This isn’t anything other than an honor to the brave men who lost their lives in an ambush in Iraq today 8-2-05. Semper fi gentlemen!
It was 11, if I do recall…
I heard it was 14?
My thoughts go to those they left behind.
As Boxgunner said: Semper Fi Gentlemen!
6 Marines (Scout-Sniper Teams) were killed along with 1 in another location. 14 more were killed (in an AAV) yesterday.
Semper Fi Brothers!
makes me sad… [BH] damn…
Hats off to our fallen brothers.
For the Fallen (Valediction) by Laurence Binyon
(changed England to America, but any serviceman who gives his life for his country should remebered and revered, lest we forget)
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
America mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We shall remember them.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond America’s foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
One was from my hometown. It was a bad couple days for Ohio.
God Bless our guys that have fallen and their familys they have left behind.
And Bless the military personel still there or about to go in country.
My cousins in there. 82nd Airborne
I lost friends and comrades in Viet Nam. My son served in Bosnia with the 1st Cav and we have sons of friends in Iraq. I feel I lose a little piece of me with each death. I was in Viet Nam with the 1st Cav. and the 173rd Abn. What a waste.
173rd airborne… the wing of death?
The 173rd did their most recent combat jump into Northern Iraq during OIF I in 2003.
yeah, my buddy made it back alive after his second tour. he was with 3rd i.d. during invasion and just returned last month. at least he made it unlike so many others…god bless 'em!
Roadside bombs taking out STA? That sucks. Reminds me of Gunny Hathcock of Vietnam War fame finally being taken out of action by an RPG to his M113. Not a coincidence that the wars are looking the same - Viet and Iraq-anam. I wrote a poem a while back and i think i’ll post it here…it’s called Prayer To Mars
No dumb death
please
O’ great Mars
No ignorant bomb
No roadside explosion
No heedless mortar
No stupid mistake
A bullet
Perfect
Well-aimed
True
As a soldier
I’ve earned this…
At least
War and waste are two words that often go together. That’s a fact. I want you to know though that I am grateful for your service no matter the decisions made at higher levels nor the outcome of your many battles - in combat and afterward. There are few things that can rise as high as what you did in Vietnam - and what you did was nothing less than serve as best as you could and take care of yourself and your friends. That is enough. That is more than enough. Thank you. Both of your old units are mighty and proud and rightly so. I hope you are proud of yourself too - all in it’s proper place and perspectiuve - you made the sacrifice by showing up when the call went out. Period. That’s all any American man can do.
This should be off-topic
your right…perhaps i should’ve posted this in a different spot…i appreciate everyone’s comments though.
Wow and Themage is even from Ohio… I dont believe honoring our fallen soldiers is ever “off topic” ,
“Through these fields of destruction
Baptism of fire
I’ve witnessed your suffering
As the battle raged higher
And tho they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me, my brothers in arms.”
-Dire Straits " Brothers in arms "
-60