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Forty-one years ago, suicide bombers detonated two truck bombs in Beirut, Lebanon. At the end of the day, October 23, 1983, 241 US military personnel, 58 French military personnel, and half a dozen civilians were dead. So–praise be–were the two attackers.
I was twenty-nine years old. I remember it clearly.
It was an event which set in motion decades of international turmoil: some worthwhile (even if accidental) endeavors and some horrendous (deliberate or otherwise) mistakes, the consequences of which we all live with to this day.
When it comes to immediacy, there have only been two friends in my life with affecting stories to tell of the situation. One was a co-worker in the very early 2000s, who had been at the time a USMC Gunnery Sergeant on the next detail to Beirut, a man who’d lost many friends in the attack, and who arrived in Beirut about three weeks after the bombing. I don’t think he ever recovered from the experience. The other is a person—a young man at the time—who’d been living the American dream to that point but who claims (as have many others) that the bombing was the impetus for his signing up for military service the next day.
Today, I remember them, and hope that God will richly bless them both.
There are several “Beirut Memorials” that exist as monuments to the 241 Americans: 220 Marines (more than any who have died in any single day’s combat since the Battle of Iwo Jima), 18 sailors, and three soldiers who were killed on that day:
Here are the names of those US service members who died on October 23, 1983:
- 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 Johnsen 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 Bradly 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 Terrance 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 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
From the Camp LeJeune website:
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.
Initially, the U.S. Forces, along with French and Italian Forces, provided a measure of stability; however, as diplomatic efforts failed to achieve a basis for a lasting settlement, the Muslim factions came to perceive the Marines as enemies. This led to artillery, mortar, and small arms fires being directed at the Marine Corps positions — with appropriate, measured response being taken against identified targets.
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 compressed gas-enhanced explosives. This truck, like many others, had become a familiar sight at the airport and so did not raise any alarm on this morning. The resulting explosion and the collapse of the building killed 241 Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers.
Many of the victims of the atrocity were residents of Jacksonville, North Carolina. They were known as fathers, neighbors, fellow church members, and little league baseball and soccer coaches. The community was stunned over the loss of these fine men. The City of Jacksonville Beautification and Appearance Commission had previously established a memorial tree program to plant trees as a living memorial to deceased friends and family members. On the afternoon of this tragic bombing, the Commission met and decided to seek permission to plant memorial trees on Lejeune Boulevard, the main traffic artery joining Jacksonville and Camp Lejeune, to honor our fallen neighbors. This action resulted in an immediate response from the general public, locally, and nationally, as funds began coming in to support this project. This became the “birth” of the Beirut Memorial.
They served for peace. May they rest in peace.
Discussion (13)
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Two senior-most who died were Marine Majors, mid-career officers. The senior-most enlisted was a Marine Sergeant Major, nearing the end of his career. The other 238 service members who gave their lives were all mid-career enlisted, and early career officers and enlisted. They were young and offered their lives for their country. I honor their memory.
CHARTER MEMBER
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Yep:
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In my view, the event that set off the turmoil was the Israeli invasion of Lebanon on June 6, 1982. Another example of wholesale Israeli aggression.
There were the two massacres, Sabra and Shatila, in which Israeli-backed Lebanese Phalangist militias slaughtered civilians, with the death toll estimated in the range of 1,300 to 3,500. The Lebanese militia was supposedly Christian, by the way. This death toll is quite a bit worse than the Israelis suffered on October 7 of last year.
It was terrible that so many Americans lost their lives in support of Israel's criminal aggression and slaughter of civilians.
It is sadly typical that, through omission of Israeli malfeasance, the OP creates a false impression about the cause of this tragedy.
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The latest deaths of some Hezbollah Commanders were individuals involved in the bombing of the Marine Corps barracks in Lebanon. Although justice came 41 years later, they got exactly what they deserved.
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The timing of the Marine deployment is even worse, completely contrary to the claim that "They Came In Peace" in the title of this post.
The situation is complex. Our country decided to intervene in a civil war that had been going on for quite a while in Lebanon, though there was a cease fire in late 1981 and early 1982 which was broken by Israel. The Israeli invasion was a disaster. Marines were initially deployed to cover an agreed-upon evacuation of the PLO, and pulled out around Sep. 10.
The Sabra and Shatila massacres occurred on Sep. 16-18, 1982, carried out by militia forces on the side supported by Israel and by the US forces that had deployed previously. These began with the Israelis surrounding these two refugee camps, in violation of the ceasefire in effect, then arranging for the "Lebanese Forces" of the Phalange party to go into the camps. The massacres ensued.
As a source, you can read this article at the by the US Naval History and Heritage Command. Among other things, page 10 explains:
It was in this context that the Marines were sent back to Beirut -- to prop up the side that committed those massacres, as it turned out.
There was some fighting over the next year or so. Relevant to the eventual barracks bombing in October 1983, it turns out that the US Navy conducted several bombardments in September 1983, including:
Regarding this last attack, the US Navy report cited above (from page 19) says:
The emphasis in that quote was added by me, but it is in the text of the US Navy's report.
So no, our Marines didn't "come in peace." They took sides in a civil war and, to make it worse, sided with the folks that committed a mass murder that was condemned as a "genocide" by the UN General Assembly. (That's in the report too, page 10.)
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