Camp Lejeune community commemorates 43rd anniversary of Beirut bombing with memorial observance

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — The annual Beirut Memorial Observance was held at the Beirut Memorial, Lejeune Memorial Gardens today, bringing together leaders from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Marine Corps Air Station New River and the City of Jacksonville to honor the anniversary of the 1983 Beirut Bombing. The annual ceremony honors the fallen service members who served in Lebanon from 1981 to 1984 and in Grenada, especially those killed in the Beirut Bombing Oct. 23, 1983.

The ceremony included remarks by military and community leaders, performances by the 2nd Marine Division Band and the Stallion Chorale from Southwest High School, laying of wreaths, rifle salute and playing of Taps.

Brig. Gen. Andre M. Ingram, commanding general, Marine Corps Installations East-MCB Camp Lejeune, provided the commander’s welcome.

“Although I was too young to fully comprehend the tragedy when it occurred, I have spent my adult life serving in an organization where the memory of the American peacekeepers we lost is passed faithfully from one generation of Marines to the next,” Ingram said. “Those lessons are woven into the very fabric of our Corps. They influence how we train, how we protect our forces and how we understand the profound responsibility of sending young Marines into harm’s way. In that sense, Beirut is not simply part of our history. It is part of who we are.”

Lt. Gen. Robert C. Fulford, commanding general, II Marine Expeditionary Force, delivered the Beirut Memorial Observance Address, emphasizing the continued commitment of the Marines and Sailors serving today to carry the legacy and memory of the veterans and fallen heroes of Beirut.

“As your Marines and Sailors of the Carolina MAGTF, we are proudly standing the watch, carrying the tradition of selfless service in the defense of our nation, passed down by the veterans of Beirut,” Fulford said. “In the days ahead, you have our unwavering commitment, and should a crisis arise, we will be there... We will always remember the Marines and Sailors who served and sacrificed at Beirut.”

The annual Beirut Memorial Observance continues to bring the community, families and Marines past and present together to remember the legacy of Beirut.

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