1st Marine Div General's Message to all hands

[noklue3]

Found on the web:

Quote:
MARCH 2003
1st Marine Division (REIN)
Commanding General's Message to All Hands

For decades, Saddam Hussein has tortured, imprisoned, raped and
murdered the Iraqi people; invaded neighboring coutnries without
provocation; and threatened the world with weapons of mass destruction.
The time has come to end his reign of terror. On your young shoulders rest
the hopes of mankind.

When I give you the word, together we will cross the Line of
Departure, close with those forces that choose to fight, and destroy them.
Our fight is not with the Iraqi people, nor is it with members of the
Iraqi army who choose to surrender. While we will move swiftly and
aggressively
against those who resist, we will treat all others with decency,
demonstrating chivalry and soldierly compassion for people who have
endured a lifetime under Saddam's oppression.

Chemical attack, treachery, and use of the innocent as human
shields can be expected, as can other unethical tactics. Take it all in
stride. Be
the hunter, not the hunted: never allow your unit to be caught with its
guard down. Use good judgement and act in best interests of our Nation.

You are part of the world's most feared and trusted force. Engage
your brain before you engage your weapon. Share your courage with each
other as we enter the uncertain terrain north of the Line of Departure.
Keep faith in your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead.
Fight with a happy heart and strong spirit.

For the mission's sake, our country's sake, and the sake of the
men who carried the Division's colors in past battles - who fought for life
and never lost their nerve - carry out your mission and keep your honor
clean.
Demonstrate to the world there is "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" than
a U.S. Marine.

J. N. Mattis
Major General, U.S. Marines
Commanding

End Quote

All the best to them and the others....

Art

 

[Blackhawk]

OOO RAH!

 

[general]

"Letter to all Hands:

My dad - USMC -retired, sent me this today....
The United States Marines... You gotta love 'em!

Following letter was received by Marines of the 1st Marine Division from
its Commanding General as they prepares to go back to Iraq -- its speaks
well of the 82d Airborne Division and speaks well of the esprit of
America's Armed Forces --

"Letter to all Hands:

We are going back in to the brawl. We will be relieving the magnificent
Soldiers fighting under the 82nd Airborne Division, whose hard won
successes in the Sunni Triangle have opened opportunities for us to exploit. For the last year, the 82nd Airborne has been operating against
the heart of the enemy's resistance. It's appropriate that we relieve
them.

When it's time to move a piano, Marines don't pick up the piano bench- we
move the piano. So, this is the right place for Marines in this fight,
where we can carry on the legacy of Chesty Puller in the Banana Wars in
the same sort of complex environment that he knew in his early years.
Shoulder to shoulder with our comrades in the Army, Coalition Forces and
maturing Iraqi Security Forces, we are going to destroy the enemy with
precise firepower while diminishing the conditions that create
adversarial relationships between us and the Iraqi people.

This is going to be hard, dangerous work. It is going to require patient,
persistent presence. Using our individual initiative, courage, moral
judgment and battle skills, we will build on the 82nd Airborne's
victories.

Our country is counting on us even as our enemies watch and calculate,
hoping that America does not have warriors strong enough to withstand
discomfort and danger. You, my fine young men, are going to prove the
enemy wrong - dead wrong. You will demonstrate the same noncompromising spirit that has always caused the enemy to fear America's Marines.

The enemy will try to manipulate you into hating all Iraqis. Do not allow
he enemy that victory. With strong discipline, solid faith, unwavering
alertness, and undiminished chivalry to the innocent, we will carry out
this mission. Remember, I have added, "First, do no harm" to our
passwords of "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy." Keep your honor clean as we gain information about the enemy from the Iraqi people. Then, armed
with that information and working in conjunction with fledging Iraqi
Security Forces, we will move precisely against the enemy elements and
crush them without harming the innocent.

This is our test - our Guadalcanal, our Chosin Reservoir, our Hue City.
Fight with a happy heart and keep faith in your comrades and your unit.
We must be under no illusions about the nature of the enemy and the
dangers that lie ahead. Stay alert, take it all in stride, remain sturdy,
and share your courage with each other and the world. You are going to
write history, my fine young Sailors and Marines, so write it well.

Semper Fidelis

J.M. Mattis Major General U.S. Marines

[Just realized this is my 400th post.. fitting really]

 

[cheygriz]

Semper FI General Mattis!

 

[PATH]

OUTSTANDING!!!

 

[cdbeaver]

If that letter was really written by the First Marine Division commander, then that is one gentleman I would follow anywhere . . . and I really dislike marines.

 

[Al Norris]

cdbeaver wrote:
If that letter was really written by the First Marine Division commander, then that is one gentleman I would follow anywhere . . . and I really dislike marines.

"No Better Friend....

....No Worse Enemy"

[1st MarDiv Slogan]

OOO RAH!

 

[mountainclmbr]

Wonderful!!!

If I were to find a magic lantern and get only one wish...I think I would wish that all communists, socialists and various leftists would live for eternity under Saddam Hussein.

 

[BowStreetRunner]

nice letters
BSR