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A MARINE'S JOURNAL: The Wait in Kuwait ~ Part 1 of a frontline account of Iraq's liberation.
Opinion Journal ^
| Jan. 26, 2004
| BRIAN TAYLOR
Posted on 01/26/2004 9:12:23 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl
Edited on 04/23/2004 12:06:24 AM PDT by Jim Robinson.
[history]
We arrived last night to a tent city erected by Kuwaiti money and imported labor. Accommodations come complete with oak plywood floors. The atmosphere is friendly but focused.
The battalion intelligence chief told us to be ready for operations by 1 March. He told us that 2/23 is the only reserve battalion with a combat assignment (Regimental Combat Team 1) and that 2/6 (an active duty battalion) got passed over for this job. The battalion commander spoke, but his words were carried away by the wind. It was brief in any event.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: iraq; iraqifreedom; oif; personalaccount
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
WOW!! Great find RC!! Posted a link in the Canteen!
2
posted on
01/26/2004 9:24:39 AM PST
by
StarCMC
(God protect the 969th in Iraq and their Captain, my brother...God protect them all!)
To: MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; TEXOKIE; Alamo-Girl; windchime; Grampa Dave; anniegetyourgun; ...
23 Feb 03--Camp Coyote (Marine Corps camp in northern Kuwait where I spent approximately three weeks. Before the invasion began it was home to as many as 4,000 Marines.)
We arrived last night to a tent city erected by Kuwaiti money and imported labor. Accommodations come complete with oak plywood floors. The atmosphere is friendly but focused.
The battalion intelligence chief told us to be ready for operations by 1 March...
The battalion commander spoke, but his words were carried away by the wind.
Shari is due to deliver in two days. Current communications assets likely won't permit phone contact. What to say about it? She will be disappointed. God keep her...
Our prep time is short. There are very few combat veterans here so the unknown looms large. There is no openly expressed or detectable undercurrent of fear in camp. But I feel some anxiety about how I will perform after we get started..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A note of thanks to those who serve 
God Bless those who serve our country
* * * Past, present and future! * * *
3
posted on
01/26/2004 9:28:42 AM PST
by
Ragtime Cowgirl
("The chapter of Iraq's history - Saddam Hussein's reign of terror - is now closed." Lt. Gen. Sanchez)
To: Ragtime Cowgirl; StarCMC
Ragtime Cowgirl : Great Find!
StarCMC Thanks for the Ping!
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
God Bless those who serve our country
* * * Past, present and future! * * *
~~ Big Bump! ~~
5
posted on
01/26/2004 9:39:32 AM PST
by
blackie
((Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!))
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
bttt for later reading
6
posted on
01/26/2004 9:39:36 AM PST
by
boxerblues
(If you can read this.. Thank a Teacher..If you can read this in English ..Thank a US Soldier)
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Rags, y'all did it again! Wonderful stuff!
7
posted on
01/26/2004 9:46:40 AM PST
by
Old Sarge
("Tears of a Clown" - Smokey Robinson)
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
BTTT!
8
posted on
01/26/2004 9:54:51 AM PST
by
spodefly
(This is my tagline. There are many like it, but this one is mine.)
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
This is awesome! God Bless our military people. They are the best! Thanks for posting this. Great reading, looking forward to next week. BUMPITY- BUMP
9
posted on
01/26/2004 10:18:05 AM PST
by
fly_so_free
(Never underestimate the treachery of the democrat party-Save USA-Vote a Democrat out of office)
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Thank you for this post. I can hardly wait for the next one.For some reason the following grabbed me right in the gut and I started crying.
. A marine from H&S Company, a clerk, brought the pictures of John by my tent last night. The pictures capture that startled look newborns wear while they are trying to gauge the size of their new space. It must be disconcerting to be unable to touch the very edges of your world at any moment and instantly know your place in it.
10
posted on
01/26/2004 11:53:36 AM PST
by
SwatTeam
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Great find, RC. I got the link in my daily OpinionJournal feed and was happy to see someone beat me to the post. I'm surprised there aren't more comments.
I did learn a new phrase: Abuba Belushi! I wonder what Jim Belushi means?
11
posted on
01/26/2004 12:52:25 PM PST
by
NonValueAdded
("America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our people." GWB 1/20/04)
To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; Ragtime Cowgirl; StarCMC
From the reader comments at the WSJ site ... this one bears repeating. I think the Voelker kids are gonna turn out OK!
For My Children
Mary Beth Voelker - Millsboro, Del.
Thank you Mr. Taylor. God bless you. I am printing a copy of this so that my children can read it and learn what manhood and duty mean.
12
posted on
01/26/2004 12:58:29 PM PST
by
NonValueAdded
("America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our people." GWB 1/20/04)
To: NonValueAdded
Bump!
13
posted on
01/26/2004 2:25:21 PM PST
by
Ragtime Cowgirl
("The chapter of Iraq's history - Saddam Hussein's reign of terror - is now closed." Lt. Gen. Sanchez)
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Bump!
14
posted on
01/26/2004 5:37:35 PM PST
by
windchime
(Podesta about Bush: "He's got four years to try to undo all the stuff we've done." (TIME-1/22/01))
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Bump!
Bookmark for later read.
15
posted on
01/26/2004 6:23:57 PM PST
by
2111USMC
(the few, the proud, The Marines!)
To: Ragtime Cowgirl
This is one of the best first person accounts that I've read.
16
posted on
04/14/2005 6:22:09 PM PDT
by
billorites
(freepo ergo sum)
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