Nationally Famous Cpl Dan, USMCR

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IF YOU ARE READING MY BLOG FOR THE FIRST TIME, REALIZE THE FIRST ENTRY IS THE MOST RECENT. IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET MORE BACKGROUND, START AT THE BEGINNING, AUGUST 2004 IN THE ARCHIVES (links on right side)

Well??? That might be pushing it a bit... To me he's famous... Dan is an amtrac (amphibious assault vehicle) Crew Chief, and driver in Iraq with the U.S.Marines 4th AA Bn. His unit, from all I can gleem from conversations with Dan on the phone, and he cannot say much... is that his unit goes to a forward operating base for awhile, goes on patrols does their thing for awhile then goes back to the safer base for a rest before starting all over again.

Before Dan was injured, he participated in these patrols with the rest of his crew and platoon... Apparently, one day while on the road, a USMC photographer caught a picture of Dan in his trac... Well, lo and behold, that picture is on the July 2005 issue of Leatherneck Magazine. And Dan is there in the turret...

Dan obviously heard about his infamous photo from someone over there in Iraq and called me one day to let me know... I flipped... I was so excited I did not know what to say... I had to get my hands and eyes on that picture... It's amazing to me that with somewhere in the vicinity of 135,000 troops over there in Iraq, my son's photo is on a leading USMC magazine. WOW... Amazing is more like it... No credit as to his name, exact unit or anything... but it's Dan alright... I know it and he knows it and that's all that matters.... WOW... The picture of the cover of the July issue is below... (that's Dan on the left in the turret)



A VERY PROUD POPPA POINTS TO SON DAN...
EVEN HAD POSTERS MADE OF THE COVER.



I received calls from his unit's "key volunteers" (people who keep in touch with reservists families while they are deployed, and are wonderful people) Mary for one and Kim, (a Gunny Sgt's wife) both called me excited with of news of Dan's unit and Dan's photo on the cover of Leatherneck. The Marine Corps is really family oriented. I think that's terrific. I am just bursting with pride.

I'm hoping to hear from Dan again soon so that I can tell him about the calls and the well wishes from friends and relatives.

In the meantime, word has filtered down that several members of Dan's unit have been injured. Please PRAY for their speedy recovery and for ALL our troops safe and speedy return. Thanks.

More later... thanks for stopping by...