[Travis McGee]

U.S. warplanes screamed overhead and AC-130 gunships with cannons and machineguns that sound like a giant drill pounded Falluja.

The sound of thunder mixed with the air strikes as lightning illuminated tank cannons pointing toward Falluja.

UNLEASH HELL!!

[Southack]

Sweet!

[Squantos]

Sad part IMO is that the Insurgant Chief Cook and Bottle Washer probably left town with the women and kids yesterday.

[river rat]

You just gotta know that the kids watching the city getting lit up and softened before the assault -- can hear their every heartbeat in their own ears, feel as if their tongue has swollen up and gone bone dry and the adrenalin coming in such spurts that they're on the verge of screaming to release the pent up energy and excitement.....

Now, they're writing "last letters", promising one another to go to their family if they don't get back, apologizing for past slights, expressing previously unspoken respects and admiration, looking into one another's eyes with the look that only they understand and no freaking movie can duplicate.

Most folks don't realize - that at this moment, they are NOT fighting for God, America or Apple pie -- they are fighting for each other.... That's it... That and the Corps...

They won't calm down until they start moving, and see all the Marines about them going about "business", and looking so damned fearsome and fearless that they all take comfort and strength from the aura that the assault team generates. It's almost never as bad as you worry about it being.....but not always...

May God bless and watch over them...

Semper Fi