Very Touching Story
As most of you know I served in the military and recently received this e-mail from a friend. It wasn't sent directly to me but from a former co-worker who works in Public Affairs for the Marine Corps.
Enjoy!!!
Just wanted to write to you and tell you another story about an experience
we had over here.
As you know, I asked for toys for the Iraqi children over here and several
people (Americans that support us) sent them over by the box. On each
patrol we take through the city, we take as many toys as will fit in our pockets
and hand them out as we can. The kids take the toys and run to show them
off as if they were worth a million bucks. We are as friendly as we can be
to everyone we see, but especially so with the kids. Most of them don't
have any idea what is going on and are completely innocent in all of this.
On one such patrol, our lead security vehicle stopped in the middle of the
street. This is not normal and is very unsafe, so the following vehicles
began to inquire over the radio. The lead vehicle reported a little girl
sitting in the road and said she just would not budge. The command vehicle
told the lead to simply go around her and to be kind as they did. The
street was wide enough to allow this maneuver and so they waved to her as they
drove around.
As the vehicles went around her, I soon saw her sitting there and in her
arms she was clutching a little bear that we had handed her a few patrols
back. Feeling an immediate connection to the girl, I radioed that we were
going to stop. The rest of the convoy paused and I got out to make sure
she was OK. The little girl looked scared and concerned, but there was a
warmth in her eyes toward me. As I knelt down to talk to her, she moved
over and pointed to a mine in the road.
Immediately a cordon was set as the Marine convoy assumed a defensive
posture around the site. The mine was destroyed in place.
It was the heart of an American that sent that toy. It was the heart of an
American that gave that toy to that little girl. It was the heart of an
American that protected that convoy from that mine. Sure, she was a little
Iraqi girl and she had no knowledge of purple mountain's majesty or fruited
plains. It was a heart of acceptance, of tolerance, of peace and grace,
even through the inconveniences of conflict that saved that convoy from
hitting that mine. Those attributes are what keep Americans hearts
beating.
She may have no affiliation at all with the United States, but she knows
what it means to be brave and if we can continue to support her and her new
government, she will know what it is to be free. Isn't that what Americans
are, the free and the brave?
If you sent over a toy or a Marine (US Service member) you took part in
this. You are a reason that Iraq has to believe in a better future. Thank
you so much for supporting us and for supporting our cause over here.
Semper Fi,
Mark
GySgt / USMC
Enjoy!!!
Just wanted to write to you and tell you another story about an experience
we had over here.
As you know, I asked for toys for the Iraqi children over here and several
people (Americans that support us) sent them over by the box. On each
patrol we take through the city, we take as many toys as will fit in our pockets
and hand them out as we can. The kids take the toys and run to show them
off as if they were worth a million bucks. We are as friendly as we can be
to everyone we see, but especially so with the kids. Most of them don't
have any idea what is going on and are completely innocent in all of this.
On one such patrol, our lead security vehicle stopped in the middle of the
street. This is not normal and is very unsafe, so the following vehicles
began to inquire over the radio. The lead vehicle reported a little girl
sitting in the road and said she just would not budge. The command vehicle
told the lead to simply go around her and to be kind as they did. The
street was wide enough to allow this maneuver and so they waved to her as they
drove around.
As the vehicles went around her, I soon saw her sitting there and in her
arms she was clutching a little bear that we had handed her a few patrols
back. Feeling an immediate connection to the girl, I radioed that we were
going to stop. The rest of the convoy paused and I got out to make sure
she was OK. The little girl looked scared and concerned, but there was a
warmth in her eyes toward me. As I knelt down to talk to her, she moved
over and pointed to a mine in the road.
Immediately a cordon was set as the Marine convoy assumed a defensive
posture around the site. The mine was destroyed in place.
It was the heart of an American that sent that toy. It was the heart of an
American that gave that toy to that little girl. It was the heart of an
American that protected that convoy from that mine. Sure, she was a little
Iraqi girl and she had no knowledge of purple mountain's majesty or fruited
plains. It was a heart of acceptance, of tolerance, of peace and grace,
even through the inconveniences of conflict that saved that convoy from
hitting that mine. Those attributes are what keep Americans hearts
beating.
She may have no affiliation at all with the United States, but she knows
what it means to be brave and if we can continue to support her and her new
government, she will know what it is to be free. Isn't that what Americans
are, the free and the brave?
If you sent over a toy or a Marine (US Service member) you took part in
this. You are a reason that Iraq has to believe in a better future. Thank
you so much for supporting us and for supporting our cause over here.
Semper Fi,
Mark
GySgt / USMC
