Throwback Thursday (TBT)
Set Flux Capacitor to July 22, 1983...
Then October 22, 2018
In a line from the movie "Back to the Future;" -- "1.21 gigawatts!"... "Great Scott!," Dr. Emmett Brown exclaims that was the power necessary to activate the flux capacitor and travel through time.
"What... what the hell is a gigawatt?"...
It doesn't really matter, didn't need one when I was reminded through a post on a private site this week:
"Two Marines and one sailor wounded in action by shell fragments during shelling of Beirut International Airport, part of a general pattern of increasing indirect fire against the Lebanese Army, the airport, and the multinational force. (US Marines in Lebanon 1982-1984 - Benis Frank) One Marine, LCpl Morris C. Dorsey, would also be wounded months later in the 23 Oct 1983 bombing and be one of a handful of Marines to be awarded the Purple heart twice in Beirut and survive both times. He is the Marine on the stretcher in the iconic photo of the Marine Barracks search and rescue operations. The three wounded on 22 July 1983 were: LCpl Morris C. Dorsey, LCpl Donald A. Locke and AC1 Kenneth W. Densmore. Ironically, LCpl Dorsey was wounded again on 10-23-83 and appears in the iconic photo (attached) as the Marine on the stretcher being pulled from the rubble." (Written by Jeff Hamman)
That was the full 1.21 gigawatts necessary to bring me back to the past and back to one extraordinary day in the future 35 years later in North Carolina.
I began to think about it and noticed a lot of gaps in my memory, part of life I guess. I did a TBT referencing Beirut already but this is more about one man. So I thought to write down what I could before I lose any more of the details. They matter.
For those unfamiliar and for clarity there were three Marine Amphibious Units (MAU's), now known as MEU's, roll through Beirut in the early 1980's. But we move on. What's a MAU? Basically a compact but powerful rapid response combined arms amphibious force, about 2,200 Marines with Naval support. They're always out there, forward deployed and ready to rock, even as you read this today. Thats the simple version.
Three MAU’s rotated through Beirut as part of a Multinational Peacekeeping Force (MNF) from 1982-1984; the 32, 24 and 22 MAU's respectively. We were on the 32 and 22 MAU with H3/10.
The 24 MAU relieved us in Beirut as we rotated back home to regroup before deploying again. Soon we were headed back to relieve them but got sidetracked for a gig in Grenada. As we were mopping up operations in Grenada the 24 MAU took the largest hit when their barracks was attacked by a truck bomb (VBIED) as many were asleep on the early morning of October 23, 1983. 273 Marines, sailors and soldiers died that day. We were spared but it was full speed ahead to Beirut to relieve them and hopefully dole out some payback. That is all I need to say about that here.
Back to the future and the point of this narrative, a number of Beirut Veterans (Navy and Marines) meet up annually in Jacksonville, North Carolina. It is a big deal in that town. My wife Linda came along on this trip, and good thing she did. It was the 35th anniversary and immediately after closing words of the ceremony at the Beirut Memorial, my wife and I accompanied by a group of Marines and others somberly walked out back to a field for some pictures and some mingling where a large Eagle, Globe and Anchor (EGA) stood. Great background. The EGA stood across from an open field where we assembled a couple of days earlier on an opening day informal muster. We gathered according to units. It was the first time most of us attended the Memorial and the first time we'd seen each other in over 35 years. Quite a sight and emotional enough.
It would soon take an unexpected twist no one saw coming and push everyone’s emotions to the edge.
After taking some pictures and chatting, we were ready to head out for breakfast, when suddenly I noticed a man, obviously a Marine, walking alone pensively in the area of the EGA. He'd obviously too also just left the ceremony. He looked familiar to me. Who was he I wondered? As my friends stood around chatting it up and taking photos, I pulled my wife over and told her that I felt I knew this guy from somewhere, but he wasn't one of ours. Fast forward and always willing to talk to anyone, she headed over to talk to him. I tried to hold her back but there's no stopping her... In no time she was chatting him up. He indeed was a Marine. Ice broken, I walked up and introduced myself, embarrassingly telling him I felt knew him from somewhere? Was it Beirut? Aboard ship? Lejeune? He smiled and told me... There it was. Now I knew.
He was Morris Dorsey.
I never met him personally, but he was instantly recognizable. Dorsey was a Marine Lance Corporal who earned two Purple Hearts serving his tour with the 24 MAU Beirut. Lucky to have survived the bombing, he was subsequently pulled from the rubble of the Marine HQ building which collapsed onto and around him on that fateful morning in 1983. Images of him had been plastered on the cover of a number of magazines over the years. Dots connected!
Wow! I had the name to go with the face. We started talking and in no time my buddies had come over. Indeed a treat. Everyone knew of him. What an incredible chance meeting, in and of itself would've been the highlight of the trip. He's also one of the more humble folks I've met considering what he'd been though and represented. He survived that ordeal intact. He'd been around the country speaking on it. Dorsey recalled how the building came down onto him and his fellow Marines and Sailors. I'd been to a lot building collapses over the years at work, and was amazed anyone could survive that. He was chosen for something more. I guess. He never tired or wavered away from all the questions we had. Good man.
But it got more crazy! How could it? The time machine and/or fate struck again.
As we stood around and talked a bit more as the crowd got bigger and other folks chimed in, there was a sudden change in the mood. It got quiet. Dorsey spotted something, or someone in the short distance. His face went blank and it was as if he saw a ghost. In essence he did.
He had with us recalled how once the dust settled and the rescue operation began, that one of his fellow Marines(Forgot the name), were able to communicate verbally on the hole albeit not see one another. Morris described how they helped one another survive and pass their time in that hell hole, both severely injured, each inspiring the other to hang in there as helped chipped away at them. He learned the other Marine had a pregnant wife at the time, and even with all of the Dorsey's words of comfort and support to fight on, the other Marine eventually succumbed to his injuries in that rubble. That Marine would never see his son again, and I guess Dorsey lost touch over time struggling to recover himself and never followed up. Lost in time.
Dorsey was ultimately pulled from the rubble as seen on the images attached.
In the past; October 1983. He'd earn his second Purple Heart.
Into the future... October 2018.
Enter the "Ghost".
Dorsey's time with us was winding down. We had said all there was to say and maybe we'd see him later the evening at dinner that evening. But then a young man who attended the Memorial and was casually strolling by caught Dorsey's attention. As he approached both he, we and Dorsey were totally unprepared for what was about to go down. It was surreal to say the least as we stood there; dreamlike. Time seemed to stand still as this scene unfolded organically. We were just the audience at that moment, trying to make sense of it all.
The "Ghost" as you may now imagine was the other Marines son; the Marine Dorsey was with in the rubble who perished. As I recognized Dorsey earlier, both instantly recognized one another too when they locked eyes. They had never seen one another in person nor been in contact with one another prior to this minute. We were privileged to be a part of this special moment as we watched it play out. Reunited.
The white knuckle hug they gave one another was evident of the immediate bond they made. The other Marines son, now a man, had known about Dorsey, as did we. This was 35 Years in the making.
Astonishing. Amazing. Miraculous. As we all stood around together, it seemed we were all in our own little bubble, or little world for a few moments as we processed the moment individually. Call it what you like, but it left a bunch of grown men in tears. The unexpected nature of it was the icing on the cake. Now as a group, with our time with Dorsey over for now, we walked back to our cars silently contemplating on how fortunate we were to be present and witness to the moment. Blown away!
Had my wife not said anything to him, he would've likely moved on and missed the young man and this would never have happened.
This is how I remember it. I hope it have it correct. Hit me up if I need to make amends. A friend of mine added this on Facebook earlier this week: "I spoke with Dorsey at the 35th anniversary. To hear his story was something else. Then to witness him meeting his buddy's son for the first time. (His buddy did not make it out.) That memory will be with me forever. God blessed me that day. Being part of the 32nd and 22nd MAU shaped forever who I am. Semper Fi!". Thanks ClayP
And thank you Jeff H for your post and the 1.21 Gigawatts...
Random chance or fate? You tell me.
-- Written by Nick Marian --
