Right Voices

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//

How many of you know who Corporal Jason L. Dunham is?

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

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.

1- 45 of 232 Reasons to Love The Corps

Happy Birthday to the Marines. Gob bless each and everyone of you, past, present and future.

From the Halls of Montezuma,
To the Shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country’s battles
In the air, on land, and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of UNITED STATES MARINES.

Our flag’s unfurled to every breeze,
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far off northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job –
The UNITED STATES MARINES.

Here’s health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we’ve fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By UNITED STATES MARINES.

Please take the time to honor our soldiers on this Veteran’s Day. If not for the bravery of these fine people, we would not have the luxury of living in freedom. God bless our soldiers and God bless the USA!

Check out Bryan’s video…