On a sunny and warm afternoon in San Diego, first lady Michelle Obama and her daughters toured the largest military installation in the county, Camp Pendleton, paying special attention to the families of those enlisted in the nine-year war in the Middle East.
The visit comes on the heels of a particularly rough week on the base – five members of the Pendleton marines lost their lives during the uptick in the summer surge in Afghanistan.
“In the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, no Marine base and few bases anywhere has sacrificed more for America, more lives, more wounded warriors, than your families and your colleagues,” Mrs. Obama said. “And today, we honor all of our fallen heroes, including the Camp Pendleton Marines who gave their lives just this past week; Sergeant Brandon Bury, Lance Corporal Derek Hernandez, Corporal Donald Marler, Sergeant John Rankel, and Lance Corporal Michael Plank.
“Our prayers and support are with these fallen Marines and their families, and with all the Gold Star families who are here with us today. As one Pendleton wife put it so eloquently, she said, `We’re the voices and spirits of the boys and girls who didn’t come home.’ And as a nation, we join with you in honoring their memory as you and your families find the strength to carry on and to live the lives that would make your loved ones so proud,” the first lady said. She expressed her deep condolences to the families who have paid the ultimate price.
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