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The truth from the front lines in Iraq

Spanky

This is United States Marine Gunnery Sergeant William "Spanky" Gibson. A couple of weeks ago, Spanky was a guest on my radio show and since then I am very proud that I am now able to call him "friend".

Spanky lost his leg to a sniper's bullet in Iraq and after his incredible recovery - which includes running, skiing and competing in the "Escape From Alcatraz" swim in the waters of San Francisco Bay - Spanky volunteered to go back to Iraq.

After his appearance on my show, I set up a blog where a number of you posted comments and thank yous. Spanky wrote to me today with his own comment to be added to the blog - Appeal for letters to a US Marine - which I have done.

He also sent me a private letter and while I have no intention of publishing that, I'm sure Spanky wouldn't mind me using a few words from it. First of all his comments to everyone -

"To all of your comments I would like to say thank you. Its a sincere honor to serve each of you and our great country. I joined the Marine Corps 19 years ago with no other desire than to serve. I always accept the responsibilities of the job so, my injury does not cause me regret or hatred. I still have a life as a Marine and a long life to enjoy and I will live it to the fullest. I have the support of so many of you and my beautiful family. Please know that all we sacrifice here is for a higher good and we do not regret the multiple deployments to get the job done. Most of us realize when we join that life in the Corps could be a long battle. We swear on an oath to support and defend. We protect all those who can not protect themselves and provide them opportunities that might otherwise be impossible. And we do it for a thank you! We do not care of the books and journals which might hold our name. We only care of the Marine Corps tradition and not failing it or you in anyway. As you honor me and my fellow service members we also honor you. So, I say "Thank You" and "Its my honor", because this is the life I chose to live. I love each and everyday of it. Semper Fidelis, GySgt Spanky Gibson"

He's quite a man. If that didn't give you goosebumps, there's probably something wrong with you and you should stop reading this blog right now and dial 911.

As I said, I also received a private letter from him and this contains perhaps the most important words he has said to me. For those of you who doubt, listen to a Marine on the front line.

"I often allow my injury to guide me closer to the media to voice some opinion of what truly happens here in Iraq. Its interesting how falsehoods can outway truth so easily in the public eye and I vow to do my part in getting the truth up front. Thank you for forwarding the blogs. Its very humbling to see the support and I do truly appreciate all of the comments."

Be safe my friend. I know the difference you are making in the lives of the people there. I know you have liberated them and continue each day to further secure the freedoms so many here take for granted. You are truly a hero sir, and I salute you.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please give me a call if you have questions about the Central Florida real estate market. You can reach me on 407 876 8200. Also visit my web site at www.simonconway.net or www.move2orlando.net

Tune in to Simon on The Simon Conway Radio Experience on am1520 WHIM. The show airs in Central Florida at 4pm Eastern and is also available worldwide at http://www.1520whim.com/

Posted by Simon Conway on 05/19/2008 12:19 PM

Comments (31)

iraq, united states marine, hero

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31 Comments on The truth from the front lines in Iraq

MAY

2008

Simon:

Congratulations!

This post has earned featured post status on the Silent Majority group in ActiveRain.

Thanks for the feature Bill. You honor Spanky Gibson by doing so.

Simon, GySgt Spanky Gibson is certainly a hero. I couldn't do what he does. My twin sons are both Marines. Ones a 13 year career Marine. The other did 4 years. They are better men than I.

My hats off to you GySgt Spanky Gibson.

Thank you for posting this, Simon. And thank you for introducing me (figuratively) to Sgt. Gibson.

There is a set of pictures on FoxNews of a marine surviving a close call in a firefight in Afghanistan.

I cannot thank all of them enough.

Simon ~ Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for men and women like Spanky.

God Bless Our Troops~!

GOD BLESS YOU SARGENT GIBSON AND YOUR FAMILY. GOD BLESS, ALL OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COUNTRY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

UNITED STATES MARINE GUNNERY SERGEANT WILLIAM 'SPANKY' GIBSON YOU ARE A TRUE AMERICAN HERO THAT WE ALL OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO. WORDS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COUNTRY.

Thank you for sharing his words. My ex-husband has been in the army 20 years now. He's volunteered to go to Iraq and other hot spots many times. The army life is not an easy one. It's "hell" on relationships to say the least. It takes a different kind of mentality to commit to it and follow it through to the end. For this guy to have sacrificed so much and to still be committed to the cause when there aren't enough who appreciate it is amazing to say the least.

Thank you all for your comments. He is truly inspirational. He makes me understand what it is to live in freedom and why we owe men like him a debt we will never be able to repay.

Simon its reaffirming to know that there are men like him in our country and men like him in the world.

MAY

2008

Great Stuff Simon! You do a great service for us all by channelling all these well wishes to the heroes of our country!

Great post....no matter what any liberal says, we still need to support our troops....this post just personalizes it. Nice....

Hugh, Ron and Larry - I didn't ask him for these words - these are simply his words. As I titled it - the truth from the front lines in Iraq.

Semper Fi. Good job Marine!

Larry, get off the "liberals don't support our troops" talking points. Thats not true and you know it!

Terry - liberals have referred to OUR troops as murderers, thieves, terrorists, war criminals and the list goes on. You paid tribute to this Marine which I am grateful for. Why not leave it there?

Because Simon, the comments made were about incidences we know happened in Iraq and elsewhere, incidences that were commited by some members of our military. Are we supposed to ignore the fact that there are a few bad apples amongst the troops? None of us here ever said ALL military are murders, thieves, terrorists, war criminals. In fact I haven't seen the word terrorist or war criminal used at all. What we did say, was that a few of our service personnel did in fact commit murder i.e. the 14 year old Iraqi girl who was raped then she and her entire family were murdered, or the incident which I have first hand knowledge that some of our troops are looting Iraqi homes. Why do you always take everything to the extreme, then spin it to fit your agenda? Do you need a group of people to hate so badly that your target is people who tell the truth?

And there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women - JOHN KERRY (I thought the kids and children bit was great!).

We are there killing their civilians - who are the terrorists?" ROSIE O'DONNEL

Way too many liberal blogs have repeatedly called our troops terrorists. You should know them because they are the ones who like to spell America with a K - just like you do!

But you see this blog was about a hero. I knew you wouldn't be able to resist turning it into something else - you surprised me with your first entry and now I am not shocked at all that you have reverted to type.

Shame. Truly.

Difference here Simon is none of us used those labels. You accuse us of saying what Kerry said, and you accuse us of saying what Rosie said, but none of us said anything of the like. But because we disagree with you, you lump us all together, and accuse all of us. And I don't think I started this argument. It started with Larry making a snide remark about liberals. You guys just can't pass up an opportunity can you?

Terry - once again, if the shoe fits.... this is what I said:

Terry - liberals have referred to OUR troops as murderers, thieves, terrorists, war criminals and the list goes on. You paid tribute to this Marine which I am grateful for. Why not leave it there?

Now can we please get back to honoring this great Marine who has served our country for 19 years.

Simon, we cant get back to honoring that Marine because YOU have taken the subject and once again spun it totally out of control with your disgusting attempt to paint "liberals" as un-american, military hating, vitriol spewing, hate mongers. Until you stop accusing me of the above, this conversation won't get back to that marine. You can blame yourself for the turn this blog has taken.

Simon,

Actually, there is a way you can re-pay Spanky and the others. It called funding the VA. I understand that GW is about to veto the most recent funding bill for the VA. What kind of a message does that send to Spanky?

Bill, that and the fact that bush allowed our wounded to wallow in that filth called Walter Reed, that and the fact that John McCain has systematically voted against any legislation that would fund the VA or extend veterans benefits. bush will veto that bill and there are not many people here that will be outraged.

Terry - read what was written. You are the one trying to hijack this post and I won't let it happen. I will delete anything else that does not honor this Marine.

Bill S - There were two blogs you could have posted to in order to honor this Marine. You chose to post just one time over those two blogs and you decided to attack the President. You pay no attention to the words of this hero which I will re-print for you here:

You too will be deleted if you choose to come back with anything other than praise for Spanky Gibson. I will not debate with you or anyone else on this blog. Period.

Simon ~ Thank you for standing up for this Marine. Honor to whom honor is due.

How come Conservatives honor and love our troops, and liberals seek to malign and disrespect our men and women who serve this country with honor?

It is truly beyond me Nick. I just don't understand it.

I just deleted a post here. It is the first time I have EVER deleted anything from one of my posts. I will not have a discussion on politics; the rights and wrongs of the war; the President or anything else on this particular blog post. I will do that anywhere else, but not here. This is for honoring a Marine who gave a big part of his body to our nation and then volunteered to go back to Iraq. If you can't respect that, then don't post and I won't delete you.

MAY

2008

Simon, Thank you for introducing some of us to Gunny Gibson that hadn't heard his heroic story. There is nothing we can ever do, nothing would ever be enough to re-pay this man for all he has given for this country. Thank you Gunny from the bottom of my heart for your bravery and devotion to this country. I can rest abit easier at night knowing there are men like you risking their own lifes so my family and I are safer here. Bless you and be safe.

Thank you, Simon, for bringing another hero to our attention... and especially for keeping the focus on this hero, instead of on petty written battles here.

And THANK YOU, Gunnery Sgt. Gibson, together with your fellow Marines, for your selfless service!

NJ and David - I thank you for your comments here. This is where the focus needs to be on this blog.

Simon:

Thanks for a great post honoring a great American. We are free because of men and women like him making huge sacrifices for our country.

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Simon Conway

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