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thedrifter
10-21-08, 09:04 AM
10/20/08 02:53PM
Marines to be honored 25 years after Beirut bombing

PORTSMOUTH — Twenty-five years have passed since local Marines lost their lives when their Beirut barracks was bombed by terrorists.

Altogether, 241 Marines died in that bombing on Oct. 23, 1983. Nine of those Marines were from Rhode Island.

The Portsmouth Beirut Marine Memorial Committee is having a 25th memorial service to honor those Marines at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Portsmouth Historical Society, 860 East Main Road.

The public is invited to attend. It will be held indoors and refreshments will be provided following the ceremony.

The U.S. Marine Detachment of the Newport Navy Base will conduct the ceremony. Lt. Col. William F. Mullen III, USMC, a student at the Naval War College, will be the guest speaker. Navy Band Newport will perform and I&I Staff, of Providence, will present the honor guard.

Three of the Marines who died in the bombing were from Aquidneck Island. James Silva and Stephen Spencer were brothers-in-law from Middletown. Thomas Julian was a Portsmouth resident. They and the six other Marines from Rhode Island will be specifically honored at the ceremony.

Ellie