Dear Ladies, the last two days have been the hardest two days this

battalion has faced in over 30 years. Within the blink of an eye the

situation went form relatively calm to a raging storm. You've known

that

since arriving there has been violence; attacks have been sporadic and

mostly limited to roadside bombs. Your husbands have become experts

at

recognizing those threats and neutralizing them before we are

injured. Up

to this point the war has been the purview of corporals and

sergeants, and

the squad they lead.



Yesterday the enemy upped the ante.



Early in the morning we exchanged gunfire with a group of insurgents

without significant loss. As morning progressed, the enemy fed more

men

into the fight and we responded with stronger force. Unfortunately,

this

led to injuries as our Marines and sailors started clearing the city

block

by block. The enemy did not run; they fought us like soldiers. And

we

destroyed the enemy like only Marines can. By the end of the evening

the

local hospital was so full of their dead and wounded that they ran

out of

space to put them. Your husbands were awesome all night they stayed

at the

job of securing the streets and nobody challenged them as the hours

wore

on. They did not surrender an inch nor did flinch from the next

potential

threat. Previous to yesterday the terrorist thought that we were soft

enough to challenge. As of tonight the message is loud and clear

that the

Marines will not be beaten.



Today the enemy started all over again, although with far fewer

numbers,

only now the rest of the battalion joined the fight. Without

elaborating

too much, weapons company and Golf crushed their attackers with the

vengeance of the righteous. They filled up the hospitals again and we

suffered only a few injuries. Echo company dominated the previous

day's

battlefield. Fox company patrolled with confidence and authority;

nobody

challenged them. Even Headquarters Company manned their stations and

counted far fewer people openly watching us with disdain. If the

enemy is

foolish enough to try to take your men again they will not survive

contact.

We are here to win.



The news looks grim from back in the States. We did take losses

that, in

our hearts, we will always live with. The men we lost were taken

within

the very opening minutes of the violence. They could not have

foreseen the

treachery of the enemy and they did not suffer. We can never replace

these

Marines and Sailors but they will fight on with us in spirit. We are

not

feeling sorry for ourselves nor do we fear what tomorrow will bring.

The

battalion has lived up to its reputation as Magnificent Bastards.



Yesterday made everyone here stronger and wiser; it will be a cold

day in

Hell before we are taken for granted again.



Paul Kennedy and Jim Booker