefit of a clue like what we see.

Human history has never seen the equal of our forces, nor its commanders. That includes you.

We know the tasks you are given are not easy, nor the costs light. We also know that failure is not an option, and that it is not an option you would ever entertain anyway.

You stand at the pinnacle of millenia of military history, and deservedly so.

Please accept my crispest and most heartfelt salute, along with this critique:

"Nicely done. Continue smartly."

I am incapable of offering in words the praise that you and your soldiers have earned. But pass the word: America stands behind you, and victory stands before you.

God is with you, sir, and so are your loyal countrymen.

[xzins]

May the God of all Power grant our leaders and soldiers the courage, insight, resolve, and means to defeat the enemy in this low intensity warfare that is now taking place in Iraq. "'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' Says the Lord." (Zech 4:6)

Xzins
Chaplain (Ret) US Army

[risk]

General, thank you for taking time to communicate with the most important strategic assets we have in this war: our womenfolk. This war will be lost or won in America's kitchens, and your words convey that you realize this as well. I wish we civilians could do more to help you.

[Taxman]

Thanks, Gopherit! My FR "handle" is derived FRom my National Retail Sales Tax advocacy. I have always liked the play on words my handle and my NRST advocacy convey. BTW, not being a Beetles (sic) fan, I did not know of their song until about two years ago!

Thank you for your service. I like your "handle."

Wish I were young enough to re-up! Would I have loved to have had such strong leadership in WDC when I was on active duty in the late 60s, early 70s! Vietnam would be a FRee country today today had LBJ and Nixon and their inner circle advisors asked the military leadership "What do you need to win this war?" And then given it to them and stood out of the way while brave rough men killed people and broke things!

"W" and his inner circle have got this one right -- "Stay the course" works for me!

Hanoi John Effing Kerry and his anti-American LIEberal/Socilist/Marxist Bastard fellow travelers (nee "useful idiots!") should have been silenced in 1971, but weren't, and the politicians caved.

Theye must be silenced now, and we must stay the course!

[Conspiracy Guy]

This was written in December 2003 but seems appropriate.


We Owe You

We owe you all for all you do,
You risk it all each day.
We’d like to send our deepest thanks,
To you we’d like to say.
You are our bravest and our best,
We’re proud of all of you.
You serve your country selflessly,
Your country knows this too.
So know that while you’re far away,
This nation backs the fight.
With your hard work and God’s Dear Grace,
This all will come out right.
So please stay safe and do your best,
Our hearts are with you there.
We hope you know that here back home,
The people really care.

Conspiracy Guy December 2003

[Taxman]

Semper Fi!

[Shery]

We do pray for you all daily! We do know that you are in the good hands of our Lord! We also grieve the casualties, as others too, and we realize that it is the price of freedom, as well as honor. Keep up the good work, and may God bless you with success and return you each to your loved ones soon!

[Coop]

The two men were Col Andy Frick, the MEU Commander in the first Marine entrance into Afghanistan in 201, and MajGen Mattis, who lead the assault as the top Marine Commander into Iraq last year, and again taking over the duties as the Commanding General of the 1st MEF in Iraq today.

And then there's you - a carpetbagging protester! ;-)

Thanks for posting this letter, Devil Dog.

[Coop]

General,

Please accept the sincere appreciation of a grateful nation as you and your Marines - along with your sister services, coalition forces and the Iraqis - wage this fight for freedom and against terrorism. You have our thanks, our support and our prayers.

God bless and Semper Fidelis from Springfield VA.