[SandRat]

Marines and sailors of the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, shuffled into a makeshift cafeteria in Haditha, Iraq, to attend a memorial service April 30, 2006, for four Marines who died recently due to combat operations in western Al Anbar Province, Iraq. A set of dog tags, combat boots, rifles and Kevlar helmets represented each Marine who died. Among those memorialized were: Sgt. Edward G. Davis, 31, of Waukegan, Ill.; Sgt. Lea R. Mills, 21, of Brooksville, Fla.; and Cpl. Brandon M. Hardy, 25, of Cochranville, Pa.; and Cpl. Eric R. Lueken, 23, of Jasper, Ind. Mills, Hardy, and Davis, all assigned to the Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, were killed April 28, 2006, when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Lueken, assigned to the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, was also killed by an IED, April 22, 2006. During the memorial, individual eulogies were read for each fallen warrior by Marines who served with them.
Photo by: Cpl. Justin L. Schaeffer

[SandRat]

[Mr. Jazzy]

Lord bless their families, both at home and in the Corps.







K-Bay Marines, Semper Fi.

[karbine]

God has graced this nation with such priceless blessings. These wonderful, wonderful young men and women in uniform
serve so selflessly and with so little appreciation from a nation far too self-absorbed. May God have mercy on a people who fail to stand up to evil incarnate as we face in the WOT. There are so few in hollyweird, in western newsrooms, on college campuses worthy of wiping the blood, mud, or tears from the boots of any of our valiant servants in uniform. I worry about our nations future when I see so many disdainful of our mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. And we have the largest political party in the land committed to undermining these brave defenders of freedom for their obsession of regaining power. How I wish the spoiled brats of the American left could be sentenced to live in Iran. But then I see the pictures and videos of our uniformed heroes serving so bravely in spite of it all, and then I regain some hope for my grandkids. The price has been so very, very dear.
Though we will never see much of their exploits and sacrificies in the major media or on the big screen, I know that these thousands and thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and coast guardsmen will return home stronger and tougher in ways we will never be able to quantify, and help build a better America over the years to come. As WWII cost so many young lives, it fostered a generation of men and women who helped create the great miracle of European and Asian reconstruction and an explosion of American growth. I honestly don't think our 21st century service men and women are any less valiant then our 1940's versions. GOD BLESS AMERICA
Dear God, please hold the families of these special young men in your arms and bring them some degree of comfort in their sorrow.
Greg K Captain, USAR (Ret)

[Cindy]

"“These Marines are not heroes because of how they died,” said 2nd Lt. Rajesh Mistry. “They are heroes because of how they lived.”"

YEP.