US Marines Mark Thanksgiving in Iraq

Lexington Herald Reader ^ | Nov. 24, 2005 | AP

[FairOpinion]

QAIM, Iraq - Huddling together in the cold, U.S. Marines of the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion spoke Thursday about missing family and friends back home for Thanksgiving while on patrol near the Syrian border.

The Marines are scouting the remote, desert area along the border looking for smugglers and foreign fighters trying to slip into the country from Syria.

The area, one of the most dangerous in Iraq, was the scene of brisk fighting this month as Marines drove insurgents out of three towns near Qaim, 200 miles northwest of Baghdad.

"Serving my country is important but losing friend makes me more thankful for what I have and for what I used to take for granted," said Cpl. Brian Zwart, 20, of Fruitport, Mich., who mans a 25mm canon atop an armored personnel carrier.

Others thought about what they might be doing if they were back home.

"I could be sitting on the couch at home watching football with my dad. Instead I'm driving in Iraq," said Lance Cpl. Kyle Maxwell, 21, of Petaluma, Calif. He is spending his first Thanksgiving away from home driving an armored personnel carrier on patrol.

Most of the more than 140,000 U.S. troops in Iraq got a traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey and all the trimmings at their bases.

In Baghdad, American troops were visited by U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad.

"Iraq is such an important place in the world. What happens in Iraq will determine and shape the future of the Middle East," Khalilzad said. "Being away on a day like this is a huge sacrifice, but a sacrifice for a good cause."

Soldiers in Baghdad also ran in a 5-kilometer "Turkey Trot" race, then enjoyed a large big spread that included turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, shrimp cocktail and about five kinds of pie for dessert.

North of Baghdad, country music star Aaron Tippin was scheduled to give a concert to soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division at Forward Operating Base Speicher.

[FairOpinion]

Happy Thanksgiving to all our Troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and all around the world, who may be away from their families. I hope they know that all of us are thinking of them today and are greatful for their bravery of serving and protecting us, the USA, and freedom around the world.

[FairOpinion]

Lance cpl. Luc Bourgeouis, left, Lance Cpl. Kevin Dantzler, center, and Lance Cpl. Clinton Bougher eat Thanksgiving dinner at a US Marine base in Karabilah, Iraq, on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2005

[FairOpinion]

[FairOpinion]

"We also give thanks on Thanksgiving for our many blessings, and we thank those who are far away from home who protect our freedoms. It's through the courage and skill of our Armed Forces that we're safe as a nation, and we're very proud of their service.

We think of our military families who will have an empty seat at the table this Thanksgiving. The American people are thankful for the sacrifice of the American military families, as well. America's men and women in uniform and their families have our gratitude -- not only on Thanksgiving, but on every day."

--- President George W. Bush, Nov. 24, 2005

[humint]

"I could be sitting on the couch at home watching football with my dad. Instead I'm driving in Iraq," said Lance Cpl. Kyle Maxwell, 21, of Petaluma, Calif. He is spending his first Thanksgiving away from home driving an armored personnel carrier on patrol.

I've spent more than a few holidays on duty but on this Thanksgiving Day I'm sitting on my couch watching football. But I can't help thinking about all of the fine men and women who are keeping the free world free and adding Iraq to the family of free nations. God bless you for your service in the cause for freedom. You nation stands, or in this individual’s case sits, with you.

[Marine_Uncle]

Sobering article for me. My nephew was with the 2nd LAR in Al Anbar until returing this October to the states. I have much to be thankfull for, as the good Lord returned him and 99% of his buddies unharmed. I stand at attention and salute all these guys, pilots, aviators, corspmen, sailors, soldiers, and Marines for their continued dedicated and professional service to their country. They serve with honor, committment, and are duty bound in the highest degree to carry out their missions.

To them go the honor due. So many of these men and women are on second and third tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. Let us have a secret part in our Thanksgiving day celebrations that prayerfully hold them up for a safe return once they have finished this noble mission.

[SwatTeam]

Amen to that

[duckbutt]

Amen and Amen Marine Uncle.

Please tell your nephew and any other members of his unit that you happen to meet that the people of the U.S. are deeply appreciative of the service they provide to their countrymen.

Make sure they know that the lamestream media doesn't speak for the majority of us.....

From a grateful citizen.....

[TerryGale]

Good catch... It's the Lexington Herald-Leader.. unless one is asian or has a speech impediment...

[FairOpinion]

...or careless in reading the name of the paper.. or makes a typo, I don't remember which of these I am guilty of.

But I was trying to find an article with a decent title. Most of the MSM picked some demoralizing title, only a couple of papers put a reasonable title on it, this paper was one of the few.

[JOE43270]

God Bless them ALL. Happy thanks giving to the ALL.

[JOE43270]

God Bless them ALL. Happy Thanksgiving to the ALL.

[Liberty Valance]

I was trying to find an article with a decent title. Most of the MSM picked some demoralizing title

I understand why we have to use the MSM headlines on FR but I often wish we had some way to re-write the doom and gloom, demoralizing headlines these editors use. Maybe we should recruit young, fair minded journalism majors to work for newspapers across the country...I know, i'm dreaming.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our Soldiers and their families around the world. We are thinking of you and look forward to the day of your return. Thank You and God Bless You All.

[FairOpinion]

Here are some article titles for the same article, which makes your blood boil:


Thanksgiving is just another day at war for Marines in Iraq


http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=150452

===

Just another day for Marines on patrol in dangerous western Iraq

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/13249681.htm

[maxwellp]

"Make sure they know that the lamestream media doesn't speak for the majority of us..."

And please make sure that they know that the Democrats sure don't speak for us. God Bless President Bush and God Bless our military - the greatest Americans!

[FairOpinion]

I found a longer version of the article, which has some good stuff:

====

""We feel like we're protecting our friends, family and loved ones back home," said Lt. Col. Guy Glad, a military chaplain from Colorado Springs, Colo.

In the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, a small choir sang religious songs before soldiers dined at tables decorated with candles and flowers. Soldiers also cut large cakes, including one shaped as a Bible with frosting verses and another in the shape of a cross.

"We give them the traditional dinner to make them feel a little better about where they are," said chef Baron Whitehurst, who spent a week preparing a Thanksgiving feast for about 5,000 people, mostly soldiers.

At Forward Operating Base Speicher north of the capital, country singer Aaron Tippin performed for soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division.

Senior officers served the holiday meal to the lower ranks at Bagram, the main U.S. base in Afghanistan. Soldiers, some with their weapons slung over their shoulders, lined up for turkey and the trimmings, pumpkin and custard pies and fresh fruit.

At Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan, where 1,200 U.S. military personnel and 50 Spanish soldiers support refueling and cargo missions for operations in nearby Afghanistan, troops celebrated with a parade of military vehicles decorated as a turkey, a house and a satellite dish.

The troops got a few extra hours off on to contact their families and to enjoy meals that included shrimp cocktail, roast turkey, baked ham and mashed potatoes."

===

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/13251404.htm

[Marine_Uncle]

I sent a letter to the congressmen, in which prior to this cowards cut and run business, indicated that to him. I made it clear I have a nephew and first cousins's son who rotate in and out of the Iraqi campaign, that I did not only disagree in full with his bullsh!t, based on what I find here and on mil sites that go into details of what has been happening on the ground, but also a realisitic evaluation of the insurgencies condition, and the political process.
At this point it is almost a mute point, however, as he admited last week, forget what post we saw it in, that he pulled that stunt off for supposed votes. His baloney did not ring true with what the commanders in the field keep telling us, so he lied saying he spoke with them. He dishonores his past service as a Marine period.

[Marine_Uncle]

I third your amens. I have written many letters to my nephew and some to my first cousins's son who just went back for his second tour in the pit. I have made it quite clear that many kind folks at Free Republic have told me to thank them and their buddies for their honorable service. And they do pretty much know the score as how the demos and L/MSM operate.
I cannot help but wonder that many officer and higher end NCO's continue to give these men and woment the score, and set them straight on the L/MSM tactics. But at the same time let them know many of us are batting a 100% for them here in the states.
Thanks for your kind thoughts.

[TexKat]

Marines Observe Thanksgiving in Iraq

The Associated Press Thursday, November 23, 2006; 10:06 AM

FALLUJAH, Iraq -- From their positions across Iraq's dangerous and insurgent-dominated Anbar province, more than 20,000 Marines quickly and quietly marked Thanksgiving on Thursday _ then got back to work.

At Camp Fallujah, a sprawling and well-fortified base outside the still-volatile city of the same name, Brig. Gen. Robert Neller, the deputy Marine commander in western Iraq, hosted a morning church service, and troops began erecting a wall of photographs of family, friends and fellow Marines for whom they were thankful.

There was a flag football tournament on fields of hard-packed sand that became blanketed by blinding dust whenever medical evacuation helicopters took off or landed nearby.

"Thanksgiving is food and football, that's what we do every year. It's America, even if we're in Iraq," said Cpl. Daniel J. English from Antwerp, Ohio.

Inside the camp's two sprawling mess halls troops piled their trays high with roast turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cornbread and eggnog, as well as pumpkin and four other varieties of pie.

"It's the most important day of the year for us," said Raymond Yung, director of one of the food service crews at Camp Fallujah.

Continue

U.S. soldiers serve food to fellow soldiers as they celebrate Thanksgiving Day at a U.S. military camp in the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad November 23, 2006. (Mohammed Ameen/Reuters)

A Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) worker puts the finishing touches on a cake in preparation for the U.S. military's Thanksgiving Day celebration in the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, November 22, 2006. REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen (IRAQ)