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Statue Dedication: 2003 Diyala Bridge into Baghdad
From Nancy Welch, Board of Directors, MarineParents.com, Inc.

For a slide show of the Diyala Bridge Statue Dedication on June 20, 2006 in Washington, DC click here.

Many of you are aware of the famous picture of Marines crossing the Diyala bridge into Baghdad during OIF I, 2003. The famous picture taken by Kuni Takahashi has won several awards. Click photo for more information.

There will be a parade by the 8th and I unit of the USMC dedicating a statue made from this famous photograph next Tuesday, June 20th at 7:00 p.m. at the Marine Corps War Memorial (the Iwo Jima statue) in Washington, D.C. The parade is open to the public and is part of the 8th and I's "Sunset Parade" schedule this summer:
http://www.mbw.usmc.mil/parades/parade_sunsetdefault.asp

Discussion: http://www.usmcparents.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36776.

If you are in the area, please attend this parade! (Note: No RSVP is needed to attend the parade.)

The Office of the Legislative Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps is hosting this event in honor of Congressmen Steve Buyer and Lane Evans.

There is a reception right before the parade nearby in Henderson Hall at 5:00 p.m. If you would like to attend the reception, you would need to respond TODAY (June 15th) to the OLA office at (703) 697-5395 or M_HQMC_OLA_RSVP@usmc.mil. The dress is business attire.

Marines who would like to attend this reception would call a different number. They would call Colonel Celeste, who is the Congressional Affairs Officer and the number is (703) 692-0233. The attire for Marines would be Blue/White Bravo's, but if they only have their regular dress blues (not the white trousers) that would be fine as well (according to my well-placed source, Colonel McCoy).

All of this information was only very recently solidified for me, so I apologize for not being able to put this out here sooner. I don't have any details about the specifics of the statue itself, and have not seen it mentioned on the Internet.

If you or your Marine are in (or can be) in the Washington, D.C. area next Tuesday, the 20th, your presence at the reception, parade, or both would be wonderful. As I mentioned earlier, the only time issue is that to go to the actual reception, the RSVP deadline is today. Going to the parade at the Iwo Jima memorial does not require an RSVP. The parade consists of a one hour performance, featuring the music of "The Commandant's Own", The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and precision drill by the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon.

Please pass this on to other parents, loved ones, and Marines who might be able to attend this special ceremony. It should be a wonderful event.