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Pat  Smith

Another one you might enjoy reading. Pat

Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 8:15 PM
Subject: 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines in Fallujah as of April 9 2004 (bjm)


> 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines in Fallujah as of April 9 2004
>
> Gentlemen, When you watch the news and read the papers
> remember they only tell one side of the story and that's
> usually the one they want to tell. Here is the Bn Cmdr of
> 2/4 telling it like it is.  The Marine Corps reputation is
> not founded on myth or folk lore but on blood and guts and
> bringing the fight to the enemy..........
>
>     -----Original Message-----
> From: Provencher 1stSgt Robert J
> Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 9:42 AM
>
>    > Subject: Update from Lt Col Kennedy
>   >
>   > Dear Ladies, the last two days have been the hardest two days this
>   > battalion has faced in over 30 years. Within the blink of an eye the
>   > situation went form relatively calm to a raging storm. You've known
>   > that since arriving there has been violence; attacks have been
>   > sporadic and mostly limited to roadside bombs. Your husbands have
>   > become experts at recognizing those threats and neutralizing them
>   > before we are injured. Up to this point the war has been the purview
>   > of corporals and sergeants, and the squad they lead.
>   >
>   > Yesterday the enemy upped the ante.
>   >
>   > Early in the morning we exchanged gunfire with a group of insurgents
>   > without significant loss. As morning progressed, the enemy fed more
>   > men into the fight and we responded with stronger force.
>   > Unfortunately, this led to injuries as our Marines and sailors started
>   > clearing the city block by block. The enemy did not run; they fought
>   > us like soldiers. And we destroyed the enemy like only Marines can. By
>   > the end of the evening the local hospital was so full of their dead
>   > and wounded that they ran out of space to put them. Your husbands were
>   > awesome all night they stayed at the job of securing the streets and
>   > nobody challenged them as the hours wore on. They did not surrender an
>   > inch nor did flinch from the next potential threat.  Previous to
>   > yesterday the terrorist thought that we were soft enough to challenge.
>   > As of tonight the message is loud and clear that the Marines will not
>   > be beaten.
>   >
>   > Today the enemy started all over again, although with far fewer
>   > numbers, only now the rest of the battalion joined the fight. Without
>   > elaborating to much, weapons company and Golf crushed their attackers
>   > with the vengeance of the righteous. They filled up the hospitals
>   > again and we suffered only a few injuries. Echo company dominated the
>   > previous day's battlefield. Fox company patrolled with confidence and
>   > authority; nobody challenged them. Even Headquarters Company manned
>   > their stations and counted far fewer people openly watching us with
>   > disdain. If the enemy is foolish enough to try to take your men again
>   > they will not survive contact. We are here to win.
>   > The news looks grim from back in the States. We did take losses that,
>   > in our hearts, we will always live with. The men we lost were taken
>   > within the very opening minutes of the violence. They could not have
>   > foreseen the treachery of the enemy and they did not suffer. We can
>   > never replace these Marines and Sailors but they will fight on with us
>   > in spirit. We are not feeling sorry for ourselves nor do we fear what
>   > tomorrow will bring. The battalion has lived up to its reputation as
>   > Magnificent Bastards.
>   >
>   > Yesterday made everyone here stronger and wiser; it will be a cold day
>   > in Hell before we are taken for granted again.
>   > Paul Kennedy and Jim Booker