The mission was clear that day, seek out and destroy the enemy. The sky rained helicopters as the sun rose up from beneath the ocean or so it seemed. The setting was a large village outside of Mogadishu Somalia where rebels were to be hiding. HMM 263 Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron was carrying the Marines that would take the village and swept for rebels and weapons.

Hundreds of soldiers stormed the village the Somali's faces were in Awh of the speed at which we landed and began the search.

Our mission that was so clear changed in an instant when we realized the Intelligence report was wrong. No rebels, no weapons, just men, women and children trying to stay alive in a nation of disaster, in a nation of despair and little hope. Our mission was hope, and humanitarian. Our mission was to provide hope even if just for a day. Our mission was to feed and comfort them. Marines that are trained as some of the best soldiers in the world are that way because they are all heart. Heart is what separates men from monsters.

My grandfather was an IWO JIMA survivor, my father a retired Marine, and I who fought in Desert Storm and Somalia joined for one reason, to help those who could not help themselves. When people ask me what I think of the war today I say h you ever saved someones life, have you ever freed someone from a dictatorship, have you ever changed someones life from living in fear to not having to. If you have you have probably served in the military. When asked if we should leave I say I joined not for the president, not for people, but for my country and what we stand for, freedom to us and the fight for freedom for those who can not fight for themselves. Having the power to help and doing nothing is worse than not having it.
The only way for evil to prevail in this world is for the Good men and women to stand by and do nothing.

I fought for the children,there hope,there future, I fought for them like they were my own, like I would pray for someone to fight for mine, if I could not.

Its not perfect solution but until we have one, lets change as many lives as we can.

Former US Marine

Learn more about this author, Martin Clark.
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