Three hundred service members had been living at the four-story building at the airport in Beirut. There were 1,800 Marines stationed in Beirut at the time. A multi-national force with units from France, Italy and the United Kingdom was also on peacekeeping duty in Lebanon at the same time.
At the same time the Marine barracks was hit, a suicide bomber drove a pickup truck full of explosives and crashed into a building housing French paratroopers. Approximately 58 French soldiers were killed in the attack.
This was the deadliest attack against US Marines since the battle over Iwo Jima in February 1945. The bombing was traced to Hezbollah, a militant and political group that originated in Lebanon in 1982.
https://www.cnn.com/2013/06/13/world/meast/beirut-marine-barracks-bombing-fast-facts/index.html
Peace to the Fallen.
ReplyDeleteThanks for remembering again.
ReplyDeleteWelcome. It's somber, but, needed. There's a WW2 memorial, couple Pearl Harbor Memorials, even the Alamo. There's a wall for the MIA in nam, and a pretty good statue for the nurses if I recall correctly. The Constitution is still floating in Boston to remind us of the revolution and the Barbary coast pirates. We have a military base in Cuba for the Spanish American War... and 9-11, well, it goes without saying we ain't letting that be forgotten. But some small events and situations like the barracks... I do a little thing, and that's about all I can do. The powers that be who didn't assess the damn risks and let those guys die have been sitting around a golf course in their retirement ever since. I doubt they make a peep on this day, or veterans day, or memorial day, etc etc to remember these Marines. That pisses me off and I will not stand by silently
DeleteThank you. I know their families have not forgotten.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, and I hadn't even thought about their families... thank YOU for reminding me of that!
Delete