A half-century on, the cold, matter-of-fact words leap from the typewritten page of a U.S. warship's journal: "DeHaven received orders from the SFCP to open fire on a large group of refugee personnel located on the beach."
Iraq changed the Marines of Lima Company more than they could have imagined. A reserve unit that expected light duty, Lima took more casualties than any U.S. company in Iraq, losing 23 Marines killed in action.