PFC Perez and PFC Hannon... I remember being at TCP 7 just outside of Fallujah with 2nd Platoon... I heard a large explosion and saw a smoke cloud rising up in the distance several clicks or so away. I didnt know what it was at the time...Later, I learned that you two were manning your platoons checkpoint. You two stopped a vehicle and approached it to conduct your inspection...as you got to the door, you saw it was wired with artillery rounds...you both backed away...but only made it a few steps... Lcpl McLeese... A few days into the invasion of Fallujah, GySgt Bass brought cheesecake from the MEK out to us for the Marine Corps belated birthday. I was just about the eat mine when your squad came back from a patrol. You hoisted yourself up over the courtyard wall that separated our yards...your face was dirty... you asked if there was any cake left. There wasnt. I gave you mine. It was the last time I saw you... The next day, I remember being in the back of my vehicle and hearing your number come over the radio. We didnt know whose number it was, but we soon figured it out. You were the #1 man into that house...you went down, but still were able to warn the others of what else was in that house...they were able to get out before the entire house.....you saved their lives. Cpl Burger... I remember going on my first field op with India 3/1 back in February 2004. You (Lcpl Burger at the time) pulled aside all of the new Marines that had recently been assigned/attached to 2nd Plt. You were not the typical disgruntled Lance Corporal. Instead, you gave us all a pep talk of sorts. You told us how incredible and honorable it was for us to have chosen this path. You began pointing to individual Marines and asking things like, How many of your buddies will ever get to say that they threw a grenade? or How many of yours can say theyve fired a machine gun?. He looked at me and asked, How many other 18 year olds have launched an 83mm high explosive rocket?. You made me feel like I was really doing something uniquely special. I never recall hearing anything ill spoken of you by the Marines you led or anyone else for that matter. Lcpl Perez... I remember your squad mates later recalling that you had been mortally wounded in a house...you shouted to the others that you were bleeding out...that you werent going to make it...the enemy was still in the room with you...then there was the sound of a grenade spoon being sprung free... Lcpl West... I was told that you were the first Marine from your squad to enter the room...they were waiting near the door and pulled you in... ... Lcpl Welke... On the 19th, we were given our first break from the fighting in Fallujah since it began 10 days earlier. You had been badly wounded the day before and evacuated. Our platoon rotated back to the train station on the northern edge of the city. We had a bonfire and GySgt Bass brought us hours-old burgers from the MEKs chow hall. As we stood around the fire eating and talking, word began to make its way around that you didnt make it... Cpl Arellano and Lcpl Dewey... I remember spending many days at that Traffic Control Point outside Haqlaniya. The road into town was long and straight and a Marine could see an approaching car from miles away. As evening approached, traffic tended to slow and the road would be closed at 2000. During your squads rotation at the TCP, you two went out to close the road at 2000. Off in the distance, you saw a lone car making its way towards the position. The driver stopped at the closed gate and pleaded to be let through. You both felt bad that the man had likely driven many miles just to have missed the gate by a minute or two. You agreed to search this one last vehicle and let him pass...I was miles away and felt my room shake... Its almost been 10 years...Rest easy, Raiders. Semper Fi... 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺 If the Army and the Navy Ever look on Heavens scenes They will find the streets are guarded By United States Marines
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 13:02:32 +0000
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