JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- March 23, 2003 was one of the bloodiest days of Operation Iraqi Freedom for the Marines. And it's a day Robert Hearman will never forget.
"We lost a lot of brothers. It was tough," said Hearman.
Hearman was wearing the uniform when 18 marines were killed. His platoon was ambushed in An Nasiriyah. Soldier Jessica Lynch was captured.
"We started to take some small arms fire. And then came the mortars, the rocket-propelled grenades," said Hearman.
Hearman still suffers from post traumatic stress disorder because of that attack. But he says it was also the very moment he made his strongest friendships.
'You've got everybody's back. You are willing take a bullet for them. They are willing to take a bullet for you. It's Brotherhood," he said.
Ten years later the men plan to meet at the National Museum of Marine Corps in Virginia. They will also go to the Arlington National Cemetery to visit the Marines who didn't make it out alive.
"I'd like to see everybody, and hopefully everybody can make it," said Hearman.
Hearman is now trying to raise the $15,000 for all 50 members of his platoon to make the trip. It's a reunion he hopes can bring them all together again outside of the battlefield.
A web site has been set up to help Hearman raise the money. You can donate to the reunion fund by clicking
here.
