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August 05, 2004
Update from the 24th MEU
Col. Ronald J. Johnson, commanding officer of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, talks with Sheik Hisham Al Dulaimi, a tribal leader in the Iraqi province of Northern Babil, during a recent meeting in Baghdad. The two discussed ways of enhancing security and stability in the province, where the MEU assumed operational responsibility July 29. The man pictured in the middle is an interpreter. Below, Col. Johnson updates friends and family of the 24th MEU:
We have arrived in Iraq. In successfully moving all our Marines and sailors up from Kuwait, we have cleared our first significant hurdle. Sadly, we had not yet completed the transition before we suffered our first casualty. Lance Cpl. Vincent Sullivan, an infantyman assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, was killed by an enemy mortar round July 23. We mourn his loss, share his family’s grief, and ask you to remember them in your prayers.As we move forward, security is a top priority. Not only will we harden our operating bases, we will patrol actively outside the gates in search of the enemy. The hostile forces we face are criminals trying to exploit a country in transition. They hope to intimidate the good people of Iraq and scare us off. We do not intend to wait for these thugs to terrorize the neighborhood. To the greatest extent possible, working with the Iraqi authorities, we will engage them on our terms. We will seize and maintain the initiative, letting nobody stand in the way of our efforts to assist the Iraqi people.
Many of you may have heard that living conditions here are well short of luxurious. If it makes you feel any better, they are considerably better than they were last year, as roughly half of us can attest. Most of your Marines and sailors already have showers, two hot meals daily, air-conditioned tents, incoming mail and email access. Those who do not, will soon. We are making improvements every day. The welfare of your Marines and sailors, together with the accomplishment of our mission, remains my paramount concern.
Now that we are all here, we can update you more frequently on our activities. I aim to share a few thoughts periodically. Additionally, as long as we maintain our connection to the Web, you can expect fresh photos and news articles each day. Thank you for your patience and prayers during the transition. And thanks for the letters and packages, which we are now receiving regularly. Please keep them coming.
Posted by Deb at August 5, 2004 01:34 PM
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Comments
Thank You, and GOD BLESS you all.
Posted by: JOETTA AUTEN at September 8, 2004 08:17 AM