R 111454Z AUG 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 024/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/4TH MARINE DIVISION ANNIVERSARY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ON BEHALF OF ALL MARINES, IT IS MY HONOR TO SALUTE THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE 4TH MARINE DIVISION AS YOU CELEBRATE YOUR 66TH ANNIVERSARY.  ACTIVATED ON 16 AUGUST 1943 AT CAMP PENDLETON, THE "FIGHTING FOURTH" WAS THE FIRST DIVISION OF MARINES TO DEPLOY DIRECTLY INTO COMBAT DURING WORLD WAR II FROM THE UNITED STATES.  THE TWO PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS AWARDED TO THE DIVISION FOR VALOR ON SAPIAN/TINIAN AND IWO JIMA BEAR WITNESS TO THE DIVISION'S RESOLUTE FIGHTING SPIRIT AND DETERMINATION.
2.  THAT SAME SPIRIT IS MANIFESTED TODAY IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRROR, AS THE MARINES AND SAILORS OF THE 4TH MARINE DIVISION DEFEND FREEDOM IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.  YOUR UNFAILING COURAGE AND SACRIFICES IN LOCALES FAR FROM HOME ARE A CONTINUING SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO YOUR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN.
3.  AS YOU CELEBRATE YOUR ANNIVERSARY, KNOW THAT MARINES AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN YOUR CONTINUING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR GREAT REPUBLIC.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS MARINES!  JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//