Letter From a Marine In Baghdad
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.
If you have a means of getting messages back to him I hope you will send him our messages of support.
"Hey - I wrote this once and sent it out to several people because - I'm short on time - so sorry for the bulk mail on such a serious topic - but computer time is short. Here goes: Sorry it's been so long - we've had down internet for so long due to the Fallujah Operational security. Had some rough times fighting in the city. We (1/8 Marines) were the main effort that assaulted the city at the jump of operations, and then pushed straight down the middle, fighting house to house nonstop for four straight days - heat rash - busted backs from 100 lbs of gear - dehydration. I can't count the number of firefights we were in, including several that lasted over four hours. I can hardly hear from the danger close artillery - some which landed in the buildings next to us. We dropped countless 500 lb bombs and air strikes that debris and metal was almost always raining from the air. RPG's have been blowing up all around our positions and mortars almost took us out two days ago. I'm so f#$%ing deaf. We would move 100 yards; take sniper fire from a building - get pinned down - and call in to have it destroyed. I dropped about three four story buildings on my own calls. On the second day - we killed eight guys trying to sneak up on us in a truck - totally f@#$ing destroyed the truck they were in which was filled with RPG's and AK's - one was wearing a suicide vest which detonated when we hit the flaming wreck with frags. That same day - we tried to cross a wide street and four Marines were taken out by snipers. On our fourth day - we were pushing hard - almost through the city when our platoon took heavy casualties. We got ambushed on a 3 am patrol and had a Marine killed instantly - two others shot. The tanks instantly started lighting up the place - shaking the ground and tracers were flying everywhere. I was firing the SAW from the hip - must have gone through 1000 rounds. We scrambled to find a safe house with elevation and a roof - pushed about 50 yards and stacked up on a good structure. When we rushed in to clear the house - two grenades rolled down the stairs and before I knew what was going on - seven of us went down. One guy got it bad - the shit ripped half his face off. It all happened in slow motion. Me - and most of the others took it in the legs - some worse than others. We got evacuated last night and returned to the base hospital. I ended up with shrapnel in my left leg - not bad, it's small - I can limp around and should be 100% in about a week. Probably not coming home early - most likely going to return to active duty. Hope this is all wrapped up by then in Fallujah - that place really is hell on earth. Sorry for the dreary news - but from the nasty shit I've seen - it could be much worse. Other than that - I'm counting the days on that rapidly approaching return date. Don't worry - I haven't gone crazy - and am maintaining as much a sense of humor as is tasteful out here - whatever the hell that means. Take care - and I'll do the same out here. Regards."
These are real words from a Marine in Fallujah. Please keep him, and all our service men and women in your prayers.
God bless our soldiers and God bless America.
May the Lord truly bless your friend and the poor Iraqi people who truly do want a better life. May the Lord help them to find it and HIM.
GrandmaPatriot...thanks for posting this. It's good to know that the word is getting out of Iraq thanks to people like you and this LtCol.
Tonk and Meek, I think this deserves a ping...what say you?
God Bless, and Godspeed to all our men and women in harm's way.
My son has volunteered to go back into the Army, and is standing up and volunteering for Iraq.
When I asked him why, he said "because someone with kids can be home if I go over there. And my country needs me where I can do the most good."
Guess we did something right.
PING!
Letter From a Marine In Baghdad
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.
I would guess that this was not widely know in the states...TV reporting and newspapers across the US did not feel it necessary to report it
Didn't feel it necessary? That is SOOO generous. Our men over there are so good hearted even while they are being actively undermined. The media ought to be prostrate and weeping in shame.
Thank you so much for this.. and meeky thanks for ping...
God bless him and all our military. I hope they know and feel the prayers that are said for them everyday.
God bless the Iraqi people and their fight for their freedom.
When I read this letter, I thought of what President Franklin D. Roosevelt said at the beginning of America's involvement in World War Two...
"Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe I interpret the will of Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again. Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God."
Those words still ring true today as America liberates Iraq and continues the War Against Terrorism. The Bush re-election showed terrorists that America will not be stifled.
Hey, Grandma!
I have a friend also in Baghdad at the Palace, also a Lt. Col. and also a liason. My bet is they know each other.
She sent pics of the Marine birthday bash.
I send her threads all the time, especially the prayer threads.
Fr mail me, will ya?
Also, she sends out the most amazing "Good News" updates almost everyday, a whole page long, so we have a great picture of what's really going on over there.
Alot of our coalition partners are extending their stays and food and water, blankets, medical supplies, textbooks (including nursing texts) and LOTS of stuff being brought in by us and other countries, even UAE and Jordan, things being repaired and built. And she sends the most awesome pictures. I wish everyone could see them.
Fallujah is not in humanitarian crisis, the hospital is open, they have food and water an it is being rebuilt already. At least two trucks went out in a convoy yesterday to deliver stuff. Best part is we are working side by side with Iraqis to do this.
They are graduating from training classes daily for all kinds of jobs, police, fire, military. It really is awesome.
God bless the Marines. Iraq should be proof that Nazism is not dead.
Thank you for sharing this, and thanks to the LtCol and the Brothers for everything we cherish! Wonderful of him to write all this down in the midst of the action.
Thanks for posting this. We need to hear more of these kind of reports to combat the MSM negative reporting.
I hate the MSM and NBC NEws/General Elctric.
They are trying to screw the Marines and destroy America along with Disney/ABC News.
Send their executives to Iraq so hopefully these fat cats get their heads cut off.
I support the Marines 100%!
