John you inspired me and many others to do what we had to for our fallen Brothers, now I must count you among them and my heart is breaking. I never saw you face to face but I believe I knew your soul, we shared a moment in history and lived with the pain of that time.
I remember the nights on AOL talking about keeping it together and a tear comes to my eye but I know now that you are free and there will be no more nightmares for you.
Those of us left behind will take care of your family the best we can, be at peace John and bask in the light of everlasting love you have earned it, nothing can take that away from you.
You did not want to be called a hero or anyones inspiration but you were and you still are.
Fair winds and Following Seas My Brother.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Monday, November 06, 2006
Beirut The Untold Story Part 1
After 23 years of doing nothing about what happened in Beirut on
October 23rd 1983 I will now stand up and shout to all that will listen.
I was Navy onboard the USS Portland LSD-37, the morning the bomb
went off I was standing on the Signalbridge about 1.5 miles away. The
blast was so loud we thought we had taken a direct hit. Which would not
have been extraordinary due to the amount of rocket fire and radar shine
we received on a daily basis.
When we realized we were ok I looked to the beach and saw smoke
rising from near the airport, at that point I felt my stomach turn. I couldnt
see what had been hit but it was big.
October 23rd 1983 I will now stand up and shout to all that will listen.
I was Navy onboard the USS Portland LSD-37, the morning the bomb
went off I was standing on the Signalbridge about 1.5 miles away. The
blast was so loud we thought we had taken a direct hit. Which would not
have been extraordinary due to the amount of rocket fire and radar shine
we received on a daily basis.
When we realized we were ok I looked to the beach and saw smoke
rising from near the airport, at that point I felt my stomach turn. I couldnt
see what had been hit but it was big.
A few moments later a friend who was monitoring the shore net called
me on the sqawk box and told me that the B/L/T was down and they
were asking for all assistance and all body containers in the area.
Quickly after this I asked to be sent in as part of the recovery detail, I
was told no and a friend SM2 Moore was sent in with the first wave.
After I spent hours sending requests up the chain of command I was sent in and spent the next 4-5 days on the beach.
I have been asked why it was so important for me to go, I dont know except these were my friends and they needed my help.
On day 2 I found a message in the comm shack of the building, it was
only a few feet from the body of a young Marine Officer, who had his .45
drawn and in his hand. This message has been the root of all my
nightmares.
me on the sqawk box and told me that the B/L/T was down and they
were asking for all assistance and all body containers in the area.
Quickly after this I asked to be sent in as part of the recovery detail, I
was told no and a friend SM2 Moore was sent in with the first wave.
After I spent hours sending requests up the chain of command I was sent in and spent the next 4-5 days on the beach.
I have been asked why it was so important for me to go, I dont know except these were my friends and they needed my help.
On day 2 I found a message in the comm shack of the building, it was
only a few feet from the body of a young Marine Officer, who had his .45
drawn and in his hand. This message has been the root of all my
nightmares.
It read:
FM: Sharkey
TO: CINCLANT CINCEUR
SUBJ: Threat
Possible Syrian/Iranian hostilities against the US and other contigents of
the MNF between 10/22 and 10/24
After I found this I did my job and handed it to the officer who was
collecting these messages and it was destroyed. I didnt know that as we
were on our way home that this very message was talked about in front
of congress and it was described as broad and vague in its content.
A year ago after doing more research I also found that a Mossad Agent
had known the make and model of the truck months before were hit, he
was told to pass along a standard warning so they would not lose their
undercover agent inside Hezbollah.
Isreal sold us out to protect a source, the lives of 241 men were lost
because our own government thought this to be vague and not worthy of
preparing for.
Tim Gerahty was the Colonel in charge of the Marines he had asked
many times to move his men, to allowed to be more defensive and was
turned down over and over again. But when Congress met he and his
aides took the fall, like all good Marines they sacrifced themselves for
the Commander in Chief.
Now dont get me wrong, I am a patriot, I am not against the use of our
military but I am against allowing them to be murdered in their sleep.
Regan escalated the war by resupplying the Lebanese Armed Forces
and this was done out of site of the Marines. Operation Rubberwall was
sold to the media as a mass resupply of our Marines when in fact 3/4 of
what was brought in was taken by bought to the Lebanese Naval Base
north of Beirut. I know of this as I was part of the boat crews moving in
11 million rounds of ammo. We did this under the watchful eye of Syrian
Forces on the hill above us and they saw this as us moving into an
aggressive role in the Civil War. They have not liked us since 1958
when 14k of our troops pushed them out of Lebanon, my Father was part of that operation.
Now I guess you all see why I am so passionate about this and will remain so until I leave this planet.
TO: CINCLANT CINCEUR
SUBJ: Threat
Possible Syrian/Iranian hostilities against the US and other contigents of
the MNF between 10/22 and 10/24
After I found this I did my job and handed it to the officer who was
collecting these messages and it was destroyed. I didnt know that as we
were on our way home that this very message was talked about in front
of congress and it was described as broad and vague in its content.
A year ago after doing more research I also found that a Mossad Agent
had known the make and model of the truck months before were hit, he
was told to pass along a standard warning so they would not lose their
undercover agent inside Hezbollah.
Isreal sold us out to protect a source, the lives of 241 men were lost
because our own government thought this to be vague and not worthy of
preparing for.
Tim Gerahty was the Colonel in charge of the Marines he had asked
many times to move his men, to allowed to be more defensive and was
turned down over and over again. But when Congress met he and his
aides took the fall, like all good Marines they sacrifced themselves for
the Commander in Chief.
Now dont get me wrong, I am a patriot, I am not against the use of our
military but I am against allowing them to be murdered in their sleep.
Regan escalated the war by resupplying the Lebanese Armed Forces
and this was done out of site of the Marines. Operation Rubberwall was
sold to the media as a mass resupply of our Marines when in fact 3/4 of
what was brought in was taken by bought to the Lebanese Naval Base
north of Beirut. I know of this as I was part of the boat crews moving in
11 million rounds of ammo. We did this under the watchful eye of Syrian
Forces on the hill above us and they saw this as us moving into an
aggressive role in the Civil War. They have not liked us since 1958
when 14k of our troops pushed them out of Lebanon, my Father was part of that operation.
Now I guess you all see why I am so passionate about this and will remain so until I leave this planet.
Because of Iraq?
I am 
watching these ads on my television and Wesley Clark is telling me that we have terror problems because of Iraq? SO it is because we invaded Iraq that we have to deal with issues of terrorists? Not because they attacked us along time ago and have continued to attack us every time our paths cross? So I guess then I need to be angry at the Iraqi people and not the ones who drive trucks laden with bombs or fly airplanes into our buildings. 
So Wesley Clark is this why you retired? Maybe your ability to identify a threat was diminished.
I can still identify a threat and the biggest threat to our security are lies like these.
Wake up America and don't buy into lies like the ones being sold by people who want to use this war as a political tool when it is a life and death situation everyday for 125k of our finest.
watching these ads on my television and Wesley Clark is telling me that we have terror problems because of Iraq? SO it is because we invaded Iraq that we have to deal with issues of terrorists? Not because they attacked us along time ago and have continued to attack us every time our paths cross? So I guess then I need to be angry at the Iraqi people and not the ones who drive trucks laden with bombs or fly airplanes into our buildings. 
So Wesley Clark is this why you retired? Maybe your ability to identify a threat was diminished.
I can still identify a threat and the biggest threat to our security are lies like these.
Wake up America and don't buy into lies like the ones being sold by people who want to use this war as a political tool when it is a life and death situation everyday for 125k of our finest.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Hezbollah
I sit and watch as Americans, Europeans and others condemn Israel for defending their border against the very same group that drove a truck into the B/L/T HQ in Beirut in 1983 killing 241 American Servicemen. The act then was the worst terror attack against this country but then we did nothing to stop this young under funded and under armed group of murderers. Today Israel faces these same murderers better armed and well funded and yet the world screams out that Israel and the U.S. must stop the bloodshed of innocents.
Why isn't Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Hezbollah called upon to stop their attacks on Israeli women and children? If Lebanon had not allowed Hezbollah to hold the south of their country in essence an region taken and held by force. If Syria had not been part of the supply line of monies and weapons to Hezbollah and Iran hadn't funded this group of Anti-American and Anti-Israeli terrorists then we would not be at this crossroads today.
So I ask those who blame Israel and the U.S. to think for themselves and stop being a tool of terrorism, put down the signs, stop shouting about innocents lives being lost and turn your energy toward stopping the real culprits, Islamic Fascism.
I said right after 9-11 that the next terror attack would come in the form of civil protests that would be aimed at tearing this country apart from the inside. I said they would use our laws against us, the Constitution is now their main weapon. I am saddened by the use of this sacred document to destroy the country and people I and many others fought to defend.
If you are one of those who are shouting hate speech at Israel or the U.S. just remember with the right to free speech comes great responsibility, the speech can not be used to do harm, in was guaranteed to us for expression and to bring to the attention of others injustice, not to proclaim that self defense is a crime or to print signs thanking God for IED's or Dead Soldiers.
I see these signs and I want to do harm to these people but that is also wrong and I feel ashamed of my own feelings.
Instead of disrupting the funeral of an American Hero try sending a package to these men and women filled with love from those they defend. How would any of you feel if at your Fathers funeral a group gathered to thank God he had died? You would fill with rage and then the very fabric that is America would rip a little more.
The only way to defeat this country is to do it from within. If you are a Christian, Catholic, Jew or Muslim and you call yourselves Americans then you should have only one interest in mind, the protection of this great nation and those who fought for you and your family.
I know that I am just one person and IF anyone from these groups reads this I will be called a conservative war monger but in reality I am a middle of the road who believes in limited use of our military to protect this country and those who can not defend themselves.
Just think about the other person before you condemn them to Hell, as God said, judge not lest you be judged.
Why isn't Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Hezbollah called upon to stop their attacks on Israeli women and children? If Lebanon had not allowed Hezbollah to hold the south of their country in essence an region taken and held by force. If Syria had not been part of the supply line of monies and weapons to Hezbollah and Iran hadn't funded this group of Anti-American and Anti-Israeli terrorists then we would not be at this crossroads today.
So I ask those who blame Israel and the U.S. to think for themselves and stop being a tool of terrorism, put down the signs, stop shouting about innocents lives being lost and turn your energy toward stopping the real culprits, Islamic Fascism.
I said right after 9-11 that the next terror attack would come in the form of civil protests that would be aimed at tearing this country apart from the inside. I said they would use our laws against us, the Constitution is now their main weapon. I am saddened by the use of this sacred document to destroy the country and people I and many others fought to defend.
If you are one of those who are shouting hate speech at Israel or the U.S. just remember with the right to free speech comes great responsibility, the speech can not be used to do harm, in was guaranteed to us for expression and to bring to the attention of others injustice, not to proclaim that self defense is a crime or to print signs thanking God for IED's or Dead Soldiers.
I see these signs and I want to do harm to these people but that is also wrong and I feel ashamed of my own feelings.
Instead of disrupting the funeral of an American Hero try sending a package to these men and women filled with love from those they defend. How would any of you feel if at your Fathers funeral a group gathered to thank God he had died? You would fill with rage and then the very fabric that is America would rip a little more.
The only way to defeat this country is to do it from within. If you are a Christian, Catholic, Jew or Muslim and you call yourselves Americans then you should have only one interest in mind, the protection of this great nation and those who fought for you and your family.
I know that I am just one person and IF anyone from these groups reads this I will be called a conservative war monger but in reality I am a middle of the road who believes in limited use of our military to protect this country and those who can not defend themselves.
Just think about the other person before you condemn them to Hell, as God said, judge not lest you be judged.
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