235 Years Young (The Marines)
We have two sons and both decided to become Marine officers. Being a Marine dad is the most intense mixture of pride and anxiety I can imagine, and in fact you (or at least I) couldn’t imagine it until you actually experience it.
On the one hand, your child has become a legend, because there really is nothing like the Marine Corps (not, as our uneducated president once put it, the Marine “corpse”). Just ask our enemies. During the first battle of Fallujah (2004) an intercepted radio transmission from an al Qaeda terrorist to his commander said it all:
“We are fighting but the Marines keep coming…We are shooting, but the Marines won’t stop.”
I could have told them that the Marines are trained to attack if ambushed. Hell, they’re trained to attack, period.
On the other hand, precisely because they are always attacking, it’s very hard to sleep, or to get your blood pressure anywhere near normal. You know that old saw, there are no atheists in the foxholes? Well it’s true of their parents too. We pray a lot.
But today we celebrate. And we drink beer (the Marines were founded in a bar, and the tradition lives on; beer is served in the Marine Museum down in Quantico, which you should visit).
Happy 235th, guys and gals.
USMC-Born:10 November 1775 at Tun Tavern Philadelphia,Pa.Semper Fi.I wish your sons well.
Once a Marine, always a Marine. Zell Miller, Olly North, and your
sons, Michael, are emblematic of what is the best of the US.
Semper fi, Marines!
Michael: we will add our prayers to your family’s for the safety and well-being of your brave sons. I believe we come from different faith backgrounds, but you still might find this story interesting of St. Michael, the Archangel defending a Marine during the Korean “conflict” (can’t call it a war now, can we?).
Here’s the link, if you like: http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/resources/prayers-for-students/incredible-miracle-us-marine-saved-by-saint-michael.html
Also, as we look for heavenly protection in this world of spiritual darkness, it was Michael who assisted Esther against the Persians, as an advocate of Israel. From wiki: “Michael was active in the time of Esther: ‘The more Haman accused Israel on earth, the more Michael defended Israel in heaven’ ” (Midrash Esther Rabbah iii. 8).
May he assist all our Marines, whether serving, or as our son, as veterans.
thanks simeon. one of my favorite cities in ITaly is Lucca, in part because her patron saint is San Michele Arcangelo, with whom I have a certain bond, heh…he’s all over the place slaying satan.
Semper Fi Micheal!
We raise a glass of good ale to the Ledeen Marines! We are honored to know such fine young Americans as Gabe and Daniel Ledeen.
Aloha, Pete & Slick
and we salute John and his folks.
Michael, I know what you mean. Our oldest son graduates Basic next week at MCRD San Diego.
I already had a grandfather, two uncles and two cousins who served in the USMC, but I didn’t truly have such a sense of investment until my son enlisted. It’s a strange transition going from protecting and caring for a young man, then having him become your protector.
I’ll be adding your boys’ names to my daily prayers.
Semper Fi from another Marine Dad.
ML: The following appears in Evelyn Gordon’s post in Commentary/Contentions. I sincerely wish you would refute it in print.
“…nor are American Jews likely to start volunteering for the military in large numbers…Israel…must start thinking about how to give young (American) Jews some understanding of what combat entails despite the fact that neither they nor their friends are ever likely to serve…”
My circle of military age Jews is limited to my three daughters and their friends but it seems to me a goodly and growing number are either serving directly in the armed forces or as civilians involved with government agencies and private contractors in defense-related work. Several overtly and covertly in hazardous positions.
Ms. Gordon and her friends at Commentary are behind the curve and insulting patriotic young American Jews and their families. Needless to say, more needs to be done and every effort should be made to increase the ranks of those serving.
i don’t know the numbers but anecdotally there are more Jews in the Marine Corps than a few years ago. When our oldest went through Basic School there were very few (2003 I think), and in Iraq his battalion only had a handful. Our youngest went through Basic School five years later and there were a dozen or more. Additionally we know several Washington area Jews with sons in the Corps. Don’t know about the other services. Nor the Intelligence Community, but that’s a whole different subject…
Michael, the Great United States of America must be proud has people such as YOU (Michael Arthur Ledeen). The Great America was proud has had one of the Great Americans (Albert Beveridge), and today she proud has Great sons such as “Michael Ledeen and his sons”.
On this great day, we offer our heartfelt appreciation and tribute to those who have served the values of life and freedom, those who have served the Great America.
All heartfelt appreciation and tribute to the USA armed Forces, in particular to the US Marines for their service and dedication to this Great country. Thank you all veterans, thank you Daniel and Gabriel, and we must never forget the sacrifices of all brave men and women in uniform for his or her service to this Great country. On this Great day, many thanks to every honorable veteran, many thanks to YOU (Michael Arthur Ledeen) and to your efforts in service of the values of life and freedom.
God bless the US Greatness and bless the US Marines.
Jassem Othman, Syrian dissident, rabidly pro-Empire of the USA.
I have never understood why the Marine Corps celebrates its birthday so ostentatiously, while the Army and Navy (which are approximately the same age, if not a bit older) don’t. I assure you that I take a back seat to no one in honoring vets and those serving currently–I’d like to see them all home safe, mission (really) accomplished–but the celebration aspect re the USMC doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. It was a sort of a poor stepchild for the first 150 or so years of its life, until they started studying amphibious warfare in the ’20s and began practicing for the island-hopping campaign that ultimately led them to Iwo Jima and Tarawa.
Anyway, I hope that all service members are safe, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, National Guard, reserves, and yes the USMC too. Hopefully we can get this whole thing over with, and everyone’s son, daughter, etc., can come home safe.
Michael:
Only, bless the Marine Corps and the freedom elsewhere.
We need it here in the next future.
Love the quote, Michael. I can just imagine the look on the face of the jihadi saying it – and of the Americans who overheard it.
And congratulations on your sons, too. Your pride is entirely warranted.
Well, now I know two things about you. I’d previously known you as an insightful, informed writer about the Mideast. Now I also know you were a heckuva parent. Two sons in the Marines!