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Thursday, November 10, 2011

Happy Birthday, my band of brothers

 Happy birthday to all the Marines out there; those who are no longer with us, those who are retired, those who are currently serving and those who will some day serve.  But most especially a great big oooh rah, Semper Fi and a toast with my glass of scotch to those very special Marines who I had the great privilege to know and become friends with, who welcomed me into this very special group with open arms and who I still have a special bond with to this day.  You have some idea, I know, how it feels for me to be one of you but let me just say that feeling resides in a place in my heart and soul that no one else has ever entered.


Now enough of the mushy stuff and back to the scotch, a gentleman's drink offered in friendship and camaraderie, cheers as I share with you this video message from the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

I don't know whether, if you're not a Marine, that brings an ear-to-ear smile coupled with a tear like it does this Marine but I suspect it does.  But there is another feeling that only we feel.  Now, I never served in combat and would never act like I know what it feels like but I do feel like I'm there with them and I "bleed" when they bleed.
One final thing, since I'm reminded of this watching that video and being a proud native of the State of Maine, is to give a toast and an ooh rah to the fine people of Bangor who welcome all those troops, every one of them, when they arrive back home.
I would encourage you to leave the name of a fallen Marine in the comments, like a permanent honor roll.

6 comments:

Pam B said...

Great post Zeb. God bless you and all of your fellow Marines. I see the young Marines around town all of the time--so very young!! And when I do I try to make it a point to thank them for their service. We owe them so much. And their families that they are away from for so long.
So thanks for this post Marine.

Zebster said...

Semper Fi to Dan Corwin who a few of us served with and one of my all time favorite Marines, Ted Williams. RIP Marines

Jim said...

A Happy Birthday to the Corps.

Missing my favorite Marine,my Uncle Basil Heffren. He passed away three years ago this day. Always the proud Marine, he was active in the Marine Corps Association to the end of his days. He was a bear of a man that would rather win you over with a joke than by bending you to his will.

Greg DeBeck said...

Zeb I might not always agree with you politically, Old Friend, but when it comes to love of this great country and the men and women who serve and have sacrificed all, we have a lot in common. We should NEVER forget them, past or present. I'd like to take a minute to remember my father, Charlie DeBeck, who served in the USN at the tail end of WWII on the U.S.S.Fort Marion LSD22, and also his brother, my uncle, Albert "Ike" DeBeck, who also served in the USN during the Korean war. Thank you for this post Zeb, and thank you for your service!

DC Homer said...

Zeb, SEMPER FI! Happy Birthday to you and to all Marines--active, retired, deceased, and the rest of us pogie-bait lovers who only wore the EG&A (do I have to spell it out?) for a short time. My God, my Country, and my Corps--in that order! God bless you all!

Good night, Chesty Puller, you fighting sonofabitch!

OOORAAAH!

George
SGT, USMC
1981-1989

Chris G said...

Wouldn't change a thing, Zeb. Oorah and Semper Fidelis to all my Marine friends, too! Unless you're a part of it, you just don't understand the brotherhood and commaradarie found within the Corps. It's extremely special and impacts you like none other.
George said it right, Good Night, Chesty, Good Night Dan, and Good Night all Devil Dogs, where ever it is you are!