Never Forget: Lompoc, CA Legend Who Died in Beirut

President Donald Trump asked the members of Congress, point blank, to stand up if they believe their first priority is the American citizen or immigrants at the State of the Union last week.

He might as well as asked them if they support the people of Iran or its brutal dictators.

He would have gotten the same answer.

I don’t know of anyone who wants a war in the Middle East.

However, that is not the right question.

The right question is, how could anyone withstand terrorist attacks from Iran once it has nuclear capabilities?

For the fact of the matter is that Iran has been attacking Americans, Israelis, and many other countries for some 40 years in its capacity as the leading sponsor of terrorism around the world and against its own people.

Iran is in fact the leading impediment to peace in the Middle East and elsewhere.

On the morning of October 23, 1983, a dump truck packed with an estimated 12,000 pounds of explosives crashed through the front gates of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut. The detonation ripped the four-story building from its foundation, and the barracks imploded in a matter of seconds. The 241 marines and sailors killed in the explosion represented the largest loss of life in a single day for the Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.

James F. (Jim) Surch grew up in Lompoc, California, where he was a standout three sport athlete at Lompoc High School.  As a result of his accomplishments, he was approached by more than 30 universities from across the nation. He ended up an officer after having graduated from the United States Naval Academy.

He died in the Beirut bombing, and I am glad that these many years later, justice has been served for him and the hundreds of thousands of Iranians who have been brutalized by the now-deceased brutal terrorist dictators.

The Naval Academy includes this wonderful tribute in his bio:

At the Naval Academy, Jim played two seasons as fullback on the Navy football team before deciding to take his talents to the rugby team where he excelled. Never afraid of physical contact, Jim routinely could be seen leaving bodies on the field after running over many competitors. He was inducted into the Naval Academy Rugby Hall of Fame. Late Saturday nights in the company area often became the Jim Surch Comedy Hour, as his company-mates were entertained by his great sense of humor and uncanny story telling ability about his numerous, hilarious encounters with many of the Annapolis locals. Jim was a loyal and cherished classmate, teammate and friend who would go on to add his signature personality to ship wardrooms to which he was assigned. Jim graduated from the Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign on June 7, 1977 and began his navy career as a Surface Line Officer.