Happy Birthday Marines!
Today marks the 232nd Birthday of the United States Marine Corps. I am grateful for their awe-inspiring bravery and enduring faithfulness to their mission and the country they gladly and proudly serve. It is no secret that my admiration for the Marines is nearly boundless, verging on man crush territory. It’s been there since I first saw John Wayne in The Sands of Iwo Jima and picked Gung Ho as my favorite Joe. It’s only grown stronger over the years as I’ve had the chance to meet and befriend more than a couple Marines. I freely admit that, when I get the chance to talk to a Marine, especially an older Marine who served in World War II or Korea or Vietnam, I get very humble and my inner child goes wide-eyed and quiet.
It is with respect and awe that I offer my admiration and unwavering support. Let me share a bit of the birthday message issued by General James T. Conway, Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Since the birth of our Nation, our liberty has been purchased by valiant men and women of deep conviction, great courage, and bold action; the cost has often been in blood and tremendous sacrifice. As America’s sentinels of freedom, United States Marines are counted among the finest legions in the chronicles of war. Since 1775, Marines have marched boldly to the sounds of the guns and have fought fiercely and honorably to defeat the scourge of tyranny and terror. We are Marines — that is what we do.
Indeed, and “what we do” can be illustrated in no better way than in the person of Corporal Jason L. Dunham. Cpl. Dunham posthumously received the Medal of Honor from President Bush in January of this year. He is the first Marine awarded the MoH for combat action since 1970 and chances are pretty good that you’ve never heard of him (but you should, I think). His citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifle Squad Leader, 4th Platoon, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines (Reinforced), Regimental Combat Team 7, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced), on 14 April 2004, Corporal Dunham’s squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in the town of Karabilah, Iraq when they heard rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire erupt approximately two kilometers to the west. Corporal Dunham led his Combined Anti-Armor Team towards the engagement to provide fire support to their Battalion Commander’s convoy, which had been ambushed as it was traveling to Camp Husaybah. As Corporal Dunham and his Marines advanced, they quickly began to receive enemy fire. Corporal Dunham ordered his squad to dismount their vehicles and led one of his fire teams on foot several blocks south of the ambushed convoy. Discovering seven Iraqi vehicles in a column attempting to depart, Corporal Dunham and his team stopped the vehicles to search them for weapons. As they approached the vehicles, an insurgent leaped out and attacked Corporal Dunham. Corporal Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade. Corporal Dunham immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat. Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In an ultimate and selfless act of bravery in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty, Corporal Dunham gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
Also, today, you can find out a few good reasons to love the Corps. The number one reason will surprise you not at all.
Other Posts of Interest:
Category: Featured, Stuff I Like, The Long War Here At Home
[...] The Sundries Shack provided the following links in honor of the 232nd Birthday of the United States Marine Corps. General James T. Conway, Commandant of the Marine Corps, offered the following birthday message: 1. SINCE THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION, OUR LIBERTY HAS BEEN PURCHASED BY VALIANT MEN AND WOMEN OF DEEP CONVICTION, GREAT COURAGE, AND BOLD ACTION; THE COST HAS OFTEN BEEN IN BLOOD AND TREMENDOUS SACRIFICE. AS AMERICAS SENTINELS OF FREEDOM, UNITED STATES MARINES ARE COUNTED AMONG THE FINEST LEGIONS IN THE CHRONICLES OF WAR. SINCE 1775, MARINES HAVE MARCHED BOLDLY TO THE SOUNDS OF THE GUNS AND HAVE FOUGHT FIERCELY AND HONORABLY TO DEFEAT THE SCOURGE OF TYRANNY AND TERROR. WE ARE MARINES – THAT IS WHAT WE DO. 2. IN THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY: “IN THE LONG HISTORY OF THE WORLD, ONLY A FEW GENERATIONS HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE ROLE OF DEFENDING FREEDOM IN ITS HOUR OF MAXIMUM DANGER.” MAGNIFICENT HEROES FOUGHT IN THE WHEAT FIELDS OF BELLEAU WOOD, IN THE SNOWS OF THE CHOSIN, AND ON THE STREETS OF HUE CITY. YOUR GENERATION BEARS THIS OBLIGATION NOW, AND IT IS BORNE ON MIGHTY AND CAPABLE SHOULDERS. JUST LIKE THE MARINES AT BELLEAU WOOD – WE ARE ONCE AGAIN ENGAGED IN SUSTAINED OPERATIONS ASHORE. JUST LIKE AT BELLEAU WOOD – THE MARINES HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE TOUGHEST SECTOR AND HAVE PREVAILED OVER A RESILIENT AND DETERMINED ENEMY – WHO HAS MADE US PAY FOR OUR GAINS. ONCE AGAIN, AS IN ANY STRUGGLE, THE ROAD AHEAD IS FAR FROM CERTAIN, BUT AS MARINES, WE ARE NOT DISSUADED BY THE CHALLENGES OF WAR OR THE TOUGH CONDITIONS OF A WARRIOR’S LIFE. INDEED, WE DON’T JUST ACCEPT OUR DESTINY – WE SHAPE IT. 3. ON OUR 232ND BIRTHDAY, TO EVERY MARINE – THOSE STILL IN UNIFORM AND THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED HONORABLY IN THE PAST – BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO. KNOW THAT YOUR CITIZENSHIP DUES HAVE BEEN PAID IN FULL; YOU ARE PART OF THIS NATION’S ELITE WARRIOR CLASS. CHERISH OUR FAMILIES WHO OFFER MARVELOUS SUPPORT, ABIDING RESOLVE, AND STEADFAST PATIENCE. REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN – THEIR NAMES ARE CHISELED ON THE ROLL CALL OF AMERICA’S HEROES. THOSE WHO HAVE CARRIED THE BATTLE COLORS OF OUR CORPS HAVE FORGED OUR HERITAGE, AND TODAY’S GENERATION OF LEATHERNECKS CHART OUR FUTURE. CARRY THE COLORS WITH PRIDE; CARRY THEM WITH HONOR. 4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARINES! SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS// [...]