Today in Marine Corps history, 1/8 got hit by suicide bombers in an incident that began over 3 decades of Marine Corps involvement in the mess that is the Middle East.
Read the Wiki article here...
Even better? Check out the official history below (note: if the document below doesn't work on your computer the direct link is here).
The document in the link has an overtype to it and is impossible to read.
ReplyDeletethanks! i'll get the link to it up in a sec.
DeleteThis was the turning point, on Sep 19, 1983 --p. 89:
ReplyDeleteColonel Geraghty recognized that providing U.S. naval gunfire support to the LAF had changed the nature of his mission. The Marines were now considered legitimate targets by anti-government forces. Commenting on this matter in an interview conducted during his return home from Beirut in November 1983, he remarked:
"The firing we did in support of the LAF up at Suq al Gharb, that clearly changed our roles .... It's a milestone, no question about it in my opinion. It moved us from a previous, very careful, razor edge line of neutrality that we were walking, and treating all the Lebanese communities alike.... When we provided support... [to] the Lebanese up in Suq al Gharb, that, to me, moved it to a different category ..."
well thats the problem with any involvement in the ME. no matter what you do, they will find a way to drag you into the mess.
DeleteAbout 10 years ago I went to a USAF award ceremony for some NCO getting a bronze star (boring if you can guess). As it turns out, it was a bronze star with the V device.... the guy got it for rescue efforts he did ...as a Marine....immediately after this bombing.
ReplyDelete