I don’t usually post these sorts of things. But there’s an e-mail making the rounds, from a marine in Fallujah, that’s too good not to share. From bank-robbing insurgents to Oprah-watching locals to the “Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province,” this marine has vidvidly, succinctly captured life during wartime — and made it all funny, to boot. Go read, now.
(Big ups: GH)
Subject: A Marine’s Eye-View of Fallujah (Unclassified)
A Marine’s Eye-View of Fallujah
All: I haven’t written very much from Iraq. There’s really not much to write about. More exactly, there’s not much I can write about because practically everything I do, read or hear is classified military information or is depressing to the point that I’d rather just forget about it, never mind write about it. The gaps in between all of that are filled with the pure tedium of daily life in an armed camp. So it’s a bit of a struggle to think of anything to put into a letter that’s worth reading. Worse, this place just consumes you. I work 18–20-hour days, every day. The quest to draw a clear picture of what the insurgents are up to never ends. Problems and frictions crop up faster than solutions. Every challenge demands a response. It’s like this every day. Before I know it, I can’t see straight, because it’s 0400 and I’ve been at work for twenty hours straight, somehow missing dinner again in the process. And once again I haven’t written to anyone. It starts all over again four hours later. It’s not really like Ground Hog Day, it’s more like a level from Dante’s Inferno.
Rather than attempting to sum up the last seven months, I figured I’d just hit the record setting highlights of 2006 in Iraq. These are among the events and experiences I’ll remember best.
Worst Case of Dju Vu — I thought I was familiar with the feeling of dj
vu until I arrived back here in Fallujah in February. The moment I stepped off of the helicopter, just as dawn broke, and saw the camp just as I had left it ten months before — that was djP vu. Kind of unnerving. It was as if I had never left. Same work area, same busted desk, same chair, same computer, same room, same creaky rack, same … everything. Same everything for the next year. It was like entering a parallel universe. Home wasn’t 10,000 miles away, it was a different lifetime.
Most Surreal Moment — Watching Marines arrive at my detention facility and unload a truck load of flex-cuffed midgets. 26 to be exact. I had put the word out earlier in the day to the Marines in Fallujah that we were looking for Bad Guy X, who was described as a midget. Little did I know that Fallujah was home to a small community of midgets, who banded together for support since they were considered as social outcasts. The Marines were anxious to get back to the midget colony to bring in the rest of the midget suspects, but I called off the search, figuring Bad Guy X was long gone on his short legs after seeing his companions rounded up by the giant infidels.
Most Profound Man in Iraq — an unidentified farmer in a fairly remote area who, after being asked by Reconnaissance Marines (searching for Syrians) if he had seen any foreign fighters in the area replied “Yes, you.“
Worst City in al-Anbar Province — Ramadi, hands down. The provincial capital of 400,000 people. Killed over 1,000 insurgents in there since we arrived in February. Every day is a nasty gun battle. They blast us with giant bombs in the road, snipers, mortars and small arms. We blast them with tanks, attack helicopters, artillery, our snipers (much better than theirs), and every weapon that an infantryman can carry. Every day. Incredibly, I rarely see Ramadi in the news. We have as many attacks out here in the west as Baghdad. Yet, Baghdad has 7 million people, we have just 1.2 million. Per capita, al-Anbar province is the most violent place in Iraq by several orders of magnitude. I suppose it was no accident that the Marines were assigned this area in 2003.
Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province — Any Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD Tech). How’d you like a job that required you to defuse bombs in a hole in the middle of the road that very likely are booby-trapped or connected by wire to a bad guy who’s just waiting for you to get close to the bomb before he clicks the detonator? Every day. Sanitation workers in New York City get paid more than these guys. Talk about courage and commitment.
Second Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province — It’s a 20,000 way tie among all the Marines and Soldiers who venture out on the highways and through the towns of al-Anbar every day, not knowing if it will be their last — and for a couple of them, it will be.
Best Piece of U.S. Gear — new, bullet-proof flak jackets. O.K., they weigh 40 lbs and aren’t exactly comfortable in 120 degree heat, but they’ve saved countless lives out here.
Best Piece of Bad Guy Gear — Armor Piercing ammunition that goes right through the new flak jackets and the Marines inside them.
Worst E-Mail Message — “The Walking Blood Bank is Activated. We need blood type A+ stat.” I always head down to the surgical unit as soon as I get these messages, but I never give blood — there’s always about 80 Marines in line, night or day.
Biggest Surprise — Iraqi Police. All local guys. I never figured that we’d get a police force established in the cities in al-Anbar. I estimated that insurgents would kill the first few, scaring off the rest. Well, insurgents did kill the first few, but the cops kept on coming. The insurgents continue to target the police, killing them in their homes and on the streets, but the cops won’t give up. Absolutely incredible tenacity. The insurgents know that the police are far better at finding them than we are. — and they are finding them. Now, if we could just get them out of the habit of beating prisoners to a pulp …
Greatest Vindication — Stocking up on outrageous quantities of Diet Coke from the chow hall in spite of the derision from my men on such hoarding, then having a 122mm rocket blast apart the giant shipping container that held all of the soda for the chow hall. Yep, you can’t buy experience.
Biggest Mystery — How some people can gain weight out here. I’m down to 165 lbs. Who has time to eat?
Second Biggest Mystery — if there’s no atheists in foxholes, then why aren’t there more people at Mass every Sunday?
Favorite Iraqi TV Show — Oprah. I have no idea. They all have satellite TV.
Coolest Insurgent Act — Stealing almost $7 million from the main bank in Ramadi in broad daylight, then, upon exiting, waving to the Marines in the combat outpost right next to the bank, who had no clue of what was going on. The Marines waved back. Too cool.
Most Memorable Scene — In the middle of the night, on a dusty airfield, watching the better part of a battalion of Marines packed up and ready to go home after six months in al-Anbar, the relief etched in their young faces even in the moonlight. Then watching these same Marines exchange glances with a similar number of grunts loaded down with gear file past — their replacements. Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said.
Highest Unit Re-enlistment Rate — Any outfit that has been in Iraq recently. All the danger, all the hardship, all the time away from home, all the horror, all the frustrations with the fight here — all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a ‘Band of Brothers’ who will die for one another. They found what they were looking for when they enlisted out of high school. Man for man, they now have more combat experience than any Marines in the history of our Corps.
Most Surprising Thing I Don’t Miss — Beer. Perhaps being half-stunned by lack of sleep makes up for it.
Worst Smell — Porta-johns in 120 degree heat — and that’s 120 degrees outside of the porta-john.
Highest Temperature — I don’t know exactly, but it was in the porta-johns. Needed to re-hydrate after each trip to the loo.
Biggest Hassle — High-ranking visitors. More disruptive to work than a rocket attack. VIPs demand briefs and “battlefield” tours (we take them to quiet sections of Fallujah, which is plenty scary for them). Our briefs and commentary seem to have no affect on their preconceived notions of what’s going on in Iraq. Their trips allow them to say that they’ve been to Fallujah, which gives them an unfortunate degree of credibility in perpetuating their fantasies about the insurgency here.
Biggest Outrage — Practically anything said by talking heads on TV about the war in Iraq, not that I get to watch much TV. Their thoughts are consistently both grossly simplistic and politically slanted. Biggest offender — Bill O’Reilly — what a buffoon.
Best Intel Work — Finding Jill Carroll’s kidnappers — all of them. I was mighty proud of my guys that day. I figured we’d all get the Christian Science Monitor for free after this, but none have showed up yet. Talk about ingratitude.
Saddest Moment — Having the battalion commander from 1st Battalion, 1st Marines hand me the dog tags of one of my Marines who had just been killed while on a mission with his unit. Hit by a 60mm mortar. Cpl Bachar was a great Marine. I felt crushed for a long time afterward. His picture now hangs at the entrance to the Intelligence Section. We’ll carry it home with us when we leave in February.
Biggest Ass-Chewing — 10 July immediately following a visit by the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Zobai. The Deputy Prime Minister brought along an American security contractor (read mercenary), who told my Commanding General that he was there to act as a mediator between us and the Bad Guys. I immediately told him what I thought of him and his asinine ideas in terms that made clear my disgust and which, unfortunately, are unrepeatable here. I thought my boss was going to have a heart attack. Fortunately, the translator couldn’t figure out the best Arabic words to convey my meaning for the Deputy Prime Minister. Later, the boss had no difficulty in convening his meaning to me in English regarding my Irish temper, even though he agreed with me. At least the guy from the State Department thought it was hilarious. We never saw the mercenary again.
Best Chuck Norris Moment — 13 May. Bad Guys arrived at the government center in the small town of Kubaysah to kidnap the town mayor, since they have a problem with any form of government that does not include regular beheadings and women wearing burqahs. There were seven of them. As they brought the mayor out to put him in a pick-up truck to take him off to be beheaded (on video, as usual), one of the bad Guys put down his machinegun so that he could tie the mayor’s hands. The mayor took the opportunity to pick up the machinegun and drill five of the Bad Guys. The other two ran away. One of the dead Bad Guys was on our top twenty wanted list. Like they say, you can’t fight City Hall.
Worst Sound — That crack-boom off in the distance that means an IED or mine just went off. You just wonder who got it, hoping that it was a near miss rather than a direct hit. Hear it every day.
Second Worst Sound — Our artillery firing without warning. The howitzers are pretty close to where I work. Believe me, outgoing sounds a lot like incoming when our guns are firing right over our heads. They’d about knock the fillings out of your teeth.
Only Thing Better in Iraq Than in the U.S. — Sunsets. Spectacular. It’s from all the dust in the air.
Proudest Moment — It’s a tie every day, watching my Marines produce phenomenal intelligence products that go pretty far in teasing apart Bad Guy operations in al-Anbar. Every night Marines and Soldiers are kicking in doors and grabbing Bad Guys based on intelligence developed by my guys. We rarely lose a Marine during these raids, they are so well-informed of the objective. A bunch of kids right out of high school shouldn’t be able to work so well, but they do.
Happiest Moment — Well, it wasn’t in Iraq. There are no truly happy moments here. It was back in California when I was able to hold my family again while home on leave during July.
Most Common Thought — Home. Always thinking of home, of Kathleen and the kids. Wondering how everyone else is getting along. Regretting that I don’t write more. Yep, always thinking of home.
I hope you all are doing well. If you want to do something for me, kiss a cop, flush a toilet, and drink a beer. I’ll try to write again before too long — I promise.
Semper Fi,
prayers are with you and all your men I dont agree with the politics but i agree with why you fight.I am always in contact with my elected educated idiots rminding them to make damn sure you guys get the best of everything and I as an x navy vet with 3 sons { 1 in the army reserve 1 just out of air force and 1 turning 18 who wants to be a marine sniper will always be there for you guys.I havent been in a restraunt yet where a soldier sailor airmen or marine has bought his own meal and i probably never will.You all are loved admired and worried about 24/7.Keep powder dry and may fair winds and following seas carress your worried brows semper fi from a squid.
I don’t know if its pride or stupidity, but reading your story makes me kind of miss Iraq, probably not Iraq but the Marines that I served with. We lost 48 Marines and Sailors in the Hadithah area. They will never be forgotten.
Semper
Oorah, Sir…thank you for putting this out there! Keep your head down and Semper Fi!
Very good. Loved it. The chuck norris thing is almost hard to believe, but Ill defently take your word on it. God Bless.
Just flushed, will work on the others soon enough. Love U for what you are doing.…
Great Read. Thanks for posting, but could you edit the into to read “Marines” w/ a capital’ M?’ Thanks love the article and everything about this site!
Ooh-rah!
This is the true reality of war! Thanks. We need a lot more of this kind of information here in the states. He’s right about it being another world there, that’s for sure. The tenacity of our brave troops like him and also the Iraqi’s that are resisting the insurgency is amazing. Unlike some of your other readers, I do agree with the politics and the impetus for the war, but it doesn’t cost me much to harbor that opinion. Just a few tax $. Big deal! These guys and their families are the ones paying the real price of this war on terror that I believe is being correctly undertaken, and I sure thank God for them. By presenting themselves as targets to the terrorists in this difficult place they draw the insane, radicals right into their killing fields, thus eliminating them and keeping them out of the States and protecting us. Fortunately they are so well trained and armed that relatively few of them get killed or injured. Losing under 3,000 troops in the past 4 years with all that’s gone on there is an amazing testament to our military’s immense competence, weaponry and fighting ability. But every one that does get killed or injured is certainly one too many and they should be well rewarded! So why don’t you forward this article to Fox News where at least it has a chance of some mention on national news. The people in this country need to be made aware of what’s been written by this man.
Thanx Brother, you and your Marines. God be with you all and your loved ones. May HE bring you all safely home soon. Semper Fi!
Great! I love hearing the inside stuff you don’t hear anywhere else. I can wait till this whole iraq business is over with, but I’m sure it’s not for at least another 4 years.
Mission Accomplished my ass
As a VietVet I can tell you that we got all of this in ‘Nam. Rockets, mines, and hate from the Vietnamese who had had their fill of foreigners. We just didn’t get the good vibes from those back home!
In the immortal words of my Sergeant Major as I checked out to go to Nam, “Keep your head down and your butt up and I’ll see you back here soon!”
This should be required reading for all the politicians who pretend to know what life on the ground in Iraq is like, or who dare to claim that they speak for our Marines or any of our soldiers. Best of luck and stay safe.
Funny e-mail but it illustrates our failure in Iraq. They heard Bad Guy X was a dwarf…so they arrested all the dwarves!!! Don’t know names, don’t know families, relationships, etc… just arrest every dwarf you see. That’s a great way to build positive community relations, ya thihk? Isn’t that the Chicago police attitude as well? It was a black guy. Just arrest all the black guys and the case solves itself. We are doomed!
I like your laconic style — it’s good to read real stuff without it being spun like candy-floss (cotton candy)
Take care, sir. I’m not sure where the line really falls with all the politics and deceptions, but I know that you guys are guys like me. Be careful, be merciful when you have that choice, and be safe.
God Bless all of you brave souls. I am going to attend a retirment party for a friend who had 3 tours in Iraq.WHile I am celebrating his return, I am having sad thoughts about my niece who was just called up.She chose forward medical unit. She wants to help.Don‘t listen to our jerk politicians, history proves their ignorance.
Good read
The Chuck Norris moment has a bigger significance than what was written. If this guy’s fellow countryman would have pick up a weapon and fought back, years ago, we wouldn’t be there now. Anyhow, all of you are the heros in my book.
Great story. Good writing style.
I have always thought that man for man the USA produces the best fighters the world has ever seen.
Danny Deger
http://www.mobbinggonemad.org
“who told my Commanding General that he was there to act as a mediator between us and the Bad Guys. I immediately told him what I thought of him and his asinine ideas in terms that made clear my disgust“
Huh — don’t we want the insurgents to put their weapons down and join the political process? Or would we prefer to have them shooting forever?
“regarding my Irish temper“
Wonder what his ‘Irish temper’ makes of changing from shooting at the IRA to talking to them.
To all the Marines in Iraq and others, don’t listen to the ignorant politicians, who love to run there mouths off, and get nothing done, unbeleivable, it was the same in vietnam.WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU GUYS AND I THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH.
SEMPER FI MARINES
Very well written..I’m USAF Vietnam Vet..Monkey Mountain..served with Marines there and love those guys..You marines are the best..and I for one and my family ( I was lucky and got to come home and have a wonderful family) all know your sacrifice..we need more of your “writen briefs” out to the world, rather than the endless self promotions of the rich limbaughs’ and Orielly’s and other “grab some glory handle” politicians..
Semper fi marine..
Reply to Bob Taylor comment 1626, 27 Sep, I read your comment and saw that you were at Monkey Mountain, (Nui KY in Vietnamese). I was at Camp Black Rock, MACVSOG, Op 36B, (RECON), 1970–1971. I’d like to go back and see if the “Soup Kitchens” are still there. I read that they are building a beautiful Resort area on China Beach. Take Care.
“De Oppresso Liber”
Of the three tasks you’ve assigned I will gladly hoist a cold one and think of you. I’ll flush the toilet in my house and think of you.
I won’t kiss a cop though. I suppose I could kiss my brother, a retired cop, but I’d much rather hug my son who is driving home from Le Jeunne even as I write this. he’s just completed his second tour in anbar and I thank you for the insight into a life he simply will not discuss.
I would not be surprised if he was part of that group that was smiling as they left.
finally, I’m saddened by the self absorbed sourness of some of the comments here. big John and Wembley: it seems to me that your comments speak about the fact that you hold your manhood cheap in the presence of this true warrior.
I am always grateful to those who send us these courageous insights. Having been married to a Vietnam vet, mother to two Marines who served in Iraq during the war, then to Afghanistan, you proud warriors are near and dear to my heart. You remain in my prayers daily and I have nothing but the utmost admiration for your bravery and committment to the cause of freedom. YOU honor the Corps, the nation and may God be with each of you. I hope that you don’t get to see the talking heads and their weasly opinions and the politicians are pathetic, many of them have no clue as to your mission and your accomplishments. Please keep up this hard work until it is complete. Love and Prayers, Proud Mom
Semper Fi Brother. May you and your Marines fight the good fight and come home alive and well.
Rick
K 3/7, 1970 and ’71, D 1/9, 1972.
“I suppose it was no accident that the Marines were assigned this area in 2003.“
In the spirit of the friendly interservice rivalry that you introduce above, I must posit: It is no accident that Ramadi was turned over to an army brigade in 2004 after things turned bad there.
Thanks for your service. Your letter well describes life in Al Anbar.
I found you through my search engine while I was seeking info to understand my young son’s experience in the sandbox. Thank you for your candid expression of the day to day experience. He has only been outside the wire once. I needed some understanding of daily life inside the wire to understand why he sounded so tired and beat on the phone. Just got off from my periodic 15 min call. I agree with the other people who posted. You are a credit to your country and to the Corps.
Your comments have calmed my heart.
DebR Proud Marine Mom of a young PFC. in the sandbox.
I just want to say ‘Thank You’ for all that you and your men are doing for us here at home. Those two words cannot convey all the love, honor, pride, hope & safety that I wish for you & all your men. My Dad fought in WWII & never spoke of it. One of his best friends sent me your letter. May God Bless each and everyone of The Band of Brothers & Sisters.
May you all come home safely and soon!
Mel
I too think this was very well written. While I do not follow the news too much, it is so frustrating to me to try to understand, I do hold you all over there in my heart. I wish you all could be home with your families and not have to be there at all. I was married to a Nam Vet and he to this day holds the experience close to his heart. Thanks to your letter I have a clearer insight as to why. I do not support any war, but my support and admiration for what you do will always be there. May your God bless you in all that you do.
Thanks for all you do! I found this when I was looking for news about Al Anbar Province I have a nephew, Raymee, who is a Marine stationed there. I will share your insights. Thanks agin.
It was with great pride that I read this letter. It makes me even prouder to be a Marine (not currently serving on active duty) than when I was still an 03 mud Marine. If this old grunt wasn’t so humped up from one too many adventure injuries, I’d be over there to carry water if nothing else. I guess we all still want to ride to the sound of the guns to help out our brothers.
I see the Corps is better than ever before. God! What a great bunch of Marines our current crop of DI’s are turning out, and our NCO’s and Officers are leading.
This November 10th., I’ll raise a toast to you all, and say an additional prayer for your safe return home.
Semper Fi, Keep your powder dry and stay off the skyine.
Tracker 3/9
What a great letter. I don’t read the paper or watch the t.v. coverage of the war due to the political slant. I enjoyed reading it from your point of view. God bless you all and may you return home soon.
It was hard for me to read this because I am a Marine wife. My husband is being deployed to Camp Fallujah in two weeks. I pray that he is under the command of a man like the one who wrote this letter. May God grant you the speed and safety to come home to your family as your replacements pack off to continue the fight. Thank you for writing this and giving me a little insight into what my husband will face.
Semper Fi.
I have a friend who is operating out in Al Anbar in Western Iraq and reading this gives me a better idea of what he is actually going through because his emails are vague due to the confidential stuff. Thank you and GOD BLESS all the men and women overseas serving our country ~ My thoughs and prayers are with all of you and your families.
I currently have a 19 year old son serving in the Al Anbar province. He is our only child. I am torn between pride and fear right now. I admire the young men so much. Although I cannot understand their sacrifice I am proud of them for it. The greatest gift they can give us now is to come home safely.
I want wish all of our Military Personnel a safe journey home but especially all U.S.Marines. Having served in South Vietnam(H 2/7&C 1/3) i know how you fell. Hang in there and cover ones back when trouble hits. The majority of the American people are behind you winning this war on terror and please do not listen to the “cut –and run” crowd. Semper Fi Sgt Avalos(C 1/3 & H 2/7)
My son is now with 2nd division, 3/6 Wpns, MAP. thank you so much for giving me a picture of what he is facing. GOD BLESS ALL THE MARINES WHO ARE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY AND THUS, WE THE PEOPLE.
All we need to do is review our history. If we don’t stop them there.…Also glad to hear the Iraqis are tired of the insurgents who want to take their country from them. On behalf of my son, SEMPER FI.
My son is now with 2nd division, 3/6 Wpns, MAP. thank you so much for giving me a picture of what he is facing. GOD BLESS ALL THE MARINES WHO ARE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY AND THUS, WE THE PEOPLE.
All we need to do is review our history. If we don’t stop them there.…Also glad to hear the Iraqis are tired of the insurgents who want to take their country from them. On behalf of my son, SEMPER FI.
I have a 19 year son who is serving as a Marine in the Al-Anbar province. I am so proud of him and the men he serves with. I wish that the “people in charge” cared as much about our Armed Forces serving everywhere in the world as they do about one-upping each other in the media and, where it counts, in making funding decisions that will determine the quality and quantity of basic equipment that our brave service people deserve. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS.
There aren’t many people at Mass because they are all over at the Baptist church meeting.
give it a shot.
You’re too young to remember Bill Maudlin who was a GI and a cartoonist during WW2 … or even the “Sgt Mike” cartoons in Leatherneck during the Vietnam War… but that’s what your vignettes remind me of. I hope you keep them coming, maybe help the rest of us make sense of our war.
My son is serving in the al anbar province.The only thing he writes is “don’t worry mom I’m fine”…like I’m not going to worry!Thank you for sharing the day to day life of our Marines.May the Lord bless them and their families while they serve our country so bravely.
Oorah Marine! Thank you for fighting the Good Fight! My nephew is a Marine in Iraq. He and all of you are in my heart and prayer’s every day. Keep your head low, gun high and all of you take care of you for us! God Speed Marine, wishing you a safe and speedy journey home to your loved ones!
I pray that you will stay strong and always be aware of your surroundings. Destroy the enemy and stay focused on your mission. I’ve developed such a dislike for those ’ hogjis’ over there. BE CAREFUL.
Include GOD in all that you do and he will see you through. Thank you for your Loyalty, Courage and Dedication. God Bless you and all of our brothers and sisters who are over there away from there homes and families.
I’m trying to learn. Thanks for everything.
M.
All the respect for those who believes in something and they are fighting for their causes.
_______
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