Growing Up Among Heroes: 'We Are Shooting, But The Marines Won't Stop'

I grew up in Orange County, New York. West Point Military Academy was about 15 minutes away, New York City about 40 minutes in that same direction. The Military and commuting New Yorkers were the core of the community. I was 12 years old on September 11th, 2001. From my small town, six New York City Firefighters and Police Officers died trying to rescue others from the Towers, and I saw many of my friends’ parents go off to war.

From marching to the sound of funeral bagpipes to marching to the sound of the Military trumpet, we marched together. We were never afraid, because we were united.

The enemy’s plan to sow the seeds of fear in the American people backfired. The enemy admits this to each other, as Michael Ledeen pointed out last year. “During the first battle of Fallujah (2004) an intercepted radio transmission from an al Qaeda terrorist to his commander said it all:

“We are fighting but the Marines keep coming…We are shooting, but the Marines won’t stop.”

And we will never stop, until they are destroyed. Our liberty is precious to us, and no evil can ever overcome America’s will to be free. It is they – not us – who live in darkness, afraid to go out into the light. And we will find them, no matter how long it takes.

We will Never Forget.