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(Posted: Wednesday, May 5, 2003)
My mother received comm from 1st Platoon, 2nd
squad in Iraq!
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I received a very nice letter
5-7-03 from the Marine Squad I adopted, the (2nd
squad, 1st Platoon). The squad leader a sergeant
wrote me a nice letter thanking me. I had sent
a care pkg to them on 3-24-03, and than later
that evening a letter explaining that a care pkg
was on the way, but did not know if they would
get it or even the letter. Because my son Mike
McGehee said that he had found out the Pentagon
was discouraging strangers mailing to the troops.
Well they did receive the letter and said they
would probably get the pkg eventually. He said
they had only received 1st class mail twice, and
would not receive any pkgs until they leave Baghdad.
He said he was 22, married with 2 small children.
His squad consisted of 9 men. Two others in the
squad also added to the letter expressing thanks.
The entire squads hometown states were, New Hampshire,
Georgia, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Washington D.C.,
Idaho, Maine Massachusetts and Texas. I did not
expect a letter knowing that by writing it possibly
could take away some precious time away from resting,
eating and possibly a few winks of desperately
needed sleep. I wish I could acknowledge these
brave men by their names, but I think I would
need to have their permission to put them on this
web page. I was so happy to receive this letter
and know that it also represented that they had
their mail picked up, which also represents that
their loved ones back home also got mail from
them, letting them know they were well and safe.
God bless these brave young men for their many
sacrifices and also their loved ones at home sacrifices.
P.S. I will write to them again,
but will suggest that even though I loved their
letter, while still deployed, maybe in a letter
to one of their loved ones, they can send a message
to me using this web page at www.taskforcegrizzly.org |
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(Posted: Friday, March
21, 2003)
Established comm with 2/7 Marine... ooh-rah!
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Task Force Grizzly - Now there's
a name I haven't heard in quite a while.
Good Morning Gents,
I've been searching the
Net for a few hours now, looking for a unit address
for the Marines of Echo Company 2/7. Yeah
that's right - 2/7. While you guys were
living the good life indoors at Al Jabar, we were
stuck outside with a bunch of dead and rotting
Iraqi corpses. Better them than us, right?
After Desert Storm, I transferred from 2/7 to
3/7 because I was short and 2/7 was pumping to
Oki. I don't remember which company I was
in but the Company Commander was a tall, Captain
from Tennessee or Kentucky and the First Sergeant
was a short, guy from Texas.
I'll send some care packages to the grunts of
Lima 3/7, but I would ultimately like to send
some stuff to Echo 2/7. Do you have any
idea what their address might be or could I simply
change the unit designation on the addresses you
have provided on your website?
Please advise.
One more thing, here's a pic of 2nd PLT, Echo
2/7 in Saudi right before going in to Kuwait:
(It's not the best quality photo, but it brings
back a lot of memories for me.)
Semper Fi,
John D. Ainsworth
IBM Business Consulting Services
777 N. Elderidge Pkwy.
Houston, Texas 77079
281.899.2885, office
281.899.2902, fax
john.d.ainsworth@us.ibm.com |
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(Posted: Tuesday,
March 11, 2003)
More details on the Care Package effort!
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Dear
Friends:
I'm sending you this short (ok, it is not so
short) note to ASK you for your help to send
care packages to my Marines. I say my
Marines because we are sending &/or asking
you to send these care packages to Company L,
3d Bn, 7th Marines. That is the company
that I commanded 12 years ago when we infiltrated
into Kuwait against the Iraqis. We were
on foot and everything we had in the desert
we carried on our backs. Though Desert
Storm was touted as a tech war that Americans
watched the bombs on their TV's, we "grunts"
were living life the way the infantry lives
the life -- the old fashioned way!
In the front line
infantry, there are no showers. You may
go a month without one which means that there
is no such thing as clean underwear! After a
month you may not even be wearing any. That
is why a package of new underwear size 32, 34,
36 are a very nice surprise. Getting a pair
of clean socks -- thick black cushioned soled
socks that are mid calf are great!!!
In the desert
sand, the sand is not like we would normally
think of it. It is more like moon dust
or taking a bag of flour and covering your self
with it. It is so fine that it gets everywhere
and I do mean everywhere. When I see the
pictures of the Marines in the Desert, I can
still taste the sand from 12 years ago. That
is why packages of hand wipes are great! Que-tips,
chap stick/carmex, etc.
Another thing
of importance for the Infantry, is AA batteries.
When they would like to have a moment
to listen to music but have run out of batteries,
then getting a package of AA is like gold!
Getting some real
candy or cookies is also great. Any kind
that look normal (not military MRE'S) and would
remind the Marines of home.
A current magazine:
Newsweek, Time, or Sports Illustrated.
It is a way to see what is going on back
here in the United States. The greatest thing
would be to include a note or two thanking them
for being so far away and willing to risk their
lives for our freedom. Freedom is not
free and these young men are the ones at the
tip of the spear and out in the middle of nowhere,
who will be paying the price.
It is impossible
for me to explain how desolate it is for the
infantry out in the middle of nowhere. The
pictures you see in the media are of the Marines,
soldiers, airmen, and sailors who are back in
the rear and close to the comforts of life --
showers, tents, cots, hot meals, etc. Where
you are sending these packages to the front
line infantry, you would not find any of those
comforts.
The site was put
together recently by a Marine (Mike McGehee)
from my company from 12 years ago. Some
of the pictures are taken after we had spent
a month living in the desert, in holes in the
ground that we dug by hand. These pictures
show us after taking Al Jaber Airfield. As
you can see, it is a dump! But to us it
was simply incredible to be indoors. Whatever
you can do, will be greatly appreciated by the
Marines there.
The company is
about 200 Marines strong! I know that
is too many for you to send something for all
of them; however, it is broken down into smaller
units and I would ask that you decide to support
or adopt a unit of about 13-15 Marines. The
people you work with and you could adopt one
of these units. Below is a good breakdown
for you to decide to support! This is
also the first line of the address to send the
packages.
| 1.
Command Element; |
| 2. 1st
Sqd, 1st Plt; |
| 3. 2nd
Sqd, 1st Plt; |
| 4. 3rd
Sqd, 1st Plt; |
| 5. 1st
Sqd, 2nd Plt; |
| 6. 2nd
Sqd, 2nd Plt; |
| 7. 3rd
Sqd, 2nd Plt; |
| 8. 1st
Sqd, 3rd Plt; |
| 6. 2nd
Sqd, 3rd Plt; |
| 7. 3rd
Sqd, 3rd Plt; |
| 8. MG
Sect, Wpns Plt; |
| 9. Aslt
Sect, Wpns Plt; |
| 10. Mortar
Sect, Wpns Plt. |
Again, these are the small units of the company.
This is the teams where the 18 and 19
year old Marines live together. I know
they would appreciate a package from you saying
thanks and a note telling them you are praying
for them and that you care.
The remaining
part of the address is:
(the unit you
chose above)
Company L,
3rd Battalion, 7th Marines
UIC 39774
FPO AP 96426-977
Somewhere on the outside of the box (not associated
with the address), please write LIGHTNING LIMA.
They will know it is a message from us.
The address above means that you will only be
paying for the cost to ship the package to California
(the military will pay for getting it all the
way to the Marines somewhere in the desert of
Iraq.)
To help us ensure that all the Marines in the
company are getting sponsored/adopted, please
email me & mcgehee@taskforcegrizzly.org
the unit you are supporting and the date you
mailed a package. We will try and post it to
the web page. Please mail as soon as possible.
It will take about 14 days before it gets
there and it will take 14-21 days after that
before they might be able to send back a thank
you.
Again, thank you
for showing your support to these Marines!
Semper fi and
God Bless America!
Ed Conger
(817) 946-4350
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(Posted: Monday, March
10, 2003)
New intel from the sandbox! (Feb. 1991, Marine
Cpl.Hylton was a w/Lima 3/7, 2nd plt. during
Desert Shield/Storm and now he's back there
again)
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Hey , Hows it
going? been here a couple of months now. I spent
some time at Al Jaber, and it hasn't changed
much since we where there 12 years ago. (When
Task Force Grizzly secured it). I saw the control
tower where 2nd platoon stayed for awhile remember
we used to run security patrols out of it, and
that dead cow that was in one of therooms.
Also saw the barracks
that we stayed in, we called it the Hobo Inn,
the platoon used to sit out front around a fire
and remember we had all that SPAM cases upon
cases, we would stick a whole hunk of spam on
our Bayonetts and roast it over the fire. I
can,t think of eating Spam anymore since then.
Most of the bunkers that where bombed are still
in that state bombed.
I am currently
at another position that I can not disclose,
I am running an Rear Area Security Team, and
I have my armory set in place. Things are going
good for being here. The weather is just starting
to warm up but the winds are kicking ass, and
the sand storms are a bitch. MRE's have come
a long way since you where in, you would freak
out.
If you would like
to send me anything, and share this message
and my address with all of those old 3/7 Marines.
Semper Fi,
SSgt Hylton
My Address is
SSgt Thomas Hylton
HQ MACS-1
UIC 41051
FPO AP 96614-1051
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(Posted: Thursday,
March 06, 2003)
Here's the latest intel about 3/7 over in Kuwait
below... when we receive Lima's addresses, I'll
post them ASAP!
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Howdy Marines,
Sorry it has taken me so long to get a good
address for 3/7. I got in touch with a LtCol
there today who had the Admin Chief pass on
the addresses:
Commanding Officer
Company L,
3rd Battalion 7th Marines
UIC 39774
FPO AP 96426-9774
It will take a week to get a letter there and
about 10-14 days for a package. Ya'll know what
they need.
Semper fi,
Ed Conger
(817) 946-4350
EddieConger@hotmail.com
Forwarded Mail received from: Vezina SSgt Martin
L
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(Posted: Saturday,
February 22, 2003)
Marines
of Task Force Grizzly... 12 years ago on a dark
night we crossed into Kuwait... that night we
we're making history.
I am proud of my Marine buddies from 3/7 and
often think of those... that did not come home...
Thank you & Semper Fi!
Mike McGehee
(Lima, 3/7)
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(Posted: Tuesday,
February 18, 2003)
Here's the latest intel about 3/7 over in Kuwait
below... when we receive Lima's addresses, I'll
post them ASAP!
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I did find out that the battalion
made it safely to kuwait and they are in a staging
area living in new 50 man white tents. They are
now getting two hots a day. They have their weapons
and have been to the range to ensure all weapons
fire. I don't know exactly where they are there
but do know that old Al Jaber is one of the big
hubs there in Kuwait! I'll send a couple more
photos. Post as you see fit.
Semper Fi,
Ed Conger
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(Posted: Monday, February
17, 2003)
Ed Conger has been attempting
to make contact with Lima 3/7... so we can send
them care packages...
Thanks Ed! Read below
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To: 37kvn.29palms.usmc.mil@silver.he.net
Subject: ATTN: Key Volunteer Coordinator
From: conger@congerforcongress.com
Ladies,
I'm Eddie Conger and 12 years ago, I commanded
Lima Company 3/7 on our world tour. We had deployed
in May of 1990 for a "normal six month deployment"
and instead we were gone for nearly a year. Lima
3/7 was part of Task Force Grizzly which walked
through the minefields on 24 Feb 91 and attacked
and cleared Al Jaber Airbase in Kuwait on the
26th of Feb 91.
With the recent deployment of Lima 3/7 back to
Kuwait in this time of crises, many of the Marines
and Officers who served with me have contacted
me about sending care packages to the men of Lima.
I have not been successful in getting a good address
to send packages. I would greatly appreciate Lima
Company's address.
Please know that our thoughts and prayers are
with them in the Desert of Kuwait and with each
of you and your children there in 29 Palms.
God Bless each and everyone of you.
Semper fi, Eddie Conger Major, United States Marine
Corps (Ret) |
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(Posted: Thursday,
February 6, 2003)
Brad Kauffman
(2nd. plt., Lima, 3/7) recommended gathering
some care packages for our old company going
to Iraq. I'll post what intel and/or addresses
I receive.
Got this address
from Kauffman! |
Here's
Tom Hylton overseas Address
SSgt Hylton T. M.
HQ MACS 1
UIC 41051
FPO AP 96614 1051 |
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