Assistant commandant to speak at Beirut anniversary observance
October 22, 2011 7:41 AM
HOPE HODGE - DAILY NEWS STAFF
<!-- Video goes here -->For the 28th anniversary of the terrorist bombings in Beirut that killed more than 220 peacekeeping troops from Camp Lejeune’s 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, the fallen will be commemorated by a future generation from the same unit.
Though 1/8 had been forward deployed for the last several anniversaries of the Beirut attacks, this year 28 troops from the unit will honor their fallen brothers-in-arms during the ceremony on Sunday at the Jacksonville Beirut memorial.
Because of this, ceremony organizer Fernando Schiefelbein opted to make a few changes to the traditional memorial observance.
“We decided, let’s lay three wreaths vice the traditional two,” he said. “The reason being, that we wanted 1/8 to lay a wreath for their Marines.”
In keeping with tradition, Jacksonville Mayor Sammy Phillips and the event guest speaker will lay one wreath at the base of the memorial wall; Camp Lejeune and New River commanders Cols. Daniel Lecce and Jeffrey Hewlett will lay another; and this year, 1/8 commander Lt. Col. Kevin Trimble and unit senior enlisted Marine Sgt. Maj. Steven Rice will lay the third.
The ceremony, which draws large crowds every year from around the country, will also have a special guest speaker this year: the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Joseph Dunford, who will be addressing the gathering at the memorial for the first time.
“Gen. Dunford is very enthusiastic,” Schiefelbein said.
On Friday morning, ceremony participants gathered at the memorial for a rehearsal of the ceremony, from the ushering of special guests and family members to their seats to the crisp march-on of the colors.
Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Bain, company gunnery sergeant for Alpha Company, 1/ 8, said the Marines participating had all volunteered to be a part of the event.
Even though many of the troops in the unit were not old enough to remember the grief and tragedy that surrounded Oct. 23, 1983, Bain said the history and significance of the events were taught to each new generation of troops.
“Especially during this time of year we reiterate it with the Marines,” he said. “If you walk around the battalion command post you’ll see pictures of the past and actual pictures of the bombing itself. It’s very important for us to remember a significant event that took place within the battalion; you’re part of history and tradition.”
Lance Cpl. Johnathan Dalton, an usher for the event, said he took his role seriously.
“Anything dealing with the families is sensitive,” he said. “They had the ultimate sacrifice: They lost somebody in their family. They have to live with it every day.”
Dalton said he volunteered to participate in the ceremony to give back to the community, as well as to honor his fallen brothers.
“We do a lot of things in-country, but we don’t to a lot of things in-garrison to help out,” he said. “This will be something to help.”
The official Beirut memorial ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. at the Jacksonville Memorial Gardens. A private candlelight vigil for the families of the fallen will be held at 6 a.m. at the memorial, and the Marine Corps League will conduct another ceremony aboard Camp Geiger at 4 p.m.
In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place in the Trinity United Methodist Church.
Contact military reporter Hope Hodge at 910-219-8453 or hhodge@freedomenc.com.
<!-- googleoff: index -->
