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Sparrowhawk
07-12-04, 12:15 PM
The thred

Set Loose The Beast of Belleau Wood (http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15674&highlight=wood)


Has had me thinking for the past few days about Marines I served with in Viet Nam, that were true heros, brave Marines in the battle zone and others I have read about or know that continue to do things that honor our Corps and country.

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A Model Marine


The annals of U.S. Marine Corps are filled with tales of pride and honor, of guts and glory of individuals that have been honored by their fellow Marines for the way they lived, fought or died.

They write books about them. Individuals that become legends because of what they did, or said.

Indeed our history is filled with colorful Marines that some of us have known. I‘ve forgotten who it was on this site that next to their profile, in describing themselves wrote that they were an “unrepentant swine.” While I chuckled when I read it, I realized how many Marines that I have known that rise to the standard we all earned and sometimes beyond that because of who they were, or why we called them by the nicknames we chose. “Nasty Nick,” got his name because of his chewing tobacco habit. Tired Aggie, because he was just plain lazy, but we loved to have them at our sides in a battle zone.

A little over a week ago, our local newspaper wrote about a Marine that had been killed in Iraq and this past week I believe it was Ellie that placed that story about Lance Corporal Justin Hunt here on Leatherneck.com.

Here was a Marine that lost over 150 lbs in order to get into the Marines. Here was a Marine that lived an impressive life. He was a hefty kid, a football lineman for his high school, heavy weight wrestler, shot putter, who grew bigger after graduation. But he wanted to join the military service and some recruiters kissed him off as someone who obviously lacked what it took.

Along came Marine Staff Sgt. Zach Delellis who told the young man if he was serious he should get up early every morning and join him for a run. Justin showed up for the challenge and just kept coming back.

From that moment until Justin was killed last week in Iraq, Justin lived an epic. Running on raw determination, he lost over 150 lbs and while it took a year to do it, he was determined and in the end Justin prevailed. He had been in Iraq for only four months when he was killed.

How many of us, would have endured and prevailed and for what? For the honor of serving our country in time of war, Justin served for the purest of intentions of all and in the end not only earned the title but made us proud.

I salute you my brother.
Semper Fi

Cook Barela

Sparrowhawk
07-12-04, 12:52 PM
California Marine killed in Iraq after losing 150 pounds to enlist (http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15663&highlight=hunt)

HardJedi
07-12-04, 05:17 PM
Good story, Cook. And admirable sentiments.

One thing I'm not quite sure about though. You wrote, "how many of us would have endured and prevailed..."

Well, almost ALL of us, I believe. That is what MADE us United States Marines. Not physical strength, not pull-ups, not running speed. HEART, and desire to do something and be a part of something bigger than ourselves, is why I believe most of us JOINED the USMC, anyawy.:marine: