Posted on 06/29/2007 2:48:47 AM PDT by RedRover
CAMP PENDLETON ---- Supporters of Marines accused of criminal wrongdoing in Iraq rallied at Camp Pendleton on Thursday, cheering the father of a key witness in one of the cases as he ended a 1,400-mile motorcycle ride designed to heighten public awareness of ongoing prosecutions.
"It's a shame that we are doing these things," Donald Dinsmore told about two dozen people holding protest signs at the base's main gate. "The prosecution is wrong."
The 63-year-old Dinsmore is the father of Capt. Jeff Dinsmore, who was the intelligence officer for the base's 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment when 24 Iraqi civilians were killed in Haditha on Nov. 19, 2005.
The elder Dinsmore began his ride in Seattle last weekend, stopping along the way and making several side trips into towns and cities to meet with other supporters.
Jeff Dinsmore is not accused of any wrongdoing, but has been called to testify in three hearings that have been held thus far for the seven Marines accused of crimes in connection with the Haditha incident.
Dinsmore said he got an e-mail from his son, who is currently on deployment in Fallujah, Iraq. The note teased him about being sore from his motorcycle ride.
"He said his butt is also sore from sitting in a Humvee all the time," Donald Dinsmore said.
The elder Dinsmore was joined at the rally by his other Marine son, Sgt. Daniel Dinsmore, a member of Camp Pendleton's Amphibious Assault School Battalion.
"I think it is a tribute to what the American people really feel ---- I think the American people support us being in Iraq," Daniel Dinsmore said.
Daniel Dinsmore also said he believes a majority do not look favorably on the Haditha prosecutions or the government's case against another group of Camp Pendleton Marines for the slaying of a retired Iraqi policeman in April 2006 in the village of Hamdania.
Five of the eight men charged in the Hamdania case reached plea deals and were sentenced to jail terms ranging from 12 months to eight years.
One of the defendants in the Haditha incident, Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, showed up at the rally to express his gratitude. None of the men accused in the Haditha case are in custody.
"I just wanted to thank all the people for the support they are showing us," Sharratt said.
Sharratt was the subject of a four-day hearing earlier this month examining whether there is sufficient evidence to order him to trial on three counts of unpremeditated murder for his role in the Haditha case.
The 22-year-old rifleman and veteran of two tours in Iraq maintains that two of four men he shot inside a home were holding AK-47 assault rifles when he confronted them. The shootings took place after a roadside bomb was triggered, destroying a Humvee and killing one Marine and injuring two others.
A decision on whether Sharratt will be ordered to trial by court-martial is expected sometime next week.
Many of those at Thursday's event are regulars at gate rallies that have been held on Saturdays during the last year. The group of mostly older people carry handmade signs with statements such as "Send Bush's Kids Door to Door in Iraq" and "Promote Pendleton 8 to Run War Room."
Money that Donald Dinsmore collected during his ride on his 27-year-old Honda motorcycle will be forwarded to a defense fund set up to help pay legal fees for the accused Marines. He said he had not yet tallied the proceeds.
For more on Haditha, please visit these fine threads:
And there's lots more on Free Republic, including summaries of the three Article 32 hearings to date, under keyword "Haditha".
PING
Hey! Over here!
It's amazing how much energy Don still has after that ride. I5 can be downright punishing this time of the year.
God Bless the Dinsmores, every one are Great Americans!
Folks like that can be contagious, ya know!
This trial is a travesty.
It should never have started.
We cannot ask our men to enter an area of combat and be worried about being selective in the heat of battle.
These Marines are political prisoners: prisoners to a system that would rather be politically correct instead of right; prisoners to a system that refuses to allow us to win this war; prisoners to an administration that finds it easier to prosecute our own young men and women instead of hte enemy.
Bush got my vote twice.......too bad I cant vote against him next time.
Morning, boats! Great coverage. As you say, let’s hope his spirit is contagious and lots more people start speaking out and standing up for our Marines.
Dad of two Marines lends support to troops on trial, San Diego Union Tribune, June 29, 2007
By Rick Rogers UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
CAMP PENDLETON -- Don Dinsmore spent six days driving his motorcycle from Seattle to Camp Pendleton to make a simple statement to Marine leaders.
Yesterday, he stood outside the base's main gate and delivered that message: Shame on you.
"Chesty Puller would be ashamed of what the Marine Corps is doing," Dinsmore, 63, said in reference to the legendary Marine general.
Dinsmore is peeved that 10 rank-and-file Marines from Camp Pendleton have been charged with war crimes stemming from two incidents in the Iraqi cities of Haditha and Hamdaniya. The military is using these Marines as political scapegoats, he and other supporters of the defendants contend.
One of Dinsmore's sons, Marine Capt. Jeffrey Dinsmore, is a witness in the Haditha case.
The elder Dinsmore rode 1,422 miles to reach Camp Pendleton. He said various people joined him on different parts of his journey, but he arrived alone yesterday.
About 20 well-wishers met Dinsmore outside the main gate. One of them was Lois Smith of Oceanside.
"Killing, isn't that what war is all about?" she asked. "Why are any of these men in jail?"
Also present was another member of the Dinsmore family -- Sgt. Daniel Dinsmore, 31, an instructor at Camp Pendleton. He said his father's trip was meant to spotlight the defendants' plight and show support for all troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A surprise guest was Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, one of the Marines charged in the Haditha case.
"I'm just here to thank the people for showing their support for us," Sharratt said.
The Hamdaniya incident took place April 26, 2006. Eight Marines are accused of kidnapping and executing an Iraqi man as part of a plot to scare insurgents.
Five of the defendants have pleaded guilty to charges less than murder as part of their pretrial agreements. The other three are awaiting court-martial.
In the Haditha case, Sharratt and two other Marines are charged with murdering 24 civilians on Nov. 19, 2005, as revenge for a roadside bomb that claimed a member of their unit.
These defendants have said the killings occurred as part of legitimate combat against insurgents.
Don Dinsmore said facts gathered by his son Jeffrey exonerate the Haditha defendants. Jeffrey Dinsmore was an intelligence officer who viewed the Haditha incident through images taken by an unmanned aircraft. He is now a company commander in Fallujah, Iraq.
In a letter sent to his father in December, Jeffrey Dinsmore took issue with how his superiors reacted to accusations against the Haditha defendants.
"The Marine Corps senior leadership, through its initial inaction, and eventually its action to impugn the reputations of serving Marines, has demonstrated its willingness to betray the trust of its most junior Marines serving in combat," he wrote.
"Marines will usually forgive a wide range of mistakes and missteps in their officers, but never a betrayal of their trust.... While I continue to firmly believe that all (the Marines charged) will be acquitted, none of them will ever be truly exonerated. Their Marine Corps leaders have seen to that."
Freedom for the Haidatha 8!
Pray for W and Our Marines
I pray to our just God for their release. They have been railroaded into prison by a politically correct, corrupt system of 'justice'. Sadly, there are too many prosecutors in the ilk of Mike Nifong, even in the military. When you pray for W, pray that he might turn his amnesty sites away from illegal Mexicans and onto these brave warriors.
Great thread, Red. It’s wonderful that the media covered Don’s rally at Camp Pendleton, he deserved that coverage for his efforts for the rally and the ride.
The family member who briefed you yesterday said it best.
Don knew exactly what he was doing.
Prosecutors are under the microscope now and perhaps these will be disbarred also.
Pray for W and Our Marines
Well I have made it home from the wonderful Rally for our Haditha Heroes. I am so VERY glad I went!! I met Don and gave him a “Thank You Hug from all of you.” I got there five minutes before Don and his group arrived. Because the ride had mostly been publicized by word of mouth, there were only about 40 people there. But, these people were loud and enthusiastic! This is how I saw it.
I found my way to the main gate off-ramp and as I came around the curve I immediately see a man and a woman standing on a divide waving flags and guiding us to an area to park. I then noticed about 15 more people further down waving signs and flags. After getting out of my car... I hear loud military music coming from a truck that is covered with signs and Marine posters that has just turned onto our street. The songs are coming from speakers, megaphone shaped speakers, attached to the top of the truck.
Suddenly I notice a motorcycle carrying Don on it. As soon as he pulls over, he is surrounded by the media. There was a TV channel (don't know which one) video taping and a few newspaper men and photographers.
Once Don finished with his interviews, he made his rounds to the rest of us waiting to thank him. This man was very organized and knew exactly what he wanted to do. He had 2' X 3' foam backed posters. Each poster displayed blown up pictures (those that were taken of Kilo Co.) of each Haditha Marine being tried, with their title and name. He had two posters with the words NOT GUILTY on them. He had men take on each of the posters to wear around their neck and each man was now the Marine whose photo he wore.
Don had just started handing out the posters when I noticed two young men approaching him from the side. The first young man reached out to shake Don's hand, and Don handed him a poster thinking he was volunteering to wear a poster. As the young man took the poster I realized I knew this young man and proceeded to screech out "Justin... Justin". I looked at Don and said "this is Justin Sharratt!" Don immediately shook Justin's hand as I was hobbling over to Justin. Don also took back the poster from Justin saying "No active Marine is to wear one so they don't get in any trouble!"
I finally reached Justin and gave him a hug for everyone and then one from me. As I walked away from him, I saw the Media approaching him. They only asked him a couple of questions, and he handled it very well. He told the media he was there to thank Don and the others for their support! Very nicely done! I apologized to Justin for screeching out his name... I didn't even think of the media bugging him... but he assured me with a hug that he was fine with it. Luckily the Media gave Justin his space. Justin watched as Don once again took charge... then he gave me a hug good bye and he left with his friend. He thanked me and everyone once again.
Don was very busy organizing his plan and gathering everyone. He had us all move to a road divider where we could be seen by others driving by. He spoke loudly of why he was there and why he was doing this for his son who had testified at a couple of the Haditha Hearings in favor of our Marines. His son, a Capt. is over in Iraq right now, but his wife and son were both there helping his father. By the time Don finished speaking, we were all waving our flags (Don furnished the flags) and were chanting "Not Guilty" over and over again!!!
I know Justin's showing up really made Don and the others (and ME) feel great... I am so VERY glad I participated in this! This could be any of our Marines going through this hell. I also felt I was honoring my son-in-law by doing this. I hope my describing everything helped you to be there.
Certainly you aren’t telling me who to pray for?? Only the Lord Jesus Christ can do that.
Pray for W and Our Marines
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