“…so I joined the Marines.”

–The words of 26-year-old Donald Ryan McGlothlin McGlothlin, a Marine 2nd lieutenant assigned to Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., who was killed this week during a firefight in Ubaydi, Iraq during a campaign to crack down on the insurgency.

God bless, deepest thanks, and R.I.P.

***

Related: Make sure to read the latest “Someone You Should Know” installment from Matt at Blackfive highlighting the story of Marine Sergeant James “Eddie” Wright.

Related II: Thank this female soldier. She could use the support. (Hat tip: Anna at The Right Place)

Related III: McQ at Q&O has launched the Project Hero campaign, “highlight the heroism of some of our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen in both Iraq and Afghanistan.” Today’s post tells the story of honor a young Marine officer who won the nation’s second highest honor for valor in action: the Navy Cross. Writes McQ:

The idea is to get a network of blogs to link and spread the word about the valor of our military which seems to simply go unreported by the MSM. I’m asking like minded folks if they wouldn’t consider linking to these posts or posting the citations or stories themselves. I’m also soliciting emails in which people can send me citations and stories of heroism they find about Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m going to do these once a week, probably on Friday or Saturday. Any help you can give in spreading the word would be great.

Pass it on.

Related IV: Austin Bay on how troops are fighting back through e-mail.