A little discussed "incident" from the Battle of Haditha...

Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

While you're settling into your style of festivities, I want you to think about these Marines that everyone seems to have forgotten.  Thier story is hardly ever discussed in Marine Corps circles.  Why?  I'm not sure.  Maybe because it hurts too much to talk about, perhaps because it shows the danger of concepts being pushed...either way, we need to remember the good as well as the heartbreaking.

via Wikipedia.

On the morning of August 1, 2005 a six-man Marine sniper unit on the outskirts of Haditha was attacked by a large insurgent force from theAnsar al-Sunna group and in less than 10 minutes was overrun.[2] Five members of the unit were killed. One was missing and was reported to have been seen alive but wounded and being driven through the streets of Haditha.
A few days later a video of the attack was posted on the Internet on which insurgents were seen rushing the Marines. The group’s Web site posted still photographs showing a bloody, badly wounded body wearing Marine camouflage trousers and two hooded gunmen standing in front of several rifles. The insurgents said that they slit the throats of some of the Marines. Masked gunmen had shown up in the Haditha public market that afternoon displaying helmets, flak jackets and other equipment they said was taken from the bodies of the dead Marines. The bodies of five of the Marines were found in one place and the body of the sixth was discovered later a few miles away.

The Marine Corps must not forget the sacrifice that these men made.  We should remember and honor them at every opportunity.

Small units whether conventional or special ops, always run the risk of being found, fixed and destroyed.  In my opinion the risk is too high to enshrine the Company Landing Team or (rumors) Squad Landing Team into the FMF as a replacement for the MEU.

Remember your history....even the painful parts so you don't repeat it.

NOTE:  Read about the battle of Haditha here.   Sadly this is one time when I can't recommend the official USMC history.  I don't know if it's politics, an attempt to protect those that died, or not talking about painful incidents, but the Anthology is almost comically written.  I've never seen so much politically correct drivel in my life.  If you want to read it anyway then click here.