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I received the following in an email written by a former Marine on June 14, 2008, a day when the United States Marine Corps lost four of their finest. With his permission, I am sharing what he said.
He wrote it to a group of Marine Moms.
Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas - Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever
In
Memory
All four Marines died
June 14, 2008
while supporting combat
operations in
Farah Province, Afghanistan.
2nd Battalion, 7th Marines,
1st Marine Division,
I Marine Expeditionary Force,
Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Sgt. Michael Toussiant-Hyle Washington, 20,
of Tacoma, Wash.
Pfc. Dawid Pietrek, 24,
of Bensenville, Ill.
Lance Cpl. Layton Bradly Crass, 22,
of Richmond, In.
Pfc. Michael Robert Patton, 19,
of Fenton, Mo.
November 12, 2006
I am a Marine training to go to war to fight for that civilian who knows not what I'm fighting for
I will fight not for my freedom i will fight not for my flag i will fight so that my children may enjoy the freedom that i have
My family tells me that im not ready that i know not whats in store but blood and guts and sweat and tears are things that i adore
Please fear none for my safety or for the things that i shall see for i would give my life with pleasure to ensure that you are free
But do not think of me a hero or worthy of your fame for i fight along side thousands of my brothers who would
gladly do the same
And each one of them would answer when asked why they do the things they
do that they fight for those who cant for everyone of you
But do not give to us your pity for that is not which
what we ask just realize that you are the reason for which we do our task
And i challenge to you realize next time
you look up at that flag that it still stands for freedom because of those who are willing to give all that they have
~Andrew
Whitacre
Capt. Eric Daniel Terhune, 34,
of Lexington, Kentucky
died June 19, 2008
while conducting combat operations
in Farah Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to
2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division,
I Marine Expeditionary Force,
Twentynine Palms, Calif.
In Memory
. Lance Corporal Andrew F. Whitacre, 21,
of Bryant, Indiana
died June 19, 2008
while conductng combat operations
in Farah Provence,
Afghanistan.
2nd Battalion, 7th Marines,
1st Marine Division,
I Marine Expeditionary Force,
Twentynine Palms, California
In Memory
Hospitalman Dustin Kelby Burnett, 19,
of Fort Mohave, Arizona,
was assigned to
First Marine Division Detachment, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
He died June 20
while conducting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan.
Sgt. Matthew E. Mendoza, 24,
of San Antonio, Texas,
died June 20, 2008
while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to
2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment,
1st Marine Division,
I Marine Expeditionary Force,
Twentynine Palms, Calif.
In Memory
In Memory
Pfc. Ivan I. Wilson, 22,
of Clearlake, Calif., died July 21
while supporting combat operations
in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
He
was assigned to the
2nd Battalion, 7th Marines,
1st Marine Division,
I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
In Memory
My Brothers, Your Sons...
If you have a loved one who was with 2/7 during ths deployment and would like him to be remembered here,
please email Jane a
picture of him along with the DoD notice, if you have it, and she will be honored to include him.
Pictures of the Fallen are from
the web. Words are the property of the authors.
Thank you for your help with this, 2/7 Marine!
you do not know who we are, you only know of an image.