Saturday, January 23, 2010

Welcome home Marines, well done

I, and most everyone else, call this victory - and did so a year ago. The rest is up to the Iraqis. It would not have happened without you.
The last of Camp Lejeune’s Marines in Iraq are on their way home, base officials said.

The command element of II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) are expected to return to Camp Lejeune Monday, according to a press release from II MEF.

The return of II MEF is the first major wave of American forces to leave Iraq as the U.S. begins to withdraw, a process that is scheduled to be complete by the end of next year, according to the release.

Their return also ends the Marine Corps’ seven-year participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After Monday, the only Marine forces in Iraq will be a small logistics element that will complete the turnover to Iraqi security forces and a brigade from the U.S. Army.

18 comments:

DeltaBravo said...

Have we ever had a USMC president?  (I can't think of one off the top of my head.)  If not, it's about damn time!

UltimaRatioRegis said...

He gave similar advice to the Fallujah sheiks, too.  In just those words.  I was in THAT meeting, as a back bencher.  The looks on the faces of these sheiks was priceless.  Important moment, too.  It signaled to the people on the fence in Al Anbar that we would lock horns with the bad guys until it was over.  And we did. 

Congrats to the Marines coming home.  We lost a lot of good ones over there in those seven years.

virgil xenophon said...

That poster should hang on the wall of every USMC recruiting office in the nation!

ewok40k said...

right attitude and BZ for job well done...

MaryR said...

I submitted that quote for our November newsletter for the Naval Institute but they turned me down

Byron Audler said...

Don't know why, I think it's the best motivational poster I've ever seen!

MaryR said...

Me too....though Conway said at my Dad's funeral, "there are sheep and there are wolves, and the wolves always win"

That's pretty good for a Catholic funeral

And my dad said, Don't just beat them, kill them and eat them...I always liked that one too.

Conway and Mattis rule!

AW1 Tim said...

God Bless all those Marines. They did what they were asked to do, then asked what was next, where else can we lend a hand.

That's an ethos they can be proud of, and we as a nation can be greatful for.

11B40 said...

Greetings:

The other Marine quote from Iraq that I love is the one when the Marine pilot told the Iranian air traffic controller who challenged the Marine pilot for being in Iranian airspace and threatened to send up Iranian interceptors, "Send them up," he said, "I'll wait."

Byron Audler said...

The other Mattis story that night was from Fallujah; seems the battle was in full roar, and Mattis was behind a Lance Corporal and a new meat private that was just a bit shook up. The old head looked at the private, and said, "The Marines have been through Belleau Wood, Tarawa, Frozen Chosin, and Khe San...this ain't sh!t!"

Mary Alpha said...

Great Job Marines and Thanks!

Kristen said...

Well done indeed!  11B40, great story.

SCOTTtheBADGER said...

Well Done USMC! As usual, you have exceeded requirements! SEMPER FI!

Dadtomany said...

Well done my brothers!  Semper Fi!  You exceeded expectations and what the beaurocrats would allow you to accomplish and your fellow countrymen await you with applause and love. 

I also second the nomination for Mattis.  I have that poster up as a desktop on one of my comps here at work.  Say what you mean, mean what you say!

Semper Fi
Dadtomany
USMC 86-93
http://dadhasanopinion.blogspot.com/

OnceAMarine said...

<span>
<p><span></span>
</p><p><span>Well done, Marines.  Once again you have proven that success in battle is not a function of how many show up, but who they are.  Semper Fidelis.</span>
</p></span>
<p> 

</p><p> 
</p><p><span></span>
</p><p><span></span>
</p><p><span>"Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have made a difference in the world. Marines don't have that problem." - Ronald Reagan</span>
</p><p><span> </span>
</p><p><span><span><span>You cannot exaggerate about the Marines. They are convinced to the point of arrogance, that they are the most ferocious fighters on earth- and the amusing thing about it is that they are."
- Father Kevin Keaney, 1st MarDiv Chaplain, Korean War</span></span></span>
</p><p><span><span> </span></span>
</p><p><span><span><span>"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank GOD for the United States Marine Corps." - Eleanor Roosevelt, 1945</span></span></span></p>

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