We found out that Martin Savage from CNN is embedded with the group of Marines my cousin is fighting with in Iraq. The following dates are links to Martin's behind the scenes reports:
Found at http://www.lapahie.com/Guestbook.cfm
DURING THE IRAQ WAR, AT THE FRONT ... MARTIN SAVAGE OF CNN, EMBEDDED WITH THE IST MARINE BATTALION, WAS TALKING TO FOUR YOUNG MARINES NEAR HIS FOXHOLE THIS MORNING (4-2-03) LIVE ON CNN .. HE HAD BEEN TELLING THE STORY OF HOW WELL THE MARINES HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR AND TAKING CARE OF HIM SINCE THE IRAQ WAR STARTED .. HE WENT ON TO TELL ABOUT THE MANY HARDSHIPS THE MARINES HAD ENDURED SINCE THE WAR BEGAN, AND HOW THEY ALL LOOKED AFTER ONE ANOTHER ..
SAVIDGE TURNED TO THE FOUR MARINES AND SAID HE HAD CLEARED IT WITH THEIR COMMANDERS SO THEY COULD USE HIS VIDEO PHONE TO CALL HOME .. THE 19 YEAR OLD MARINE NEXT TO HIM ASKED MARTIN IF HE WOULD ALLOW HIS PLATOON SERGEANT TO USE HIS CALL TO CALL HIS PREGNANT WIFE BACK HOME WHOM HE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO IN THREE MONTHS .. A STUNNED SAVIDGE, WHO WAS VISIBLY MOVED BY THIS REQUEST SHOOK HIS HEAD YES, AND THE YOUNG MARINE RAN OFF TO GET HIS SERGEANT ..
SAVIDGE THEN RECOVERED AFTER A FEW SECONDS AND TURNED BACK TO THE THREE YOUNG MARINES STILL SITTING WITH HIM AND AND ASKED WHICH ONE OF THEM WOULD LIKE TO CALL HOME FIRST .. THE YOUNG MARINE SITTING NEXT TO HIM, WITHOUT A MOMENTS HESITATION, SAID, "SIR, IF IT IS ALL THE SAME TO YOU, WE WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE PARENTS OF A BUDDY OF OURS, LANCE CORPORAL BRIAN BLESSING, OF CEDAR KEY, FLORIDA WHO WAS KILLED 3-23-03 NEAR NASIRIYA TO SEE HOW THEY ARE DOING .. AT THAT, MARTIN SAVIDGE COMPLETELY BROKE DOWN AND WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK .. ALL HE COULD GET OUT BEFORE SIGNING OFF WAS;
"WHERE DO THE MARINES GET YOUNG MEN LIKE THIS?" MAY GOD BLESS OUR MARINES AND THE CORPS ..
SEMPER FIDELIS
PAUL MERRIMAN
F-2-28/5TH MAR DIV ASSO WW2
