By Nate LaMar | For The Democrat

On this Memorial Day, I would like to especially honor the United States Marine Corps. Marines refer to themselves as “leathernecks.” As an Army veteran, I’m used to referring to Marines as “jarheads!” But all inter-service rivalry and kidding aside, throughout its history the U.S. Marine Corps has had the highest percentage of casualties of any branch of service. For this, I have the utmost respect for Marines. As for Marine officers, regardless of their original basic training, whether it took place as part of a Marine Corps Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, Officer Candidate School (OCS), or at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, once commissioned they must undergo boot camp again with their enlisted troops. For this, I especially respect Marine officers.

A particular Marine Corps officer comes to mind. In 1979, a young man from an Irish Catholic family in Columbus, Indiana enlisted in the Marines. In any branch of service, “mustang” is a term for officers who first served as enlisted. Therefore, upon completing his B.A. in Theology and Philosophy from Loyola University in Chicago in 1981, this man became a “mustang” Marine officer, serving proudly until 1984. But in 1983, his unit was called to serve in Lebanon, which had been in the midst of civil war since 1975, with Sunni Muslims, Shi’ite Muslims, and Christians, all fighting each other. Lebanon’s besieged government asked the international community for help. The United States joined the multinational forces and responded by sending in a Marine Expeditionary Unit. By now, the young man from Columbus was a First Lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines. He was part of their Weapons Company and was among the first to go ashore in Beirut in September 1983.

According to the Department of Defense, on September 14, 1983, U.S. forces provided supporting fires to Lebanese armed forces and the U.S. Marines in Beirut. This led to a temporary ceasefire in the civil war on Sept. 25. In early October the First Lieutenant from Columbus and his unit departed by ship through the Suez Canal. However, the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines stayed behind, in order serve as the Battalion Landing Team for the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit.

In the early morning hours of Oct. 23, 1983, Hezbollah, a terrorist organization founded, trained, and financially supported by Iran, sent an Iranian national on a suicide mission. He drove a truck packed with explosives through the front gate into the barracks where those of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines were sleeping. This terrorist bombing killed 220 Marines, 18 sailors, and 3 soldiers. This was the deadliest day the U.S. Marine Corps had seen since the Battle of Iwo Jima against Japan during World War II.

The Marine First Lieutenant from Columbus, whose unit left Beirut a few days before the bombing, eventually became our Congressman, Greg Pence. In 2020, he introduced House Resolution 1197 to designate October 23 as a National Day of Remembrance of the Marine Corps barracks bombing.

Many of you may think the Global War on Terror began on Sept. 11, 2001. It actually began in 1983. Folks, we have been fighting the Global War on Terror now for 40 years! So on this Memorial Day, let’s especially remember our Marines. After all, per capita, they bear the brunt of more hostile action than any other branch of service.

Nate LaMar, an international manager, also serves as Military Academy Liaison Officer (West Point recruiter) for East Central Indiana, and was Henry County Council President from 2009-2019.