BEIRUT VETERANS OF AMERICA

Its hard to comment about that day, it has become the hardest day for me to get though ever since then. I knew just about every Marine in the Battalion, and alot of them by first name bases, with daily contacts with them on a professional level. The hardest thing for me that day was to watch my brothers die, being helpless, and unable to do anything to help them, I felt useless. To this day, i still feel guilty for surviving. My brothers, rest in peace, you have been in my heart daily and I will never forget.

Any Charlie Company devil dogs out there ?????

Even after 37yrs I'm still angry as -------

I still look at 10/23/83 as unfinished business. I think about it everyday, part of me never left Beirut.

I lost so many good friends, they kicked us in the balls, and we did nothing !!!!!!

Still angry, PSD I guess. I will never forget.

looking for other marines with the 22 mau we need our own ribbon for beirut

Semper Fi Marines, welcome home !!!

I am A Vietnam 1967-1968, and Beirut 1983 Vet..

Our first deployment, which started out as a regular MED CRUISE in '82. Most Port of Calls and training exercises were cancelled due to the crisis in Beirut, so we mainly were off the coast of Lebanon into we were needed as a Peace Keeping Force. I do not remember the exact month that we did go in and help get Arafat, the PLOs, and foreign citizens out of Beirut. It was shortly after the two camps massacres. The last time was in November of '83. Not long after the bombing that we arrived. The unit that I was with were rerouted to Grenada to help with evacuation of the Medical Students that were trapped there, and to help restore order in that Country. It was during that operation that we heard about the bombing in Beirut. Thankfully our mission in Grenada did not last long, so we were able to get back underway, and head toward Beirut. I believe we got there just shortly before Thansgiving. We were pulled out of Beirut toward the end of February of 1984, and remained off coast until we were relieved. I was able to meet Mr. Bob Hope when he came to shore to see us, and also made my First Communion and Confirmation with the Roman Catholic Church off the coast of Beirut that Easter. Those were times that I will never forget, and never forget the friends and Marines, as well as the Corpsmen that we lost. I will always remember helping the Chaplain with the library in Beirut, and some Ports that we did visit briefly. Especially Italy, and Israel. I am very honored to having served with the finest men in the world. God Bless them and their families always. Semper Fi.

Wake island is the only expeditionary medal that has a device. What would it take to get a Beirut device issued for everyones expeditionary medal that was in Beirut? I feel this would help show how important are being in Beirut was

Realy nice, thank you so much for all of this.

hv.inga.peters@versanet.de

I was.there seen the destruction, looking for anyone from support unit motor transport. Freddie brown, Howell,Wilder,Nicolas,Hillman,Ssgt Johnson .or anyone aboard uss el paso ship platoon. I been reading about all the award and metal unit received.The only thing I remember was the combat action ribbon????

Smitty from Dillon SC

Looking for snake, spellman, burgess martin, stirgal, fenton anyone motor t that would have flown in with us into Beirut. Semper Fi Sgt Peabody. I stayed in until my knee went to hell. Now it's my lungs / liver issue drinking water at Camp Lejuene. Asbestos brake jobs. Wondering if any of you have had same issue?

On June 14, 1985 I was returning to the United States onboard TWA-847 when it was taken over by members of Hezbolla. During the take over all American service members were singled out. We became the focus to get the point across to have there demands met. During the ordeal SW2 Robert Stethem was savagely beaten and killed. Myself and other team mates were separated from the rest of the passengers and taken as prisoners by the Amal Militia. We were confined in the gut of Beruit for our remaining time. Each day was a struggle to wonder if we would live or die. Our captors needed us as bargaining chips but we full well knew that they would take pleasure in killing us. They expressed that sytament routinely. After 17 days of confinement we were eventually brought to a place where the remaining passengers were grouped and we were turned over to the International Red Cross and then taken to Damascus Syria where a USAF C-141 was waiting to take us to Wiesbaden Germany for medical treatment and debriefing with FBI, CIA, and other government official. We were repatriated on July2,1985. Independence Day brought about a whole new meaning. I keep in touch with my teammates and have visited Arlington several times to visit Bobby Stethem. Right behind his grave is a marble monument commemorating the bombing of the Marine barracks. There is also a Cedar of Lebanon planter ther as well. I will never forget that our war on terror started way back then over 30 years ago in a little known county of Lebanon. God rest your souls my brothers and sisters who have paid so much.