Final salute to 'Fighting Fifth'


Camp Pendleton honors 100 killed in Iraq
By Alex Roth
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
February 16, 2007





HOWARD LIPIN / Union-Tribune
Standing before a giant U.S. flag, Marines at a Camp Pendleton memorial yesterday honored the members of the 5th Regimental Combat Team – Marines, soldiers and sailors from cities and towns across the nation – who died in Iraq in the past year.

CAMP PENDLETON – It took roughly 20 minutes to read the names of the 100 service members from the 5th Regimental Combat Team who died in Iraq the past year. A Marine called out each name in a somber voice, followed each time by the single chime of a giant bell.

Yesterday's memorial service for fallen members of the “Fighting Fifth” was, by Camp Pendleton standards, a fairly large affair. The base usually conducts such services for a battalion rather than an entire combat regiment.

But the commanding officer of the 5th Marines, Col. Larry Nicholson – wounded during a rocket attack in Iraq – wanted to do something a bit bigger, not just for the sake of the fallen but for their loved ones, too.

And so, on an asphalt parade deck the size of a schoolyard playground, several dozen Marines in desert camouflage stood at attention under a cloudless sky, listening to the names of the dead. Under a canopy sat a dozen or so grieving families.

The fallen were from 13 battalions attached to the regiment at one time or another in the past 12 months. They came from large cities such as San Diego, San Antonio and Cincinnati and from small towns in Alabama, Louisiana, Florida and Maryland. Most were Marines, but a few were soldiers and sailors.



HOWARD LIPIN / Union-Tribune
“He was there only 18 days and then he was blown up,” said K'Ann Hines, 51, of Ventura, who went to yesterday's Camp Pendleton memorial to honor her son, Lance Cpl. Joshua Hines, 26, who was killed in Iraq on Oct. 15. Asked how she wanted her son to be remembered, she replied, “By his smile.” Joshua Hines left behind a wife and a 5-month-old son.

As is Marine tradition during such services, each service member's dog tag hung from the pistol grip of a ceremonial rifle. After a Scripture reading, Nicholson addressed the crowd of about 200, explaining that the dead were “part of a warrior culture that few who haven't been in combat can understand.”

At the age of 50, with 27 years of military service, Nicholson told the crowd he finds it “numbing” every time a Marine is killed.

“It's like losing a son,” he said.

“The fact of the matter is Iraq is a better place” because of the efforts of the 5th Marines, he continued, adding that the U.S. military has done much “to improve the lives of the people of this ancient and troubled land.”

The service concluded with another tradition: a three-volley rifle salute and the playing of taps.

Among those who attended were the parents of Lance Cpl. Richard Buerstetta, 20, of Franklin, Tenn., who was killed by an improvised explosive device on Oct. 23, 2006.

Paul Buerstetta, 52, a health care consultant, wept quietly as he described his frustrations with the American public, which he believes has largely tuned out the war.

“I see people laughing and having a good time, and I don't think they understand there's people dying for them,” he said.



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Alex Roth: (619) 542-4558; alex.roth@uniontrib.com

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Yep, I know what Col. Nicholson means, part of me is numbed when I hear about a Marine he is felled. I'm a bit puzzled though because 5th Marines, like just about al Marine regiments, has only 3 battalions, not 13.

What y'all should focus on is what Col. Nicholson said about these Marines; “The fact of the matter is Iraq is a better place” because of the efforts of the 5th Marines, he continued, adding that the U.S. military has done much “to improve the lives of the people of this ancient and troubled land.” To say less is dishonoring those who went to make the world a better place and made the ultimate sacrifice trying to to achieve that.

I thought you would like the article, Marine. Maybe the reporter made a mistake about the number of battalions.

That works if you believe the death, destruction and carnage are an improvement on those peoples lives. Their land wasn’t so troubled until we showed up, at least they had running water, electricity and a working market place, their kids went to school and everyone wasn’t out to kill everyone else. From the 5th marines up to the president they have dismantled and destroyed what used to be a viable nation state, and turned it into the training ground for the next round of youth to go perform jihads activity all over the world.

The dishonor is g bush’s, if you want to accept some his dishonor its up to you, sure is plenty to go around.

I would imagine the scenario you describe is more accurate than the improvement on things that Col. Nicholson talked about.

I just thought Marine would like to see what's happening at Camp Pendleton, although it probably gave him more backup to his idea that this war is defensible -- honorable.

I'm not the one trying to dishonor the people serving eh? 100 died out of one Marine regiment is a lot of died Marines by anyone's standards. I'd also tend to believe what Col Nicholson said too. Why? Because Col. Nicholson was there; Vaughn's just parroting talking points from his handlers so he hasn't any personal knowledge of what's really going on.

His handlers?

No one said anything about dishonoring the people who served. I do not honor the mission. The troops did not choose the mission. They merely try to carry it out.

Maybe this will be the end to the deaths. How sad.

KT

When it come to soldiering under an idiot coward republican president, I have more than enough experience and a whole war more experience than this marine at participating in the fight. I have no handlers only the experience of having gone to war twice, and for that I speak for myself. It is correct that I have no first hand experience in Iraq, yet I have three close relatives who have been to Iraq two or more times who keep me abreast of what is happening on the ground in there. If my claim to fame were to say I’m PTSD because of my horrendous fight in Granada, I would sit quietly and try to learn from those who have actually fought in a war.
And since you brought it up marine, what great first hand knowledge do you have to speak from. Where is all this personal experience coming from that you’re relying on, Granada? Or did you even see Eastwoods movie?

I wonder, what specifically, Col. Nicholson is referring to when he said “The fact of the matter is Iraq is a better place” because of the efforts of the 5th Marines, he continued, adding that the U.S. military has done much “to improve the lives of the people of this ancient and troubled land.”

Is he referring to the removal of Saddam or specific efforts that have made a positive impact on Iraqi society?

Obviously, all members of the American military want to make a positive difference in improving the lives of Iraqis after the fall of Saddam and they are doing their very best to do that. But, even though they are doing their best to actualize that goal, there seems to be a huge disconnect between the"desire" and the "realities" of how Iraqi society has been affected by this war. About 2 million Iraqis ( and counting) have fled the nation, leaving behind most of their personal possessions, using all of their savings to get out of their country. How many Iraqi civilians have died because of this war? 100,000-6000,000 ( and counting) seems to be the accepted range. This war unleashed the civil war that has and will continue to take civilian lives. All troops should be honored for their service, absolutely. But I would like to know the specifics of precisely how this war has "done much to improve the lives of the people of this ancient and troubled land" (other than taking down and executing Saddam). I'm bewildered by that statement.

So you are another one of those fellows who thinks if someone didn't go to Vietnam they haven't seen war, eh Vaughn?

And if you weren't there in Grenada you might just not know what it was like. My problems come from hanging in a parachute harness and watching AAA all around me. Ever felt like you was going to die Vaughn? Ever felt like no matter what you did it was going to the last second you would have life in your body? Ever seen a human body hit by a 12.7mm AAA round? Ever seen a man so scared he pissed his pants and no one thought the worst of him for doing it? Well, I can tell you there are many experiences much more delightful that seeing any of that bub.

Grenada was the first time since before World War 2 that an avowed Communist/Marxist government had been replaced with a pro-Western one. You didn't do that in Vietnam, now did you Vaughn? Grenada was America's first military victory since well before the Vietnam War. That's right Vaughn, we won this one.

IMO service is service.
Fire in Nam and fire in Granada is fire.
All vets have place to comment.
All vets do not agree. Shit, they are American GIs!

If the heros diss me because I was a Rebel, okay.
I won't raise a voice against a brother. Never.

GW, on the other hand...well, let's talk about it.

No gunny, I’m one of those who speaks from a background of having been there done that. My 19 months in Vietnam compares to the time spent on the Granada war in what way? Many of us accumulated more time in firefights that what it took to fight the entire war in Granada. We better have won that one, what we were up against was comparable to what? Time in theater compares to what? The enemy’s strength compared to what? The worst firefight in the whole Granada war lasted how long? What were the numbers of US casualties, and what war does that compare too. Had Granada happened in Los Angeles county, LAPD could have handled it as well as it was handled by your military. Your LA south central precincts get more combat experience than those who lasted, (how long did the Granada war last), well for the whole war.
All this long term war experience went to your head gunny, somehow you want folks to think you’re some sort of hardened combat vet and because of that you are expert in strategy and tactics, and you seem to think this gives you the right to impugn anyone who disagrees or is anti-war. Your over the line with your “You didn't do that in Vietnam, now did you Vaughn”, as if I were Westmoreland and had a say in the matter and as if Granada and Vietnam were similar in any respect.
My ongoing treatment at the VA is where I speak to the more intense issues, privately with my psychiatrist. You ask if I ever felt like I was going to die, my answer is yes and for periods of time that lasted longer than the whole war in Granada. Gunny have you ever been pursued by an overwhelming number of enemy and all you could do is stand and fight or die. Have you ever had to spend a couple of days wearing pieces of your buddies blood and flesh that got blasted onto your fatigues and in your hair and on your skin, and you were several days before you could wash it off, that’s war gunny.
You need to stick to making comments on those things that you are fimilure with and stop with the I’m a hard core combat marine, all of us who are or have been war fighters see right through your lame pro war BS, your not bringing any honor or glory to the magnificent United States Marines, in fact its quite to the contrary.

Well Vaughn, the first fire fight I was in lasted a little better than four hours. Next time you want to get the shit scared out of you try jumping out of a C-130 at between 400 and 500 feet, the first thing you see when the canopy pops is multiple streams of tracers chasing the big lady you just jumped from as she boogies out of the area and realize when she clears out those gunners are going to be looking for something else to shoot at. And you are just hanging there waiting to reach the ground. I spent the first minutes on Grenada convinced my life was over no matter what I did I was convince the next second was going to be my last.

You know what saved us Vaughn as if you cared? Cubans are lousy at positioning AAA batteries. They put them on the top of the hills around that airport which would be great for having an all around field of fire but when we jumped we were so low they couldn't depress their muzzles low enough to shoot us. We still lost a man in that firefight though, one of 19 Americans who died on Grenada. That mans' death was just as tragic as any man's death was in Vietnam so quit cheapening it with your Vietnam war fighter BS.

And the difference between me and you Vaughn is one simple thing. I fight to win and the Marines I served with fight to win; people who don't fight to win end up losing everyday. Know anybody who losses everyday Vaughn?