BVA Founder

The BVA was established in 1992 by Beirut veterans who wanted a fraternal organization. They were dedicated to keeping the memories alive of those comrades who paid the supreme sacrifice in supporting America's quest for peace in Lebanon.They chose "The First Duty is to Remember" as their motto. Membership is open to all military members who served in Lebanon and with supporting units at sea from June 1958 through March 1984. 

 

 

The First duty is To Remember is the BVA Motto which embodies the spirit and dedication of the

warriors who fought and died in Beirut Lebanon . This page will be dedicated to the history of the men

who served our Country so valiantly in Lebanon where the first battle against Terrorism was fought.

On Sunday, October 23, 1983 at approximately 6:20 a.m. 241 Marines, sailors and soldiers were killed and hundreds of others were wounded or disabled. This was the result of a suicide truck, laden with explosives carrying the equivalent of 20,000 pounds of TNT that detonated on the ground floor of BLT 1/8 headquarters barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. The largest non-nuclear explosion of its time. Other servicemen from 1982-1984 perished from sniper fire and other atrocities. Others died years later or are permantly disabled as the result of their wounds. This makes a total of 270 Marines, sailors and soldiers that died during a peacekeeping mission. October 27th 1983 President Ronald W. Reagan broadcasted a speech to the American people about the BLT 1/8 24th MAU headquarters barracks bombing. Here is a quote from his speech seconds before closing, “They were not afraid to stand up for their country or, no matter how difficult and slow the journey might be, to give to others that last, best hope of a better future. We cannot and will not dishonor them now and the sacrifices they’ve made by failing to remain as faithful to the cause of freedom and the pursuit of peace as they have been.” In 1986 a contingent of Gold star mothers, wives and family members of the 270 fallen heroes descended on Washington, DC their mission….. To get postage stamp unveiled and issued to honor Americas fallen sons. This trip turned out to be fruitless. On September 14th, 1993 armed with over 20,000 signatures from American citizens, family members and comrades the trek was again made to our nation’s capitol. The bevy was met with opposition and excuses, not to issue and honor the fallen and peacekeepers with a commemorative postage stamp. For seventeen years, numerous people have petitioned the USPS and CSAC to unveil and issue this stamp. On January 31st, 2003 Congressman Walter B. Jones Jr. R-NC 3rd District introduced H.Res. 45 expressing the sense of the congress that a postage stamp be issued in remembrance of the victims of the peacekeeping mission in Beirut, Lebanon 1982-1984. As of yet, because of lack of 50 congressional signatures co-sponsoring this measure has not made it to the complete house for a vote. The killed in action came from 33 states, the District of Columbia, a territory: Puerto Rico and an allied country: United Kingdom. You do the math……… Over the years stamps have been unveiled and issued in series and individually for many of this nations politicians, cartoon characters, actors, insects, birds, Racehorses, rock stars, Santa Claus, composers, flowers….. The list is endless. If the USPS and CSAC feel that these stamps and numerous more are worthy of casting a stamp die to commemorate their moment of fame, the consensus of the families, citizens and comrades of the fallen heroes is to "do the right thing" and unveil and issue a postage stamp to honor the peacekeeping mission in Beirut, Lebanon 1982-1984. Americans can be proud to live in a country where the rights of others are treasured and protected by rules codified as law. Where good men stood ready to die to protect those laws and the people who live under them……. including the people who decide who and what deserves a stamp. The time for a postage stamp is here and now! Semper Fidelis!

 

Written by Charles Hall, SSGT, USMC, Retired

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION FOR A POSTAGE STAMP TO HONOR OUR FALLEN MEN!

 

Here is a short chronology of events in Lebanon and its relations with Syria since the start of its 1975-90 civil war. April 1975 - Fighting erupts after Christian gunmen ambush a bus carrying Palestinians and Muslims in southern Beirut. Army is paralysed and a "Green Line" separates Beirut into Christian East and Muslim West. May-June 1976 - Six thousand Syrian troops enter Lebanon to save Christian militias from defeat by Moslem and leftist militias and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). Oct-Nov 1976 -- Syria, Saudi Arabia and Egypt set up a 30,000-strong Arab Deterrent Force (ADF) to restore peace. The mainly-Syrian ADF deploys across Lebanon except for the south because of Israeli opposition. March 1978 - Israel invades south Lebanon and sets up occupation zone. September 1982 - Israel captures Beirut. Hundreds of civilians in Palestinian refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila are killed by Christian militiamen allowed in by Israeli troops. May 1983 - Israel and Lebanon sign peace agreement under U.S. patronage. Syria opposes it, and it is never ratified. October 1983 - Shi'ite Muslim suicide bombers kill 241 U.S. Marines and 58 French paratroopers. Multinational force withdraws in following months. February 1984 - Muslim militiamen seize West Beirut. The 30,000-strong Lebanese army splits along religious lines. March 1984 - Peace agreement with Israel is cancelled and Lebanese president Amin Gemayel breaks with Israel under Syrian pressure. Hizbollah, the Shi'ite Muslim "Party of God," makes first public appearance. June 1985 - Israel pulls back to a self-declared border security zone in Lebanon controlled by Israeli forces and their Lebanese militia allies. 1988 - Parliament fails to elect successor to Gemayel, who appoints Christian army commander General Michel Aoun to head military cabinet. Muslim officers quit. 1990 - Aoun and Lebanese Forces militia battle for months to control Christian enclave. Vatican arranges ceasefire in May. August 1990 - Parliament enacts Taif Accord, which becomes Lebanon's new constitution. In November, Muslim and Christian militias agree to leave Beirut. December 1990 - Army takes control of reunited capital. October 1992 - Lebanon holds first postwar elections. Hariri becomes prime minister. 1996 - Hariri remains Lebanon's premier after polls. 1998 - Lebanon's parliament elects army commander Emile Lahoud as president, succeeding Elias Hrawi. Hariri loses power struggle with Lahoud and resigns. Selim al-Hoss becomes prime minister. May 2000 - Israel ends 22-year occupation of south Lebanon. October 2000 - Hariri chosen prime minister after popular discontent with economic slide. June 2001 - Syria completes surprise pullout of its troops from Beirut and surrounding areas, ending decades of controversial military presence. September 2004 - U.N. Security Council narrowly adopts a resolution telling Syria to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and warning against outside interference in presidential election. Lebanon's parliament votes to extend the term of Syrian-backed Lahoud, despite the resolution. October 2004 - Hariri submits cabinet's resignation after sharp differences with Lahoud and says he will not form a new government. Lahoud appoints pro-Syrian Omar Karami as prime minister. Feb. 14, 2005 - Hariri is killed by a bomb in Beirut and buried two days later.

 

(thanks to Bill Kibler)

 

CLICK HERE FOR PAGE TWO "THE 1958 MARINES ARRIVE IN LEBANON"