R 131918Z AUG 07
CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
AL ALMAR(UC)
ALMAR
UNCLAS
ALMAR 037/07
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/4TH MARINE DIVISION ANNIVERSARY MESSAGE//
POC/M.E. BELL/SGT/CSG CMC/-/TEL:224 2326// GENTEXT/REMARKS/
1.  ON BEHALF OF MARINES AROUND THE GLOBE, I SEND BEST WISHES
TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE 4TH MARINE DIVISION ON YOUR 64TH
ANNIVERSARY.  ON 16 AUGUST 1943, THE 4TH MARINE DIVISION WAS
OFFICIALLY ACTIVATED AT CAMP PENDLETON.  UNITS FROM BOTH EAST
AND WEST COASTS CAME TOGETHER BY TRAIN AND BOAT AND WERE SOON
ENGAGED IN SOME OF THE BLOODIEST FIGHTING OF WORLD WAR II.
2.  SINCE THE BATTLES OF IWO JIMA, SAIPAN, TINIAN, AND THE
MARSHALL ISLANDS, WARRIORS OF THE 4TH MARINE DIVISION HAVE
PROVEN THEMSELVES WORTHY OF THE NICKNAME, THE FIGHTING FOURTH.
TODAY, WHILE CONDUCTING OPERATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD, THE DIVISION
CONTINUES TO LEAVE ITS MARK ON HISTORY AS IT EXEMPLIFIES A HIGH
LEVEL WARFIGHTING EXCELLENCE AND ESPRIT DE CORPS.
3.  THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE DIVISION*S ACTIVATION IS AN OUTSTANDING
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL MARINES TO REFLECT UPON OUR HISTORY AND
REDEDICATE OURSELVES TO THE VALUES ON WHICH OUR CORPS WAS BUILT.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS MARINES!  JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL,
U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//