The following was written by my husband in honor of the Marine Corps birthday:
Today November 10, 2004 is the 229th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. I am writing this today because I was an active duty Marine from 3/87 to 3/93. Yes, I was in the first Gulf War. I am often asked if I believe that the deaths of our Marines are worth it. Well, let me put it this way, for 229 years the best of the best have been putting their lives on the line for the administration in office, and for 229 years we have died for the crisis of the time. We as United States Marines understand that that is what we do. Since we were brought into being way back in 1775, in a bar, we have done what needed to be done.
The Marine Corps brothers have done just that since their conception. We may argue and fight amongst ourselves, but we are family. The ones that fought in WW I, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the ones that died on one of the darkest days of the Corps, in a barracks in Lebanon, and all the ones that served from the cooks to the mechanics, are all, as we say, 0311 basic riflemen.
I write this with a sense of guilt that I am not with my brothers on this day while they fight and die in a foreign land once again. I love and respect every Marine that has ever served, because we knew when we signed up that we might be called on to give our lives for the country that we love. I only have one more thing to say and it comes from the bottom of my heart and soul, SEMPER FI.
Semper fi, brother. Always faithful.
Posted by: LargeBill | Thursday, November 11, 2004 at 12:32 AM