Posted on 07/05/2004 9:11:04 AM PDT by bkwells
'Strong and courageous'
Marines remember comrades, vow to uphold Iraq mission
By Rick Rogers
STAFF WRITER
July 5, 2004
FALLUJAH, Iraq ; While Americans celebrated 228 years of freedom yesterday, U.S. Marines here mourned its costs and considered their role in guiding the fledging democracy of Iraq to brighter days.
NELVIN CEPEDA / Union-TribuneFor Camp Pendleton-based Marines in Fallujah, the Fourth of July was a day to pay tribute to two Marines who were killed last week while on separate patrols outside the restive Iraqi city.
In an early-morning ceremony, Marines paid their respects to two comrades who died while serving with Camp Pendleton's 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Lance Cpl. Timothy R. Creager, 21, and Lance Cpl. James B. Huston, 22, died in separate incidents late last week while patrolling near the city of Fallujah. Since March, 12 Marines and one interpreter from the battalion have died.
The Marines said they accept the deaths as the price paid for freedom and for ensuring that Americans can enjoy the Fourth of July in relative safety.
"The more we are over here fighting them, the less likely they'll be bombing us at home," said Cpl. Joseph Lorek, who served with Creager in Delta Company, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance. The unit is based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., but is attached to the battalion for this deployment.
 NELVIN CEPEDA / Union-Tribune photos Special dog tags were placed on the memorial to the Marines. |
"Everyone back home is celebrating the Fourth," said Lorek, a 19-year-old from Mentor, Ohio, near Cleveland. "Our fireworks will be whatever we see when we are on patrol tonight."
The Marines saluted as they filed past a memorial for their comrades – two M-16s with fixed bayonets topped by helmets and goggles. Dog tags hung from the rifle grips. Printed on one of them was this Bible verse: "I will be strong and courageous. I will not be terrified or discouraged; for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go."
Several hundred Marines participated in the service.
Since late March, the battalion has battled insurgents in and around Fallujah.
In recent weeks, several Marines have been wounded – some of them seriously – by sniper and mortar fire while manning checkpoints with nicknames such as "the Alamo."
Battalion commander Lt. Col. Gregg Olson drew a parallel between the help the Marines are giving the new nation of Iraq and that which the United States received in its early days.
Olson compared the current efforts to those of Marquis de Lafayette, the Frenchman who fought with American forces during the Revolutionary War.
"The parallels between our efforts here and those efforts of the friends of our fledging nation who stood together and gave their time, treasure and talent in the service of American independence are too great to mention," he said.
By any standard, duty in Fallujah is hard on the Marines. Incredible heat beats them down, many Iraqis distrust them and insurgents try to kill them.
However, most Marines believe in their mission and that their sacrifices will make a difference in the Middle East and, ultimately, make the United States a safer place.
"People ask me if it's worth being out here, and it is," said Pfc. Andrew Manzi, 19, from Waterford, Conn. "We are out here so our family can enjoy the Fourth of July the way it should be. That's really the only thing that keeps me going."
Staff writer Rick Rogers and staff photographer Nelvin Cepeda are accompanying Camp Pendleton-based Marines in Iraq.
Great read today!
Another great read PING
bkwells : Thanks Chief
And yet, in every state in the union except LA, this man cannot legally buy a beer.
That makes me furious.
I was on an airplane recently, with a bunch of GI's.
"Where are y'all headed?"
"Iraq"
"Stewardess, set 'em up. Drinks are on me 'till we land."
"Sir, they are not twenty-one..."
"They are headed to Iraq. They are all 21 today."
Now that cost me a few hundred...LOL.
BTTT!!!!!!
"People ask me if it's worth being out here, and it is," said Pfc. Andrew Manzi, 19, from Waterford, Conn. "We are out here so our family can enjoy the Fourth of July the way it should be. That's really the only thing that keeps me going."
These very young heroes get it. Too bad many much older Americans don't.
I printed it out, and will include it in the "care" package we are posting tomorrow to our Marine Sergeant son, who is "over there".
I admit it's hard on me to hear of their suffering. I'm awed, every single day, by these marvelous young people.
Thanks for the ping!
God Bless our Troops and our Allies
When my brother's unit lost 3 of their own, he sent me this quote:
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." - General George S. Patton, Jr.
May God watch over our soldiers.
Why can't the idiots like Michael Moore understand that???
You answered your own question Brian...cause Moore is an idiot.
Thanks for posting this story. I have to say I really wish we could just flatten Falluja. I know I keep reading about all the good our troops are doing and how appreciative the people in Iraq are but I just don't buy it yet. I just don't trust the lot of them.
What I really detest ??
"While Americans celebrated 228 years of freedom yesterday..."
Except for here in Hot Springs Arkansas where there was NO parade, there were NO flags flown (YES at my house!), there were NO bands, NOTHING in the newspaper.
I am sick of the people in this country who don't give a dammed - but I'll be damned if I EVER give one inch to these left-wing radical pieces of crap that call themselves lawyers, politicians, and judges!
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
-- Ronald Reagan
Please tell your son I said
"Thank You for your service to our country."
Thank You for flying your flag.
Will do!
He and his men get a kick out of reading about themselves ,but more it's messages like yours, and those of many others, that keep their spirits up.
Thank you again, and thank you for your service.
Charlie K. AKA G.Mason ... USN SeaBees, '59 - '62
Thanks for the article.
Because idiots like Michael Moore and his moviedom Ilk, are users, abusers, and exploiters of this country. I have said this before-but I'll say it again! The Garbage bag trash of the wealthy beyond their worth left, love America like termites loves the house they feast upon or as maggots respect the corpse they devour for lunch.
My apologies to termites and maggots for this un-fair comparison.
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