Today, July 11^th, is an important anniversary for me. It was on this date in 1798 that Congress passed legislation creating the United States Marine Corps. From its inception, the U. S. Marine Corps has held a special place in the history of the United States and the battles that shaped our todays and tomorrows forever.

It is said that one who has ever been an active duty Marine is a Marine forever. I know this to be true from my own experiences. You see, being a Marine is unique. Marines represent and live, even die, by the concepts of "Duty. Honor. Country." Those ideals are more than just words to a Marine for as long as he lives. They constitute the fiber and framework, the moral codes, the very essence upon which a Marine functions and even simply lives his life forever after.

Every Marine is trained alike. In other branches of the military, a soldier is assigned an MOS, or Military Occupational Specialty. Many in the other branches of the U. S. military, such as those who were involved in the firefights that resulted in the eventual death of seven and capture of several others, including Private Jessica Lynch of the Army's 507^th Mechanized Support Group held MOS assignments as mechanics, clerks, cooks and support troops. They were rapidly involved in a situation in southern Iraq for which they were only barely, even ill, prepared and we got the debacle now being spun by the Army. That is never the case with the Marines.

Every Marine has a single assigned primary MOS, no matter what their other job may be. They may be cooks, mechanics, and quartermasters, but they are all "riflemen" and "infantrymen" first and foremost. Even a Marine Corp cook or quartermaster holds the same MOS as every other member of the Marine Corps and is both capable of filling in any Marine Corps fighting force in an emergency. Each is trained to react to situations such as that which befell Private Lynch and her platoon. Each is trained to do their job and that of at least one other Marine. That's only part of what sets Marines apart from all other fighting men in our armed forces.

From 1798 until the 1970s, every Marine was also a volunteer, as is now again the case. You had to ask to be admitted to the ranks of that branch of the military, then you had to prove you had the right stuff to be a Marine. It is of such things that the pride of Marines was born. The conscription of Marines ended very quickly with the ending of the Selective Service drafts that fed the cannon-fodder role of U. S. soldiers in South Viet Nam. Strangely to many, even those who became Marines through the draft quickly acclimated themselves to the heritage of the United States Marines. They became members of the very few, the very proud citizens doing their duty.

I have several uncles from both sides of my family who were Marines as was my brother. Some served their wartime assignments in World War II. Another was a member of the Marine force that was surrounded and fought their way free at the Chuson Reservoir in South Korea. For my brother and me, the Theater of Operations that was our own personal Hell on earth was South Viet Nam. I am humbled by the opportunity to have been a part of that elite fighting force that the Marine Corps represents to us and all other fighting men. There is interservice rivalry and competition, to be sure, but all fighting men know and respect the esprit de corps and dedication of our Marine Corps.

Today, I (along with all others who have tasted the bitter taste of service to and for our country, salute and honor the United States Marine Corps. Our generation was spit upon and called names. We were shunned and even set upon by our fellow citizens upon our return from the killing fields of southeast Asia. Our only salvation and shelter from these misdirected assaults and acts of disrespect was ingrianed within our own pride of belonging, being a Marine, and the respect we knew from other members of our armed forces.

We were Marines. It was that simple. What that means to us and other fighting men and women overcame the sorrow we felt and still feel over the betrayal of our young men and women who served with pride and dignity in undertakings often devoid of either at the hands of our own citizens has sustained us every day since that time of Hell turned on its side and established upon this earth.

I left the Marine Corps active duty roster in 1969 because I was no longer physically fit to serve. Despite that, I did not stop being a Marine then. That is an impossiblity for I will forever be a Marine. This past Memorial Day (observed), 26 MAY 2003 was the first time since my return from that human cesspool that an average American citizen said to me, "Welcome home, soldier." Even 34 years after the fact, I was moved to near tears by those simple words that had never been said to me or any of those who served in that madness.

As most of you already know, I am dying and there is little time left for me on this earth. When that time comes for me, I will face it knowing that I was in the company of heroes for a brief time and have earned my place in their ranks. Marines die for their country but only after having lived for it through horrors no man should ever have to face. I am proud that I measured up to their standards and will lay down at last as a proud member of the United States Marines.

If you know a Marine, please take advantage of this day to tell him or her, "Thank you." It's a message long overdue and they will appreciate it.

Not as strong, not as fast and not as capable as I once was, but still a Marine.

Lafcadio T. Lion, U. S. Marine Corps.