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November 18, 2004



A Marine writes home

Via Powerline, this letter is a must-read for those incensed by Kevin Sites' video.

This is one story of many that people normally don't hear, and one that everyone does.

This is one most don't hear:
A young Marine and his cover man cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with Ak-47's and RPG's. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insurgent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor(doctor)!" He is badly wounded, lying in a pool of his own blood. The Marine and his cover man slowly walk toward the injured man, scanning to make sure no enemies come from behind. In a split second, the pressure in the room greatly exceeds that of the outside, and the concussion seems to be felt before the blast is heard. Marines outside rush to the room, and look in horror as the dust gradually settles. The result is a room filled with the barely recognizable remains of the deceased, caused by an insurgent setting off several pounds of explosives.

The Marines' remains are gathered by teary eyed comrades, brothers in arms, and shipped home in a box. The families can only mourn over a casket and a picture of their loved one, a life cut short by someone who hid behind a white flag.

But no one hears these stories, except those who have lived to carry remains of a friend, and the families who loved the dead. No one hears this, so no one cares.

This is the story everyone hears:

A young Marine and his fire team cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with AK-47's and RPG's. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insugent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor(doctor)!" He is badly wounded. Suddenly, he pulls from under his bloody clothes a grenade, without the pin. The explosion rocks the room, killing one Marine, wounding the others. The young Marine catches shrapnel in the face.

The next day, same Marine, same type of situation, a different story. The young Marine and his cover man enter a room with two wounded insurgents. One lies on the floor in puddle of blood, another against the wall. A reporter and his camera survey the wreckage inside, and in the background can be heard the voice of a Marine, "He's moving, he's moving!"

The pop of a rifle is heard, and the insurgent against the wall is now dead. Minutes, hours later, the scene is aired on national television, and the Marine is being held for commiting a war crime. Unlawful killing.

And now, another Marine has the possibility of being burned at the stake for protecting the life of his brethren. His family now wrings their hands in grief, tears streaming down their face. Brother, should I have been in your boots, i too would have done the same.

For those of you who don't know, we Marines, Band of Brothers, Jarheads, Leathernecks, etc., do not fight because we think it is right, or think it is wrong. We are here for the man to our left, and the man to our right. We choose to give our lives so that the man or woman next to us can go home and see their husbands, wives, children, friends and families.

For those of you who sit on your couches in front of your television, and choose to condemn this man's actions, I have but one thing to say to you. Get out of your recliner, lace up my boots, pick up a rifle, leave your family behind and join me. See what I've seen, walk where I have walked. To those of you who support us, my sincerest gratitude. You keep us alive.

I am a Marine currently doing his second tour in Iraq. These are my opinions and mine alone. They do not represent those of the Marine Corps or of the US military, or any other.

Oohrah. And thanks for the perspective.

Steve from Hog On Ice asks a follow-up question:

. . . what ever happened to "WE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!"?

Hmm...here we have a grunt in the field. Not Donald Rumsfeld. Not Paul Wolfowitz. Not George Bush. And he made a split-second decision to kill an enemy combatant, in an environment where terrorists have been pretending to be dead so they could ambush and kill coalition soldiers. Isn't he...part of our "TROOPS"?

No, I guess not. I guess he's a BABY-KILLER! Come on, say it, liberals! You know you want to! BABY-KILLER! I mean, granted, the guy he killed was a dirty old terrorist, but "DIRTY-OLD-TERRORIST-KILLER" just doesn't roll off the tongue, especially after a few dozen puffs of the herb.

People, the left does not support our troops. They don't really see the troops as helpless, uneducated dupes who can't see through George Bush's magical screen of smoke and mirrors. They know perfectly well that soldiers and sailors are overwhelmingly conservative, and the smarter leftists also know that without military votes, George Bush would never have been elected President. That's why Bill Clinton and Al Gore worked so hard to prevent military personnel from voting and from having their cast votes counted.

I have to tell you--and I am truly sorry I didn't write about this earlier, because I wanted to, and I have no excuse--I am floored by the selflessness and courage of our troops in Fallujah and Mosul. I'm always awed by the courage of our soldiers at war, but in my mind, these troops are even more impressive. We are taking dozens of casualties, and we expected that beforehand, and by all accounts, our fighting men and women were not just willing but eager to get in there and get started.

God bless every one of them. Quite simply, they are better people than I am.

How do you thank people with hearts like that? The thought of it actually brings tears to my eyes. How do you thank someone who accepts low pay and unbearable working conditions in exchange for marching into hell's very mouth?

The very idea that spoiled liberal brats are condemning this brave soldier before they know the facts--it makes me wish we could flog them.

In the video of the incident, it's clear the Marine feared for his life. He shouted that the terrorist was faking death. To any sane, reasonable person, that is prima facie evidence that the shooting was justified. If you love our troops so much, why won't you let this man make his case before you air the video and condemn him? You'd do that for the Fedayeen Saddam, you America-hating morons. Implicitly, you're doing it for the dead terrorist in this story. Why can't you do that for for a man who is risking his life so you can have the right to sit here on your fat, comfortable asses and criticize him?


Posted by Deb at 06:10 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack





Why We Are Here

LtCol Michael S. McGurk, presents this compelling explanation from Baghdad:

8 November 2004

One must ask with the daily reports of death and destruction in Iraq why are we here? Why? What for? What are we doing? Is it making a difference?

It is a difficult question and one I will make an attempt to answer, although I doubt I will satisfy everyone's ideals. The best explanation I can give is to provide you with two stories. Two stories separated by years but still relevant to today.

In 1998 I was fortunate to visit the beaches of Normandy, France. I was on a tour of the invasion beaches with a group of gentlemen from Virginia. They were all veterans of the Second World War. Not all served in France, some in Africa, Italy or the Pacific. However, one of the gentlemen was a veteran of D-Day. He had come ashore that terrible day, 6 June, 1944.

We stood at the end of Omaha beach, in the narrow defile the 29th Infantry had cleared. The beach of "Saving Private Ryan." The 29th Infantry from Virginia, lead by the 116th Infantry Regiment, assaulted that draw at Omaha Beach. They won the battle, but at a heavy cost. The 116th Infantry took over 800 casualties that day. Alpha Company, took 90% casualties and the town of Bedford Virginia, lost 19 of the 35 sons they sent to fight.

The gentlemen who had been on the beach that day turned and looked at the rest of us. He said, "This is not how I remember the beach, it didn't look at all like this..." Then he pointed to the beach, devoid of obstacles, with now fresh, clean sand, and two children playing in the surf, and he continued "... but I guess this is why we fought here, so children COULD play on the beach again." And then he fell silent.

Was Hitler a direct threat to the US? Did we have to storm the beaches of Normandy that day? Could we have waited months or years for a political solution? I certainly don't know. But I have traveled across Normandy and spoken to the people of the small towns and farms. They are grateful for what the World did that day. They desired to be liberated from a brutal dictator, and they desired to be free.

The second story is more recent, here in Baghdad. Baghdad is a dangerous place. Travel is risky and infrequent compared to other parts of the world. So if you get a chance to travel, you try to make all your errands on one trip. One of the chaplains from Baghdad had been out on mission, visiting the soldiers. On the way back in, the chaplain asked the soldiers if they wanted to stop by the small Post Exchange for supplies. The soldiers jumped at the chance.

While walking to the Post Exchange the soldiers, and the Chaplain, were approached by several small children. You have seen these children. I have seen these children. In the streets of Vietnam, Korea, Somalia and Haiti. Large eyes and a shy smile. They speak the English patois of the street "You want gum G.I.?" "Give me candy?" There is an unwritten law that Chaplains always have candy.

One of the children approached the Chaplain, and looked at the Cross on the Chaplain's helmet, where the rank is found on other officers. In a quiet voice the child asked "Christian?" The Chaplain answered "Yes," and the child asked again "Messiah?" and the Chaplain said "Yes, I believe in the Messiah." The child then reached under the thin t-shirt and pulled out a cross, showed it to the Chaplain, then quickly kissed it and put it away, making the sign to be quiet to the Chaplain. The Chaplain smiled and nodded in understanding. The child wanted us to know they were Christian too, but in Baghdad, such a proclamation invites death or a beating a the hands of the mob.

Why are we here? It is NOT to bring Christianity to Iraq. But it is to bring Freedom. Freedom to follow whatever religion you practice, or none at all. Freedom to walk the streets of Baghdad and to live in Peace.

Why are we here? I think of the men who died on the Beaches of Omaha, and the children of Baghdad, and I can't answer why others are here. But I know why I am.

MICHAEL S. McGURK
Lieutenant Colonel
Baghdad, Iraq

Posted by Deb at 01:37 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack





1/7 November Update from Al Qaim

LtCol Woodbridge sends this update on my favorite battalion:


Greetings from Al Qa'im. It's the 16th of November, and it is hard to believe that the deployment is almost half over! Time is flying and the battalion remains very busy here. I hope time is flying for everyone back home as well.

I'm sure the fighting in Fallujah is all over the news right now. The Marines, soldiers, and sailors of the Division who are involved in that fight are doing very well. US casualties remain very low while over 1000 insurgents have been killed or captured. Many of you are probably wondering if any of the First Team is involved in the fight, and whether the operation is Fallujah is causing more violence in our part of the country. Several of our attachments (AAVs, and EOD) we reassigned to units in RCT-7 in Fallujah, and D Co LAR was reassigned to support the battalion to our east. As for the effects of the fight in Fallujah, we have not experienced any significant change in enemy activity in our area. The Al Qa'im region is still a very hazardous place, but no more so now than it was before.

In fact the last few weeks have been very positive. The battalion has conducted many very successful missions against the insurgents in our area. We have come through two of the events that we expected to cause us the most trouble: the Islamic holiday Ramadan and the US presidential election. We have had no one killed in action or seriously wounded recently, and on the 10th of Nov we all celebrated the 229th Marine Corps Birthday. Believe it or not, in the middle of the desert we had a seafood dinner and birthday cake.

The hard work both in Fallujah and here in Al Qa'im continues. It is very important for everyone--us here and you all back home to understand that there is not going to be one decisive battle to end this fight. This is not how a counterinsurgency or stability and support operation works. Think of it like a boxing match. This fight will not be won with a dramatic "knockout." This fight will go the distance--hard fought in every round, and it will ultimately be won "by decision." The next "rounds" will see us continuing to go after the insurgents in our area, and preparing for the upcoming Iraqi election. This will be the first free election ever held in this country--truly historic.

Let me take a minute to thank all of the First Team's key volunteers--especially Mrs Lori Rogers. You are all doing a wonderful job supporting our families, and we are all very grateful for your hard work and commitment. Keep up the great work.

Lets talk briefly about the future. I will not pass you any dates just now because as we all learned during OIF-I last year--all dates are subject to change. The battalion is still planning to be home in March. This time we will wait until the next calendar month to take out post-deployment combat leave in order to give us another month tax-exempt. After the leave block we are planning a "welcome home ball" in Las Vegas since we missed this year's birthday ball. So there is plenty to look forward to.

As I write this our Segovia "Internet Cafe" here at Al Qa'im is still not working. We lost this e-mail and phone service on the 4th of Nov, so if you haven't heard from your sailor or Marine in a few weeks--this is the reason. We still have satellite phones, so if there is any kind of emergency rest assured I will make sure your loved one can make a call home.

I know I speak for us all when I say that the thing we look forward to the most is our reunion with you. The support from home has been incredible and your thoughts and prayers are really paying off. Stay strong and God bless you.

Semper Fidelis

LtCol Woodbridge

Posted by Deb at 01:13 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack



November 17, 2004



Happy Thanksgiving from the 24th MEU in Fallujah

From Col. Johnson:

Dear Families and Friends of the 24th MEU,

The eyes of the world are now on Fallujah, where Iraqi and U.S. forces are dropping the hammer on terrorists. Less visibly but just as relentlessly, the 24th MEU and its Iraqi allies are pressing the attack south of Baghdad.

In three months of operations, we've rounded up roughly 600 insurgents and seized hundreds of weapons and ammunition stockpiles. More important perhaps than the numbers is our demonstration - to those we're here to hunt and those we're here to help - of unwavering resolve to see our mission through.

Even as we maintain the offensive, we pause this month to celebrate the birth of the Marine Corps, to honor our nation's veterans, and to give thanks for our many blessings.

Foremost among these are your love and support, which continue to strengthen us. High atop the list, too, is the land of the pilgrims' pride, our magnificent nation.

If service in Iraq, as in most of the world's hotspots, reveals anything to us, it is how fortunate we Americans are. We consider seven months here a hardship tour. For the people who call this beautiful but tortured country home, theirs has been a hardship life. Millions of long-suffering Iraqis have known little but deprivation and despair, the byproducts of three decades of tyranny. My prayers go out to those Marines and their families whose sacrifices have won for the Iraqi people unprecedented freedom and the prospect of security that will permit them to pursue happiness in peace.

This month we set aside a special day to express gratitude. There's nothing we're more thankful for than to have you waiting for us. I know the months drag by, and it seems we'll never get there. But of course it will pass, and we'll soon be home.

Some among us have less to be thankful for than others. The people of Iraq want peace and prosperity, just as we enjoy in the United States. Our contribution to that noble endeavor is enormous, and despite the difficulties, I can assure you this is no lost cause. The sacrifices we have made and the blood we have shed are not in vain. We're making a difference, and we see it on the faces of children in school yards across our area of operations. I thank all of you who sent so much to help us help them.

It is my wish that when you sit at the dinner table this Thanksgiving, you add a prayer for them. For long after we are gone, they will still be here, bravely building on what we have begun.

We miss you, and we love you all.

Semper Fidelis,
R.J. JOHNSON
Colonel, U.S. Marines


Posted by Deb at 10:48 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack





The Luxury of Pacifism

I recently heard a discussion that included one young woman who made some interesting comments. She doesn't support putting any of our soldiers in harm's way, ever, for any reason. Moreover, she defies authority very day, thinks governments and laws are unnecessary, and as she put it, "I live by me." She's a self proclaimed pacifist.

Admittedly, she's young. She's idealistic, and her life perspective is very different from mine. However, I couldn't help but think about the sheer luxury of her positions.

Never put any of our armed forces in harm's way, ever. In that case, let's disband the military completely. After all, if we're not ever willing to risk a life to protect freedom, we might as well plan to be overrun by those who are stronger and less principled, and just give up our freedoms entirely. Whoops! I can't accept that, I'll stand by words that served this nation so well more than 200 years ago. "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet as to be purchased with the bonds of slavery? Forbid it, Almight God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death."

I live by me. Gee, that's great. Let's just give up the rule of law, the government that provides police, firefighters and (heaven help us) a national defense. Of course, you might want to consider getting youself a gun. Not everyone is as nice as you, shares your exact moral code, etc. and at some point, someone's going to decide that you should give them what you have, what you've worked to earn or decide that you just don't deserve those freedoms you so glibly exercise. That's happened in some other places . . . Afghanistan, for example, where one religious group decided that their way was the only way. Line up to get your burkas here, but for heaven sakes, don't show even an inch of ankle. Iraq's another good example. Just one man intimidated, frightened and murdered his way to the top, at the expense of one nation's citizenry. He probably would have happily espoused the "I live by me." theory. So, I think, would Osama Bin Laden. (Oh wait, they already have.)

I'm a pacifist. There's an old joke about pacifists. Ask one to tell you all about his beliefs, and then punch him in the mouth. If he raises a fist, shake your finger in his face and remind the naughty pacifist about his own beliefs. Then hit him again.
Repeat until the pacifist changes his philosophy.

This young woman will probably never have to fight for her freedoms or her beliefs. She can remain safely tucked in her little pacifist bed, and sleep soundly at night. How nice for her. But perhaps it's worth reminding her and others like her that she can do that because she lives in the United States, a country that was not founded on those sorts of ideals. It's pretty clear that our nation was founded by people who were willing to fight for their freedom. Perhaps it's worth reminding her that this country and its citizens owe their freedoms to men and women throughout time who have been willing to make sacrifices to keep their freedoms. Maybe, just maybe, we should remind her that the reason she'll probably never have to fight for her freedoms is because the most free nation on earth also spends a lot of money, as well as blood, sweat and tears, to maintain an Armed Forces full of men and women who are most assuredly NOT pacifists. Men and women who choose to be ready to put themselves in harm's way on her behalf, and to whom the philosophy of "I live by me!" is a phenomenally self centered , ignorant piece of claptrap not worth the sand that clings to their well worn combat boots.

And while she lavishes in the luxury of pacifism, I'll extend my gratitude to those whose idea of luxury is sleep without the accompaniment of gunfire and rocket propelled grenades . . . to the Sailors, Soldiers, Coast Guardsmen, Airmen and Marines who protect and defend this nation of luxuries.

Thank you, for what you do, and for the gifts you give that we would not otherwise have. May we never take them for granted.

Posted by at 03:42 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack



November 15, 2004



Operation Santa

Operation Santa continues with a number of dedicated Santa's Helpers who are busy coordinating details. We're getting reports that almost all packages have been mailed, and that the generosity of people all over the country towards troops who will be in war zones over the holidays is amazing.

This picture was taken at 11:00 last night as we continue to wrap stocking stuffers and gifts to be sent to Marines in Iraq. We hope to be mostly done early next week and Connie will have her living room back!

Operation Santa Project Directors are:

Connie Riecke riecke@marinecorpsmoms.com
Deb Conraddeb@marinecorpsmoms.com

Please contact Deb or Connie with questions about Operation Santa.
If you have a question about a specific battalion, please contact Deb or Connie. We've covered 1/7, 1/23, 2/10, 9th Comm, and 4th LAAD. We have a few folks working on partial battalions.

Donations can be made to:


Paypal DonationsFrom www.paypal.com, send to operationsanta@marinecorpsmoms.com
Checks and gift certificates/cardsMarine Corps Family Foundation
4500 Ruby Ct. NE
Salem, OR 97305

Until everything is out the door this year, we'll continue to accept donations. Excess donations will be saved for Operation Santa in 2005 when we hope to cover all Marines deployed in war zones over the holidays. We'll start much earlier next year - if you are interested in coordinating a platoon, company, or battalion, we'd love to talk with you. All donations made to Operation Santa will be used for direct troop support unless the donor specifically tells us that we can use it for administrative expenses. We will fundraise after the project concludes to pay ourselves back for the administrative part of this project, including our cell phone bills - yikes! A complete accounting of all monies received and expenditures will be published at the end of this project. Thanks to everyone out there who is helping our Marines have a merrier Christmas. This would not have been possible without an amazing group of volunteers who stepped up and said "I can do this" . . . and then they did it!

More information here:

Operation Santa overview
Operation Santa Update #1
Operation Santa Update #2
Operation Santa Update #3
Operation Santa Update #4

Posted by Deb at 03:39 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack





Guarding the streets of Heaven

Memorial Table presented by the SgtMaj of 6 fallen 2/24 Marines since activation. Happy Birthday Marines.

Marine Mom Linda shares this tribute from Lt Col Mark A Smith, commander of 2/24 Marines:

It is my most unfortunate duty to report to you the deaths of:

Corporal Nathaniel T. Hammond, USMC (Weapons Company)

Corporal Robert P. Warns II, USMC (Company G)

LCpl Branden P. Ramey, USMC (Company G)

LCpl Shane K. O'Donnell, USMC (Company G)

These magnificent Marines, one and all, passed from this earthly existence into the hands of the Lord on Monday, 08 November 2004. Without a doubt, the darkest day in the history of this Battalion since World War II.

Cpl Hammond was struck by a command detonated improvised explosive device, while establishing security for the remainder of his Mobile Strike Team
during patrolling operations in the vicinity of Yusufiyah, Iraq.

Cpl Warns, LCpl Ramey and LCpl O'Donnell were struck by a buried improvised explosive device while conducting a motorized patrol during patrolling operations in the vicinity of Lutafiyah, Iraq.

ALL Marines were killed instantly, suffered no pain and were recovered by their fellow Marines.

I cannot even begin to express the depth of sorrow and pain I feel for these losses. All of these Marines were exceptional Marines and outstanding human beings, for without whom the world will be a darker place. The most painful and difficult event in the loss of our Marines is knowing it has occurred, and then imagining the reaction of the families who love them dearly upon notification. I take some solace in knowing that as Marines we take care of our own, and the notification will be as professionally done as is humanly possible under the circumstances, but it is truly of little comfort knowing the gut-wrenching pain and soul shattering feeling of hearing the words, "I regret to inform you...killed in action."

But, it is the "killed in action" where the dim light of lossed life can be overcome by the bright shining light of sacrifice and love. These Marines, the living and the perished, live an existence that almost defies description, and I am far to incapable of truly putting it into words.

But if you picture the most physically demanding day you ever had in your life, multiply it by (2), and then imagine doing it every single day for TWENTY to TWENTY TWO HOURS a day, you would almost capture what these Marines do. Then, you have to add in the reality of violent death being around every corner, the reality of being ready to destroy and do extreme violence in less time than it takes to blink an eye, do it all while being ever mindful of not harming innocents or non-combatants, accounting for the 50lbs of armor and gear you are carrying, and trying to not let thoughts of home and loved ones distract you from the duty at hand...and you would have about a 50% visualization of what these UNBELIEVABLE AMERICANS we call Marines do every SINGLE day.

You then ask "why? You ask why because you are not here. I ask why because I am. And, by being here, I ask why because I cannot believe that there are such men! Men that will bear any burden, overcome any challenge, tackle any foe, face any fear, that others might live in freedom and peace. There are no William Shakespeare's in this Battalion and no Albert Einsteins. Quite frankly, many of these Marines you would shutter to present in mixed company, myself included. But you see, at their core of existence, beneath the veneer we all put on for the rest of the world to see, these Marines are pure of heart and soul! They are the Angels that we all long to see in the flesh. For all the bluster and machismo, all they want to do is make a difference in a world gone mad! They want to destroy EVIL that GOOD shall abound, and abound aplenty. They want children to be bounced on their father's knee, without the fear of masked men kidnapping and beheading "daddy" in the middle of the night. They want to be part of bringing about an existence where even if they vehemently disagree with another's belief in a God, or in no god, that it is that, a disagreement among men, not an entitlement to torture, maim or slaughter those with whom you disagree.

Inside the core of these Marines is love! Love of everything that is decent and proper. Love of their fellow man. Love of their home and country. Love of their family. Love of their Corps and fellow Marines. And, this love keeps them always moving forward.

It is this love that will lead us to shed a thousand tears as we memorialize our fallen Angels on Friday. It is this love that will lead us to continue our mission of hunting the terrorists and ERADICATING them from the face of the earth. It is this love that will forever have the families of our fallen angels in our thoughts and prayers. It is this love that will have the names of our fallen brethren forever etched in our minds.

I for one know that I will never again hear the National Anthem or the Marine's Hymn without tears in my eyes, a pain in my soul, and the names and faces of ALL 2/24 fallen HEROES on my mind.

IT HAS BEEN MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO KNOW AND SERVE WITH: CPL NATHANIEL T HAMMOND, CPL ROBERT P. WARNS II, LCPL BRANDEN P. RAMEY, AND LCPL SHANE K. O'DONNELL.

It will forever be my responsibility that I could not bring them home living. But in knowing them in life and in death, I have known Jesus. Because I saw in them the "carrying of the Cross" for love of a friend!

It is my deepest prayer that immediately after being welcomed to heaven by the Savior, they were reunited with passed family and friends, and then met by LCpl Daniel Wyatt, issued their orders, and took their post "guarding the streets of heaven."

And, I also pray that the families know our Marines and their precious loved one never dies alone, they die among their friends, their BROTHERS!

God Bless You, You Magnificent Warriors in your final journey home and may you rest among the Angels where you rightly belong!

In profound sadness,

Mark A. Smith
LtCol, USMCR
Commanding Officer, 2nd Bn, 24th Marines

PS: SSgt Simon, Co G and LCpl Kruchten Co G, were seriously injured in the detonation that took the lives of Cpl Warns, LCpl Ramey and LCpl O'Donnell. Please pray for them and their families, and please reach out to them in there time of challenge and need.

"I am the Lord, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you,
Do not fear; I will help you."

Isaiah 41:13


Posted by Deb at 08:15 AM | Comments (18) | TrackBack