Where do they get young men like this?

Lt. Smash ^ | 04/01/03 | Lt. Smash

[FreeperinRATcage]

Martin Savidge of CNN, embedded with the 1st Marine battalion, was talking with 4 young Marines near his foxhole this morning live on CNN. He had been telling the story of how well the Marines had been looking out for and taking care of him since the war started. He went on to tell about the many hardships the Marines had endured since the war began and how they all look after one another. He turned to the four and said he had cleared it with their commanders and they could use his video phone to call home. The 19 year old Marine next to him asked Martin if he would allow his platoon sergeant to use his call to call his pregnant wife back home whom he had not been able to talk to in three months. A stunned Savidge who was visibly moved by the request shook his head and the young Marine ran off to get the sergeant. Savidge recovered after a few seconds and turned back to the three young Marines still sitting with him and asked which one of them would like to call home first, the Marine closest to him responded with out a moments hesitation “ Sir, if is all the same to you we would like to call the parents of a buddy of ours, Lance Cpl Brian Buesing of Cedar Key, Florida who was killed on 3-23-03 near Nasiriya to see how they are doing”. At that Martin Savidge totally broke down and was unable to speak. All he could get out before signing off was “Where do they get young men like this?”.

[HarryKnutszacke]

I realize no one will want to hear this, but there seems to be some question as to whether this event actually took place. This site
http://www.snopes.com/
which specializes in debunking urban legends, says that the event is not mentioned in any of CNN's web postings about Martin Savidge's reports.
Before I get flamed, all I want to do is ask a simple question-- did anyone actually see this broadcast?

[CHICAGOFARMER]

thump

[<1/1,000,000th%]

God sends them when we don't screw up too much.

[scott91]

i will cry with you.

[KneelBeforeZod]

"Lt Smash" reference...which may or may not be where this blogger got his monniker...

from The Simpsons. The L.T. Smash character is a poke at some boy band nutcase...a guy who called himself Maurice Star or something, and wore goofy 19th century style naval admiral outfits.... At least thats what I assume it was a play on. anyway:

There is an episode called "New Kids on the Bleech" poking fun at boy bands.

Bart cheats in a marathon, and is chased down. But "LT Smash" a record producer saves him, and figures he is the perfect "bad boy" for the boy band he is starting.

LT Smash has a tattoo of a destroyer and "I (heart) the Navy"

It turns out that LT Smash is just trying to recruit kids into the navy.

Lisa discovers that the band and the video they make are just to recruit kids. She watches the video with Homer:

Posse: [singing]
Oh, say can you ro-o-o-ck!
[the Posse members each fly in on a fighter jet]

Milhouse: There's trouble in a far-off nation,

Ralph: Time to get in love formation,

Bart: Your love's more deadly than Saddam,

Nelson: That's why I gotta drop da bomb!
[they do so. Bombs labeled "PP" drop toward a small
group of Iraqi soldiers]

Commander: Party Posse!
[they are blown to smithereens]
[as the flash from the explosion dies down, we see
trio of pretty belly-dancing girls]

Girls: [singing]
Ee-van eht niojh. Ee-van eht niojh. Ee-van eht
niojh -- eht niojh!
[cut back to living room]


Homer: [singing off-key] Ee-van eht niojh -- you gotta
love that crazy chorus.

Lisa: What does it mean?

Homer: Ah, it doesn't mean anything. It's like, "rama-
lama-ding-dong," or, "Give peace a chance."
[back to the video. The boys are parachuting to the
earth. (Which is much easier than parachuting away
from it, now that I think about it)]


Nelson: [singing]
This party's happening; it's no mirage,

Bart: So, sing it again, ee-van eht niojh!

Girls: Ee-van eht niojh. Ee-van eht niojh.
[the boys put up a tetherball pole, looking a little
like the famous Iwo Jima Marines in the process.
Party Posse and some women play a quick game of
tetherball, and then race off into the desert on a
dune buggy]


I got this info from here: (no I'm not a Simpsons watching zombie) http://www.snpp.com/episodes/CABF12

I'm not saying this guy isn't legit, but wouldn't that be one heck of a scam pulled by someone. If you look at the link, you really have to wonder.

As well as LT Smash's very current references...like the interview he was going to have with Peter Arnett right after he got fired....

[KneelBeforeZod]

I just posted about this LT Smash thing. I have a post I started over at snopes, and I have to give credit to one of the others for getting me to look into the simpsons references....

[KneelBeforeZod]

oops. I just put up a big post about this blog before seeing your post referring to it...

[Proud of the heroes]

It does not matter that the article about Martin Savidge was apparently non-existent...the basic idea is still the same. It showed how many people are proud to be American and proud of their troops. I am certain that while it may not have happened on national televison, the selflessness, loyalty and courage of all of the troops is there nonetheless. This one particular article was a myth, their strength and heroism is NOT!

[clamboat]

Doesn't anyone find it the least bit disturbing that someone who made up this story had to decide to intentionally LIE in order to make the US Marines seem somehow better? I guess whoever made up this lie about Martin Savidge interviewing these Marines felt that the Marines just were not measuring up, and it fell on this anonymous liar to make up a story to correct the situation.

Numerous people have written that even if the story is a lie, it should be true, so it should be spread far and wide. Even the original source, Lt Smash, says his web site will still spread the lie with a small disclaimer.

Sheez, the US Marines are heroic enough without having to lie about them. To propagate the lie only diminishes their real heroics. The Marines can take the truth - they don't need some two-bit BS artist to make up their heroics.

[NotGullible]

The story about Martin Savidge interviewing the marines while he is embedded with the 7th marines, 1st battalion is a heart-wrenching work of FICTION. This can easily be verified by anyone with the sense to contact CNN. I think it is sad and a bit sick to make up stories when there are plenty of factual tales of heroics and bravery to be told. Shame on you all for perpetuating this sort of....stuff.

[Mr. Lucky]

Oh hey, asshole, and welcome to FreeRepublic.

[NotGullible]

Well said! This bit of fiction came to my desk by way of about a hundred or so government employees, all "replying to all" their touchy feeling warmth on the subject without ever once questioning it. When I let them all know that it was fiction, I got the exact response you talk about...that it SHOULD be true therefore it IS true. Are we really a nation of sheep?

[NotGullible]

I contacted CNN after I received the message referenced. A few things about it caused me to raise an eyebrow. First of all, it says Savidge is with the 1st Division, 1st battalion when he is with the 7th division, 1st battalion. Also, Savidge is a quintessential professional and I am sure he has been witness to many things that would shake someone else, but not him.
I received a reply from CNN saying that no such interview by Savidge was ever transmitted to them or broadcasted by them. As for finding someone that actually saw the interview, you have to know someone out there will claim that they did. A lie begets more lies.

[NotGullible]

Oh baloney.

[NotGullible]

Well aren't you articulate.

[oh8eleven]

"First of all, it says Savidge is with the 1st Division, 1st battalion when he is with the 7th division, 1st battalion."

There is no 7th Marine Division so how could that raise your eyebrow?
I believe he's with 1/7 - i.e., 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment
Semper Fi ...

[NotGullible]

Even at their website, the 1/7 do not specifically state what the 7 is (regiment, division, artillary, etc).
It is referred to by CNN only as the 1st battalion, 7th marines. The POINT is that it is NOT the 1st battalion 1st marines. I do not pretend to be military and all I will confess to is a lack of knowledge of nomenclature.

[FreeperinRATcage]

Check the posting date and the date on Snopes...you'll see that when this was posted, there was every reason to beleive it. Sadly, it is a false story, but there was no way to know that when it was posted.

Oh..and welcome to FR...noob.

[NotGullible]

When I received that post I did not believe it out of hand. And that was before Snopes posted. I don't rely solely on Snopes or any other single source, either. I did my own research and contacted CNN directly. Maybe because I have a mind of my own. What a novel idea.