Beirut...

[Hoss68]

In the summer of 1982, at the request of the Lebanese government, the United States agreed to establish a U.S. Military presence in that country to serve as a peacekeeping force in the conflict between warring Muslim and Christian factions. On March 24, 1983, the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit, stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, received orders to Beirut, Lebanon in support of that commitment.

In the early morning of October 23, 1983, the First Battalion, 8th Marines headquarters building was destroyed by a non-Lebanese, terrorist-driven truck laden with explosives. The resulting explosion and the collapse of the building killed 241 Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers. The loss of these brave men stunned the Jacksonville, North Carolina community.

Built through donations, the Beirut Memorial was dedicated October 23, 1986. A statue was added to the Memorial and dedicated October 22, 1988.

There are 273 names and the words “They Came In Peace” engraved on the walls of the Memorial. In addition to the inscribed names of those who died in Beirut and those who have died since of injuries from that blast, there are the names of three Marine pilots from the Jacksonville community that were killed in Grenada. Annually, an observance is held that includes the families of the deceased, military personnel and the civilian community.

The Beirut Memorial is located outside of the gate to the Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools, Camp Johnson, North Carolina.

OCTOBER 23, 1983 - U.S. MARINE CORPS BARRACKS


CPL TERRY W. ABBOTT, USMC
LCPL CLEMON S. ALEXANDER, USMC
PFC JOHN R. ALLMAN, USMC
CPL MOSES J. ARNOLD JR., USMC
PFC CHARLES K. BAILEY, USMC
LCPL NICHOLAS BAKER, USMC
LCPL JOHANSEN BANKS, USMC
LCPL RICHARD E. BARRETT, USMC
HM1 RONNY K. BATES, USN
1STSGT DAVID L. BATTLE, USMC
LCPL JAMES R. BAYNARD, USMC
HN JESSE W. BEAMON, USN
GYSGT ALVIN BELMER, USMC
PFC STEPHEN BLAND, USMC
SGT RICHARD L. BLANKENSHIP, USMC
LCPL JOHN W. BLOCKER, USMC
CAPT JOSEPH J. BOCCIA JR., USMC
CPL LEON BOHANNON JR., USMC
SSGT JOHN R. BOHNET JR., USMC
CPL JOHN J. BONK JR., USMC
LCPL JEFFREY L. BOULOS, USMC
CPL DAVID R. BOUSUM, USMC
1STLT JOHN N. BOYETT, USMC
CPL ANTHONY BROWN, USMC
LCPL DAVID W. BROWN, USMC
LCPL BOBBY S. BUCHANAN JR., USMC
CPL JOHN B. BUCKMASTER, USMC
PFC WILLIAM F. BURLEY, USMC
HN JIMMY R. CAIN, USN
CPL PAUL L. CALLAHAN, USMC
SGT MECOT E. CAMARA, USMC
PFC BRADLEY J. CAMPUS, USMC
LCPL JOHNNIE D. CEASAR, USMC
PFC MARC L. COLE, USMC
SP4 MARCUS A. COLEMAN, USA
PFC JUAN M. COMAS, USMC
SGT ROBERT A. CONLEY, USMC
CPL CHARLES D. COOK, USMC
LCPL CURTIS J. COOPER, USMC
LCPL JOHNNY L. COPELAND, USMC
CPL BERT D. CORCORAN, USMC
LCPL DAVID L. COSNER, USMC
SGT KEVIN P. COULMAN, USMC
LCPL BRETT A. CROFT, USMC
LCPL RICK R. CRUDALE, USMC
LCPL KEVIN P. CUSTARD, USMC
LCPL RUSSELL E. CYZICK, USMC
MAJ ANDREW L. DAVIS, USMC
PFC SIDNEY S. DECKER, USMC
PFC MICHAEL J. DEVLIN, USMC
LCPL THOMAS A. DIBENEDETTO, USMC
PVT NATHANIEL G. DORSEY, USMC
SGTMAJ FREDERICK B. DOUGLASS, USMC
CPL TIMOTHY J. DUNNIGAN, USMC
HN BRYAN L. EARLE, USN
MSGT ROY L. EDWARDS, USMC
HM3 WILLIAM D. ELLIOT JR., USN
LCPL JESSE ELLISON, USMC
PFC DANNY R. ESTES, USMC
PFC SEAN F. ESTLER, USMC
HM3 JAMES E. FAULK, USN
PFC RICHARD A. FLUEGEL, USMC
CPL STEVEN M. FORRESTER, USMC
HM3 WILLIAM B. FOSTER JR., USN
CPL MICHAEL D. FULCHER, USMC
LCPL BENJAMIN E. FULLER, USMC
LCPL MICHAEL S. FULTON, USMC
CPL WILLIAM GAINES JR., USMC
LCPL SEAN R. GALLAGHER, USMC
LCPL DAVID B. GANDER, USMC
LCPL GEORGE M. GANGUR, USMC
SSGT LELAND E. GANN, USMC
LCPL RANDALL J. GARCIA, USMC
SSGT RONALD J. GARCIA, USMC
LCPL DAVID D. GAY, USMC
SSGT HAROLD D. GHUMM, USMC
LCPL WARNER GIBBS JR., USMC
CPL TIMOTHY R. GIBLIN, USMC
ETC MICHAEL W. GORCHINSKI, USN
LCPL RICHARD J. GORDON, USMC
LCPL HAROLD F. GRATTON, USMC
SGT ROBERT B. GREASER, USMC
LCPL DAVIN M. GREEN, USMC
LCPL THOMAS A. HAIRSTON, USMC
SGT FREDDIE HALTIWANGER JR., USMC
LCPL VIRGIL D. HAMILTON, USMC
SGT GILBERT HANTON, USMC
LCPL WILLIAM HART, USMC
CAPT MICHAEL S. HASKELL, USMC
PFC MICHAEL A. HASTINGS, USMC
CAPT PAUL A. HEIN, USMC
LCPL DOUGLAS E. HELD, USMC
PFC MARK A. HELMS, USMC
LCPL FERRANDY D. HENDERSON, USMC
SSGT JOHN HENDRICKSON, USMC
MSGT MATILDE HERNANDEZ JR., USMC
CPL STANLEY G. HESTER, USMC
GYSGT DONALD W. HILDRETH, USMC
SSGT RICHARD H. HOLBERTON, USMC
HM3 ROBERT S. HOLLAND, USN
LCPL BRUCE A. HOLLINGSHEAD, USMC
PFC MELVIN D. HOLMES, USMC
CPL BRUCE L. HOWARD, USMC
LT JOHN R. HUDSON, USN
CPL TERRY L. HUDSON, USMC
LCPL LYNDON J. HUE, USMC
2NDLT MAURICE E. HUKILL, USMC
LCPL EDWARD F. IACOVINO JR., USMC
PFC JOHN J. INGALLS, USMC
WO1 PAUL G. INNOCENZI III, USMC
LCPL JAMES J. JACKOWSKI, USMC
LCPL JEFFREY W. JAMES, USMC
LCPL NATHANIEL W. JENKINS, USMC
HM2 MICHAEL H. JOHNSON, USN
CPL EDWARD A. JOHNSTON, USMC
LCPL STEVEN JONES, USMC
PFC THOMAS A. JULIAN, USMC
HM2 MARION E. KEES, USN
SGT THOMAS C. KEOWN, USMC
GYSGT EDWARD E. KIMM, USMC
LCPL WALTER V. KINGSLEY, USMC
SGT DANIEL S. KLUCK, USA
LCPL JAMES C. KNIPPLE, USMC
LCPL FREAS H. KREISCHER III, USMC
LCPL KEITH J. LAISE, USMC
LCPL THOMAS G. LAMB, USMC
LCPL JAMES J. LANGON IV, USMC
SGT MICHAEL S. LARIVIERE, USMC
CPL STEVEN B. LARIVIERE, USMC
MSGT RICHARD L. LEMNAH, USMC
CPL DAVID A. LEWIS, USMC
SGT VAL S. LEWIS, USMC
CPL JOSEPH R. LIVINGSTON, USMC
LCPL PAUL D. LYON JR., USMC
MAJ JOHN W. MACROGLOU, USMC
CPL SAMUEL MAITLAND, USMC
SSGT CHARLIE R. MARTIN, USMC
PFC JACK L. MARTIN, USMC
CPL DAVID S. MASSA, USMC
SGT MICHAEL R. MASSMAN, USMC
PVT JOSEPH J. MATTACCHIONE, USMC
LCPL JOHN MCCALL, USMC
SGT JAMES E. MCDONOUGH, USMC
LCPL TIMOTHY R. MCMAHON, USMC
LCPL TIMOTHY D. MCNEELY, USMC
HM2 GEORGE N. MCVICKER II, USN
PFC LOUIS MELENDEZ, USMC
SGT RICHARD H. MENKINS II, USMC
CPL MICHAEL D. MERCER, USMC
LCPL RONALD W. MEURER, USMC
HM3 JOSEPH P. MILANO, USN
CPL JOSEPH P. MOORE, USMC
LCPL RICHARD A. MORROW, USMC
LCPL JOHN F. MUFFLER, USMC
CPL ALEX MUNOZ, USMC
CPL HARRY D. MYERS, USMC
1STLT DAVID J. NAIRN, USMC
LCPL LUIS A. NAVA, USMC
CPL JOHN A. OLSON, USMC
PFC ROBERT P. OLSON, USMC
CWO3 RICHARD C. ORTIZ, USMC
PFC JEFFREY B. OWEN, USMC
CPL JOSEPH A. OWENS, USMC
CPL CONNIE RAY PAGE, USMC
LCPL ULYSSES PARKER, USMC
LCPL MARK W. PAYNE, USMC
GYSGT JOHN L. PEARSON, USMC
PFC THOMAS S. PERRON, USMC
SGT JOHN A. PHILLIPS JR., USMC
HMC GEORGE W. PIERCY, USN
1STLT CLYDE W. PLYMEL, USMC
SGT WILLIAM H. POLLARD, USMC
SGT RAFAEL I. POMALESTORRES, USMC
CPL VICTOR M. PREVATT, USMC
PFC JAMES C. PRICE, USMC
SSGT PATRICK K. PRINDEVILLE, USMC
PFC ERIC A. PULLIAM, USMC
HM3 DIOMEDES J. QUIRANTE, USN
LCPL DAVID M. RANDOLPH, USMC
GYSGT CHARLES R. RAY, USMC
PFC RUI A. RELVAS, USMC
PFC TERRENCE L. RICH, USMC
LCPL WARREN RICHARDSON, USMC
SGT JUAN C. RODRIGUEZ, USMC
LCPL LOUIS J. ROTONDO, USMC
LCPL GUILLERMO SANPEDRO JR., USMC
LCPL MICHAEL C. SAULS, USMC
1STLT CHARLES J. SCHNORF, USMC
PFC SCOTT L. SCHULTZ, USMC
CAPT PETER J. SCIALABBA, USMC
CPL GARY R. SCOTT, USMC
CPL RONALD L. SHALLO, USMC
CPL THOMAS A. SHIPP, USMC
LCPL JERRYL D. SHROPSHIRE, USMC
LCPL JAMES F. SILVIA, USMC
LCPL LARRY H. SIMPSON JR., USMC
LCPL STANLEY J. SLIWINSKI, USMC
LCPL KIRK H. SMITH, USMC
SSGT THOMAS G. SMITH, USMC
CAPT VINCENT L. SMITH, USMC
LCPL EDWARD SOARES, USMC
1STLT WILLIAM S. SOMMERHOF, USMC
LCPL MICHAEL C. SPAULDING, USMC
LCPL JOHN W. SPEARING, USMC
LCPL STEPHEN E. SPENCER, USMC
LCPL BILL J. STELPFLUG, USMC
LCPL HORACE R. STEPHENS, USMC
PFC CRAIG S. STOCKTON, USMC
LCPL JEFFREY G. STOKES, USMC
LCPL THOMAS D. STOWE, USMC
LCPL ERIC D. STURGHILL, USMC
LCPL DEVON L. SUNDAR, USMC
LT JAMES F. SURCH JR., USN
CPL DENNIS A THOMPSON, USMC
SSGT THOMAS P. THORSTAD, USMC
PFC STEPHEN D. TINGLEY, USMC
LCPL JOHN J. TISHMACK, USMC
PVT LEX D. TRAHAN, USMC
PFC DONALD H. VALLONE JR., USMC
CPL ERIC R. WALKER, USMC
CPL LEONARD W. WALKER, USMC
CPL ERIC G. WASHINGTON, USMC
CPL OBRIAN WEEKES, USMC
1STSGT TANDY W. WELLS, USMC
LCPL STEVEN B. WENTWORTH, USMC
SGT ALLEN D. WESLEY, USMC
GYSGT LLOYD D. WEST, USMC
SSGT JOHN R. WEYL, USMC
CPL BURTON D. WHERLAND JR., USMC
LCPL DWAYNE W. WIGGLESWORTH, USMC
LCPL RODNEY J. WILLIAMS, USMC
GYSGT SCIPIO WILLIAMS JR., USMC
LCPL JOHNNY A. WILLIAMSON, USMC
CAPT WALTER E. WINT JR., USMC
CAPT WILLIAM E. WINTER, USMC
CPL JOHN E. WOLFE, USMC
1STLT DONALD E. WOOLLETT, USMC
HM3 DAVID E. WORLEY, USN
PFC CRAIG L. WYCHE, USMC
SFC JAMES G. YARBER, USA
SGT JEFFREY D. YOUNG, USMC
1STLT WILLIAM A. ZIMMERMAN, USMC

[SR-25]

Semper Fi! Rest in peace!