Marines don't forget their fallen brothers
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March 26,2006

To the editor:

This is in response to the article "Lost in History" concerning the battle of An Nasiriyah, Iraq, that appeared in the March 19, 2006, edition of The Daily News.

The author, Richard S. Lowry, stated "These twenty-nine American soldiers and Marines were never given a fitting tribute to the ultimate sacrifice that they made while in the service of their country."

This statement is inaccurate. I personally attended a memorial service for these Marines that was conducted by the 2nd Marine Division at the Camp Lejeune Amphitheatre on July 26, 2003.

During this service, Capt. Allen (USN), Force Chaplain, Marine Forces Atlantic, gave one of the most moving speeches that I can remember in my Marine Corps career.

I attended a second memorial service for these heroes at the Camp Lejeune Protestant Chapel on March 23, 2004, the first anniversary of the battle.

While I cannot speak for the U.S. Army and whether they memorialized their losses from the 507th Maintenance Company that day, I can personally attest to the fact that Marines never forget their brethren who make the ultimate sacrifice.

A prime example is the recent decision to name a new intermediate school aboard Camp Lejeune in honor of Sgt. Michael E. Bitz, who was killed during the battle of An Nasiriyah. This was reported in the March 15, 2006, edition of The Daily News, as was the presentation of his posthumous Silver Star Medal to his mother and his widow in the Sept. 4, 2004, issue of The Daily News.

I have come to expect more in the way of accuracy in reporting, especially when it concerns matters that pertain to our local Marines, from the only newspaper published in the city that proudly calls itself "The Home of Camp Lejeune" than what was demonstrated by Richard Lowry in his article.

Thomas E. Leonard
North Topsail Beach

Editor's note: Richard S. Lowry is a military historian and the author of "The Gulf War Chronicles" and the upcoming "Marines in the Garden of Eden," which is about the battle at An Nasiriyah.

Ellie