WEBVTT

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(gentle piano music)

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- [Veteran] I've been coming out here 
on the Saturday before the birthday

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for the last four years.

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This started in November 2010.

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My wife is interred here.

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The birthday is very special to our family.

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So Linda always made them a big day.

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So I figured, bring her a flag.

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And I went back to the PX and got a

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handful of five, six more flags and put them out there.

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The next year, we put the word out and had maybe 12 people

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including General Al Gray and Major General Dave Bice.

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- [Thomas Draude] What we did, though, 
is brought out a group of folks who love Marines

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and in order to demonstrate that

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put at the gravesites of family, friends,

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comrades, and Marines who we never knew

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yet who made the ultimate sacrifice and are buried here today.

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- The Marine Corps birthday is central to the spirit and the core

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of who we are.

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Every one of these people, their families

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you saw it, people been out of the Marine Corps for 10, 15 years.

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They heard about it, they came up here because

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once a Marine, always a Marine, this is a family day.

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This is an event they want to be a part of.

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- This means a great deal for us 
to be able to get the word out to others

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to know what we do and why we do it,

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and to everyone to wish them a happy 239th

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anniversary of the Marine Corps and Happy Veterans Day as well.

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Semper fidelis.