The 6th of June in History

By lex, on Thu, June 3, 2004

Milblog readers will find plenty to keep them occupied during the drive to commemorate the Normandy invasions of 60 years ago..

But did you know the date’s other significance in military history? In naval history (keeping in mind that the USMC is a naval force)?

No? Then read on:

Bad Day at Yuma

Posted By lex, on February 23rd, 2012

This sucks:

Seven U.S. Marines were killed when two helicopters collided Wednesday night during training in a remote area of far southeastern Imperial County, near the California-Arizona border. Six were from Camp Pendleton and another was from the Marine air station at Yuma, Ariz.

There were no survivors aboard the aircraft, the Marines said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

The mid-air crash between the AH-1W Cobra and a UH-1Y Huey was reported about 8 p.m. near sand dunes about a mile outside the military’s Yuma Training Range Complex, on federal Bureau of Land Management property.

It’s a dangerous business even in peacetime training, but you never quite grow used to this sort of thing.

Prayers for their families, if you’re the praying sort.

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Mattis to CENTCOM

Posted by lex, on July 9, 2010

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on his nomination * for CENTCOM commander:

“General Mattis … is one of our military’s outstanding combat leaders and strategic thinkers,” Gates said, “bringing in an essential mix of experience, judgment and perspective to this important post.”

Here are a few of the General’s strategic insights.

I’ve always loved the “I didn’t bring artillery” one, myself.

02-05-21 Link gone; no replacement found – Ed.

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Be careful what you wish for

Posted by lex, on February 7, 2008

In Kanduhar, Hamid Karzai’s younger brother knows just what he needs to help combat the Taliban and restore security to his troubled southern Pashtun provinces – US Marines.

He’s fulsome in his praise of American fighters:

Cry “havoc”

Posted by lex, on April 29, 2008

And let slip the hounds of hell **:

U.S. Marines in helicopters and Humvees flooded into a Taliban-held town in southern Afghanistan’s most violent province early Tuesday in the first major American operation in the region in years.

Several hundred Marines pushed into the town of Garmser in predawn light, stretching NATO’s presence into an area littered with poppy fields and classified as Taliban territory.

U.S. commanders say Taliban fighters have been expecting an assault and have been setting up improvised explosive devices in response.

The Corps has been after this mission for over a year, and the 24th MEU is well-blooded after three deployments to Iraq. Of course, their adversaries have been fighting among themselves for nearly 30 years – all the stupid ones are already dead.

“When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” — Oscar Wilde

** 11-20-20 Original link gone; replacement found – Ed.

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Marines

Posted by lex, on March 9, 2008

If you think they look impressive from this angle, imagine what they look like from 90 degrees to port wearing helmets.

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If a 20mm shell falls in the desert

Posted by lex, on February 24, 2008Does the jihadi it lands upon care what the gender was of the gunner that fired it?

A long article in the Washington Post Magazine today about women in combat, and what it all means. Very 1990’s.

Profiled is Marine Captain Katie Horner, AH-1 Super Cobra pilot and veteran of two pumps to Iraq. Asked about whether she felt any remorse at gunning down insurgents who had fired on Marine patrol on the ground, Capt Horner replies:

“My feeling is, they started it. They could have chosen to have gone about their day. But instead they shot at Marines.”

Ooh-rah.

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The needle and the damage done

Posted by lex, on February 14, 2008

Photograph of Media Benjamin escorted by a mountain troll: Free

Photos of patriotic Americans demonstrating in support of the US Marine Corps: Free

Overtime charges the City of Berkeley paid police to keep the two groups separated: $93,000

Proposed legislation requiring the City Council to actually read items submitted by the “Peace and Justice Commission” before voting on them? Priceless.

Peace and Justice commissioners were not happy with the idea.

“It’s like he’s trying to legislate himself to read what’s on his own agenda,” said the commission’s former president, Steven Freedkin.

Well, someone’s got to do it.

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There’s people as call themselves “warriors”

Posted by lex, on February 20, 2008

And then there’s Gunny Sergeant “Spanky” Gibson:

Gunny Gibson lost his entire leg after an Iraqi sniper fired a round through his knee in Ramadi in 2006 – May 16, 2006 – just 19 months ago. He is the first full leg amputee to be returned to the fight – redeployed as an active marine. This Gunny had been in the marines for 18 years – that is who he is. He said all he wanted to do was get back into the fight. He said returning to Iraq was his first step back to feeling like he was a marine again. He runs half marathons with his prosthetic and it was when he swam in a race from Alcatraz and ended up at the feet of General Mattis out in California. As he emerged from the water General Mattis asked him what he could do for him – he said, “Sir, send me back to Iraq.” It was the only way he said that he would feel whole again.

Where do we find such men?

BTW, the link has the Gunny’s email, if anyone wants to render proper honors.

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Hero

Posted by lex, on October 3, 2006

Chris Adlesperger – Someone you should know about: