Beirut Remembrance Will Be Held Oct. 23, 2008 in Jacksonville, N.C.

[fontman]

Veterans/Family Groups Remember Fallen Heroes 25 Years Later

Beirut Remembrance Will Be Held Oct. 23, 2008 in Jacksonville, N.C.

Families and fellow service members will honor fallen heroes who were killed
25 years ago on October 23, 1983 in Beirut, Lebanon. On that day, a
terrorist truck bomb exploded in a barracks, killing 220 Marines, 18 sailors
and 3 soldiers and injuring many others.

Thousands will attend the 25th Remembrance October 23, 2008 near Camp
Lejeune, in Jacksonville, N.C., home of the Beirut Memorial. The memorial
includes a wall with the names of American service men killed during the
multinational 'peacekeeping' mission in Beirut, Lebanon from 1982-84 and
during the Grenada humanitarian rescue mission in October 1983. In all, 273
gave their lives in the name of freedom and peace there between 1982-84 and
many others were injured, some permanently.

The city of Jacksonville, N.C. and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune have
facilitated the Remembrance each year since 1984.

The Remembrance also honors the service of those who participated 50 years
ago during a similar 1958 Beirut operation.

At the time of the 1983 bombing, it was the most serious terrorist act
against Americans ever experienced, and a precursor of what was to come.
Parallels have been drawn between it and the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. Some of the same
terrorists were involved in both.

The 1,000-member Beirut Veterans of America is a veteran's group formed in
1992 to ensure that the service men killed in Beirut are always remembered.
The Beirut Connection is a group of families who joined together soon after
the bombing to mourn their deceased men in Beirut and have stayed together
since. 2 (Beirut Veterans)

The 25th Remembrance will feature a candlelight vigil at the Memorial at 6
a.m. on October 23rd, where all the names on the wall will be read aloud.

'Reading their names aloud ensures that these men are remembered for their
courage and their sacrifice,' says Bob Jordan, a retired Marine Corps major
and the founding president of the BVA. This sentiment echoes the BVA motto,
'The First Duty is to Remember.' 'For just that brief moment, they walk
again among us,' said Jordan.

At 10:30 a.m. on the 23rd, there will be a special ceremony held at the
Memorial, featuring guest speakers, military band music and attended by
hundreds of family and fellow service members.

President Ronald Reagan first sent U.S. military services to Beirut in
1982 to assist in the evacuation of 600 civilians from 2 dozen countries out
of Beirut when political unrest made the area unsafe.
Later, U.S. Marines helped see to the safe evacuation of Yassar Arafat and
his 15,000-man PLO army from Beirut.

Marines were called in again as part of a multi-national peacekeeping force
to try and keep the peace while Lebanon's government had a chance to reform
after the assassination of President Bashir Gemayel.
Meanwhile, President Reagan authorized a successful military intervention to
rescue American students threatened by a communist regime in Grenada. The
unit that was on ships heading to Beirut to relieve the Marine unit
decimated by the bombing was diverted to carry out the Grenada mission.

The Beirut deployment started quietly, but gradually hostilities among the
many warring factions in Beirut drew the Marines into increasing levels of
involvement. The hostilities peaked with the truck bombing and continued
until President Reagan withdrew the forces in February 1984.

U.S. service members had also been sent to Beirut in 1958 on a similar
mission, but one that ended without a similar deadly turn of events as in
the 1982-84 deployment. The 1958 deployment is credited with delaying the
Lebanese civil war for almost two decades.

Those interested in more information or photos about the U.S. in Beirut can
go to the official BVA website at www.beirutveterans.org


Ellie

Beirut tribute

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=K8gpZh...eature=related


Ellie

24th MAU They Came In Peace: 1983 Marine Barracks Bombing

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5xp1gHzDRMk


Ellie

25th Beirut Bombing Observance Ceremony
Public Affairs
Marine Corps Base

An observance ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the Beirut bombing is scheduled to be held at the Beirut Memorial located in the Camp Lejeune Memorial Gardens Oct. 23 at 10:30 a.m.

The special ceremony will feature guest speakers, wreath presentations and a time of remembrance for families, friends and fellow Marines to honor the fallen service members and survivors who served in Lebanon from 1958 to 1984 and in Grenada.

Gen. James T. Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, is scheduled to deliver the Beirut memorial address.

The general public is welcome to attend and parking for this event will be at the Veteran’s Cemetery across the street from the memorial.

The Marine Corps League is also scheduled to hold a wreath laying ceremony at the Beirut Marker at Camp Geiger later that day at 2 p.m.

There will also be a private Candlelight Service for Beirut Veterans and family members at 6 a.m. at the Beirut memorial.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place in the Trinity United Methodist Church.