Posted on 12/04/2004 4:50:39 PM PST by kupia_kummi
FALLUJAH — Holiday cards will soon be pouring into mailboxes across America. But some families might be a little shocked when their season's greetings arrive adorned with bombs and gunmen, and the words “Greetings from Fallujah” spelled out against the backdrop of a shattered city skyline.
Marines killing time in the aftermath of last month's ferocious battle for the Iraqi rebel stronghold have spun a grim joke into an unlikely source of holiday cheer.
Marine James Brisch, a corporal with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines' Charlie Company, takes postcard-sized pieces of cardboard cut from provisions boxes and carefully inks in Fallujah's low, stubby skyline underneath a generic greeting: Merry Christmas from Fallujah.
He then gives them to other members of his squad to colour in and personalise — most often with bombs, flames or bullet holes — before writing a message to their families on the other side and putting them in the mail.
“At first it was kind of a sick joke — putting happy holidays on it was politically correct but then you have everything on fire, which is pretty politically incorrect. There's a lot of black humour,” says Brisch.
“Marines can find irony in anything,” adds Corporal Nick Misiano.
As thousands of US and Iraqi troops stormed Fallujah on November 8 in a bid to wrest the Sunni Muslim city from insurgents, Brisch, Misiano and the rest of Charlie Company battled gunmen as they moved through its cramped northern streets.
“This is basically what we saw everyday,” says Brisch, trying to explain his creations.
“It just kind of came naturally. There are a lot of inside jokes.”
(Excerpt) Read more at jordantimes.com ...
Thanks for the post. America always finds its best and brightest where the going is the toughest and deadliest.
I'll look foreward to seeing some of these posted here on FRee Republic, standing by.
Having had a nephew between Fallujah southward into the triangle of death for seven months (he got back early Oct to states), my heart and mind continues to be with these Marines as well as our Army,Navy, and Airforce in Iraq and Afganistan.
Truly as our president said about a year ago. They are amoung our best! May the good Lord continue to look over them and bring them home alive and unharmed as HIS perfect will allows.
Very Oohrah.
actually, just so you know...
i know James. he and i have been dating for a year now. (well, on Jan 1st). we make somewhat of an odd coupe because he's very conservative republican and i'm kinda liberal democrat. that's one of the fun parts though.
and no, the postcard thing does not alarm me. true i don't think it's so great that anyone has to go through all that, but it's necessary sometimes. still, i think him using his artistic talent this way rocks. and i am uber excited to get a postcard in the mail. should be any day now. i'll try and get the postcard image online if possible. i don't have a scanner or anything so we'll see what i can do.
i hope my being a liberal doesn't automatically make anyone dislike me. i'm all for support of the troops, even if i'm not so sure about other things. but the point is to support the troops above all else.
Welcome to FR! Would love to see a post with one of the postcards. Good on ya for supporting the good guys! Too many liberals support the terrorists, and that's no good.
Got the postcard! It's a simple little thing, but very awesome to have. When I can get to somewhere with a scanner I will work on getting it posted! Just thought you might like to know.
COOL! I am looking forward to it.
Hey! Brisch is a very close friend of mine. We went to bootcamp together and the School of Infantry and we signed up together. I wrote him a time or two, but no response. I know how it is over there though, I got back in October. Hope he is doing well over there. You can contact me via email or AIM.
hey there! I may have heard of you! Whats your name? Jared... Where are you now? (If you can tell me...) When I talk to James next I'll let him know I heard from you.
I think kinko's or other speedy printing places will put the postcard image on a disc for you.
Take a digital photo.
i've got the camera and the card, but a question. once i've got it on my computer, how the heck do i get it on a website? actually, don't worry. i'll ask someone here who knows more about this than i. shouldn't be long!
You have many good points. I've been debating with friends lately about what a democrat and republican are, and the truth is, every one of them is still different. No one (for the most part) is going to be completely one thing or the other. I think thats the best part.
Nice to meet you!
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