Welcome to all those looking for more letters from Iraq by Major Pain. She has been included in a new book "The Blog of War: Front-Line Dispatches from Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan" compiled by Matthew Currier Burden.
Her complete letters from Iraq are listed in chronological order on this site at the left top.
Enjoy.
Every September, I recall that is more than half a century (62 years) since I landed at Nagasaki with the 2nd Marine Division in the original occupation of Japan following World War II. This time every year, I have watched and listened to the light-hearted "peaceniks" and their light-headed symbolism-without-substance of ringing bells, flying pigeons, floating candles, and sonorous chanting and I recall again that "Peace is not a cause - it is an effect."
In July, 1945, my fellow 8th RCT Marines [I was a BARman] and I returned to Saipan following the successful conclusion of the Battle of Okinawa. We were issued new equipment and replacements joined each outfit in preparation for our coming amphibious assault on the home islands of Japan.
B-29 bombing had leveled the major cities of Japan, including Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama, Yokosuka, and Tokyo.
We were informed we would land three Marine divisions and six Army divisions, perhaps abreast, with large reserves following us in. It was estimated that it would cost half a million casualties to subdue the Japanese homeland.
In August, the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima but the Japanese government refused to surrender. Three days later a second A-bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. The Imperial Japanese government finally surrendered.
Following the 1941 sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, a Japanese admiral said, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant..." Indeed, they had. Not surprisingly, the atomic bomb was produced by a free people functioning in a free environment. Not surprisingly because the creative process is a natural human choice-making process and inventiveness occurs most readily where choice-making opportunities abound. America!
Tamper with a giant, indeed! Tyrants, beware: Free men are nature's pit bulls of Liberty! The Japanese learned the hard way what tyrants of any generation should know: Never start a war with a free people - you never know what they may invent!
As a newly assigned member of a U.S. Marine intelligence section, I had a unique opportunity to visit many major cities of Japan, including Tokyo and Hiroshima, within weeks of their destruction. For a full year I observed the beaches, weapons, and troops we would have assaulted had the A-bombs not been dropped. Yes, it would have been very destructive for all, but especially for the people of Japan.
When we landed in Japan, for what came to be the finest and most humane occupation of a defeated enemy in recorded history, it was with great appreciation, thanksgiving, and praise for the atomic bomb team, including the aircrew of the Enola Gay. A half million American homes had been spared the Gold Star flag, including, I'm sure, my own.
Whenever I hear the apologists expressing guilt and shame for A-bombing and ending the war Japan had started (they ignore the cause-effect relation between Pearl Harbor and Nagasaki), I have noted that neither the effete critics nor the puff-adder politicians are among us in the assault landing-craft or the stinking rice paddies of their suggested alternative, "conventional" warfare. Stammering reluctance is obvious and continuous, but they do love to pontificate about the Rights that others, and the Bomb, have bought and preserved for them.
The vanities of ignorance and camouflaged cowardice abound as license for the assertion of virtuous "rights" purchased by the blood of others - those others who have borne the burden and physical expense of Rights whining apologists so casually and self-righteously claim.
At best, these fakers manifest a profound and cryptic ignorance of causal relations, myopic perception, and dull I.Q. At worst, there is a word and description in The Constitution defining those who love the enemy more than they love their own countrymen and their own posterity. Every Yankee Doodle Dandy knows what that word is.
In 1945, America was the only nation in the world with the Bomb and it behaved responsibly and respectfully. It remained so until two among us betrayed it to the Kremlin. Still, this American weapon system has been the prime deterrent to earth's latest model world- tyranny: Seventy years of Soviet collectivist definition, coercion, and domination of individual human beings.
The message is this: Trust Freedom. Remember, tyrants never learn. The restriction of Freedom is the limitation of human choice, and choice is the fulcrum-point of the creative process in human affairs. As earth's choicemaker, it is our human identity on nature's beautiful blue planet and the natural premise of man's free institutions, environments, and respectful relations with one another. Made in the image of our Creator, free men choose, create, and progress - or die.
Free men should not fear the moon-god-crowd oppressor nor choose any of his ways. Recall with a confident Job and a victorious David, "Know ye not you are in league with the stones of the field?"
Semper Fidelis
Jim Baxter
Sgt. USMC
WW II and Korean War
Job 5:23 Proverbs 3:31 I Samuel 17:40
http://www.choicemaker.net/
Posted by: Jim Baxter | September 12, 2007 at 12:17 PM
Hi there! I really like your blog! Thanks for serving our country!
Posted by: HonorGuardBugler | April 18, 2008 at 07:29 PM
Update concerning SPC. Roy Alan Gray.
I am his older sister.
First, I want to thank every single person who had a hand in saving my brother's life . Each and every one of you were a God send.
At the time of the incident: We had recieved news of his incident but no information or specifics. My parents were informed that it was quite serious and was informed later that the process of stating him as a casualty had already been started.
His best friend was allowed to stay with him throught out the ordeal, even into the flight to Germany. He was a great comfort to my parents upon their arival into Germany and continues to be a very special family friend.
It was and will continue to be a long, tough road for Roy. He is now living in Oklahoma and is Newly Married to a wonderful young lady. She is understanding, loving, and strong enough to give as well as she gets.
Although he doesn't talk too much about anything that happened before he was injured, he has no problem talking about the incident.
He still lives with moderate to severe amounts of pain, depending on how much he has to use his leg. Considering, at one time, he was told that he would never be able to walk again, he is doing incredibley well. He gradually, and somewhat impatiently, went from bed ridden, to wheelchair, to crutches, to cane, and now. . He walks with a moderate limp assisted by a brace from below the knee down. He had severe nerve damage and is unable to hold his foot up. We think that he does wonderful and are greatful to have him with us.
The VA has been wonderful. I have heard horror stories that some of the boys have been going through when they get home, but the representative that had Roy's Case really did a great job for him and he is continually taken care of and provided for. And now so is his wife.
Truely, God Bless all that had a hand in saving by brother's life. I pray that each and every soldier is kept safe. To those who are injured, I pray that you are as fortunate as my brother and God guides the hands, hearts and minds of the people who are caring for you.
Thank You!
Posted by: Mindy Gray | July 25, 2008 at 07:17 PM
This is MAJ PAIN - Now LTC PAIN. Mindy - thank you for the update - I have thought of your brother often and wanted to know what happened. We often spend frantic hours saving a life, caring for a wounded soldier - and we rarely ever find out the ending to the story. Our lives intersect for such a short period of time. While this is several years since your post, I am so greatful to know have this story ended - in such a good way.
Thank you.
Thank you.
LTC Pain. Still army.
Posted by: MAJ Pain | May 21, 2010 at 03:50 PM