R 061332Z JUL 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 022/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/68TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE 2D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING AS YOU CELEBRATE YOUR 68TH ANNIVERSARY!
2. ACTIVATED 10 JULY 1941 AT SAN DIEGO, THE WARRIORS OF 2D MAW HAVE REPEATEDLY DEMONSTRATED THEIR WARFIGHTING PROWESS IN DEFENSE OF OUR NATION. YOUR FIGHTING SPIRIT WAS EVIDENT OVER THE SKIES OF MANY KEY PACIFIC BATTLEFIELDS OF WORLD WAR II, INCLUDING GUADALCANAL, PELELIU AND OKINAWA. DURING THE 1980S, 2D MAW UNITS WERE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN EXERCISES AND OPERATIONS IN LEBANON, CUBA, GRENADA, PANAMA, AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
3. TODAY, THE WARRIORS OF 2D MAW ARE ENGAGED IN THE GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO DEFEAT THE FORCES OF TERROR. YOUR PERFORMANCE IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN HAS BEEN SUPERB AND FULLY IN KEEPING WITH BOTH YOUR ILLUSTRIOUS PAST AND THE FINEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS. AS YOU CELEBRATE WITH PRIDE YOUR MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, PLEASE PAUSE TO REMEMBER YOUR COMRADES, FROM CONFLICTS SPANNING SEVEN DECADES, WHO WILLINGLY GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF CORPS AND COUNTRY.
4. SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//