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thedrifter
07-05-06, 08:02 AM
Wednesday, July 5, 2006
'Third' saluted on the Fourth
Huntington volunteers treat Marines to a thank-you picnic.

By TERI SFORZA
The Orange County Register

Huntington Beach

The scar slices down Gunnery Sgt. Chad Luers' neck, starting behind the right ear and plunging toward his jaw line. Insurgents attacked while he was on patrol, before the push into Fallujah. Suddenly, it was raining artillery shells. Shrapnel smashed into his neck. "It felt like I got hit in the head with a sledgehammer," he said.

Lance Cpl. Derick Lowe has scars of his own. Lowe was wounded twice in Iraq, taking shrapnel in the leg and the back. His easygoing 16-month-old son, Nathan, was named after his easygoing best friend, Nathan Raymond Wood, who died in the battle over Fallujah.

Capt. Art Houghtby's job was to help train Iraqi troops and improve their professionalism. On Oct. 20, he was lucky enough to have access to a phone as his wife, Dakota, went into labor with their first child. "I can't talk to you now," she gasped. "I'm pushing."

War stories were traded at Tuesday's July Fourth barbecue for the Marines of Camp Pendleton's "Thundering Third," attended by about 150 people at the historic Newman House at Beach Boulevard.

It was the work of dozens of volunteers who have "adopted" the Marines – 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines – primarily to ease the strain on families left behind as warriors head to battle. Volunteers have thrown Halloween and Christmas parties, sent care packages to Iraq and welcomed troops home. Tuesday's barbecue was just a way to say "thank you."

The "adoption" phenomenon is popular. Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo have also adopted Marines. San Clemente adopted its Marines a decade ago.

"The people of Huntington Beach have been awesome to us," said Malina Luers, wife of the wounded gunnery sergeant. "We're really so thankful for that."

Less than a year after Luers' injury, their 4-year-old daughter Kaila was diagnosed with leukemia. Malina mustered an unearthly calm as she mastered the drive from Camp Pendleton to the Naval hospital in San Diego; Huntington Beach volunteers gave her gift cards to help pay for gas. "We really needed that," she said.

Camp Pendleton's "Thundering Third" staged the battle for Fallujah and sustained the largest number of casualties and wounded in action of any battalion in Iraq, supporters say. But members of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, are under investigation related to the killings of 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha.

"We support our Marines," said Luers. "If it turns out things did happen over there, they deserve to be punished."

As volunteers served the traditional July Fourth feast, Luers pondered more surgery to remove the shrapnel from his neck and rejoiced over how well his daughter is doing battling leukemia. Houghtby reflected on how much progress the Iraqi military has made and on how cultures can come together in a time of war.

Shortly after Houghtby's son Aki was born, an Iraqi major gave him a gift: a gold baby ring and matching gold necklace. "Common things can bring people together," he said.

CONTACT US: 714-796-6910 or tsforza@ocregister.com.

Ellie