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Thursday 07/12/2001 7:28:16pm |
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Name: |
Mark R. Leibold |
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E-Mail: |
wwiivictory@usa.net |
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Homepage Title: |
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Homepage URL: |
http:// |
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Referred By: |
Just Surfed In |
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Location: |
Springdale, Arkansas |
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Comments: |
I'd like to express my profound appreciation to the many giant men of the Dog
Seven Association who have written me in regard to an e-mail I submitted on 6-28, on behalf of my father, former Navy Corpsman L.F. Leibold, who
passed away in September 1994.
My father's bedrock philosophy in life was, in fact, based upon an indomitable espirit de corps he had
learned while a member of the FMF during WWII, and in Korea. And that very same spirit that Dad always kept within the innermost recesses of
his heart, has long served as a teaching tool--indeed, a metaphor--for me when dealing with the myriad difficulties life often presents.
In the summer of 1970, when I wanted to drop high school football following several agonizing three-a-day practices in 90-plus degree temperatures,
Dad acidly reminded me, as he had so often, of what toil, sacrifice, and commitment really mean in the face of adversity:
"What if the Marines
who waded through the lagoon at Betio had just given up instead of pushing on? Or what about the guys at Chosin? What about them! What if they
had just thrown in the towel on that road to the sea, and said, 'We're gonna have to quit--this is just too tough!'" Pausing, my Dad then said,
"Think about it--where in the hell would you and I be today if those people had just quit, like you want to quit right now?"
I was so seared by
what Dad told me that day, that I decided never to quit anything again, no matter how difficult or costly the challenge. Deep into middle age, now,
I live my life in accord with a philosophy passed to me by the greatest man I ever knew, a philosophy that the man had learned from United States
Marines, from men whom he frequently and unabashedly called, "the greatest people I've ever known!"
Yours, and "Always Faithful."
Mark R. Leibold
HM2, 1/7-2/7, lstMarDiv., 1974-75 |
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