Jim Webb: “24 years ago today, at 6:20 in the morning, in Beirut, a yellow Mercedes-Benz truck drove into the Beirut International…”

“24 years ago today, at 6:20 in the morning, in Beirut, a yellow Mercedes-Benz truck drove into the Beirut International Airport, where the 1st Battalion 8th Marines was keeping its headquarters. The truck crashed through a barbed wire fence, went through the parking lot, passed between two sentry posts, and then crashed through a gate and into the lobby of the large building where the marines were keeping their headquarters. At that point, the explosives were set off in this truck, ending up with the deaths of 241 American military servicemembers. This was the largest loss of life for the U.S. Marine Corps in one single day since Iwo Jima. It was the largest loss of life in one day for American service people from the beginning of the Tet Offensive of 31 January 1968, and it remains the largest single loss of life in one day since that time. I believe it is appropriate for us to take a few minutes and remember today the sacrifices that were made and the contributions the United States was attempting to make in that particular circumstance.”