"To The Shores of Trip-O-Leeee"

(Editorial note: Meant to post this last night, but got involved with some of THIS, and the time positively flew by.)

27 April 1805: First Lieutenant Presley N. O’Bannon, who with seven other Marines was part of a force of Greeks and Arabs led by American Consul William Eaton, raised the United States flag for the first time over a conquered fortress of the Old World at Derne, a stronghold of the Tripolitan pirates. Two Marines were killed and one wounded in the assault on the walled city.

There are several points of interest above and beyond the boldness-and-daring aspects. One, the entire enterprise was led by a diplomat. Two, there was employment of private military contractors. And three, the Marines took substantial casualties but pressed on nonetheless. Except for the warlike diplomat (a rare bird indeed), one could say that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

And, although not noted in that paragraph, it was a joint op with the Navy, featuring a good old fashioned iron shampoo delivered in the form of a naval bombardment of shore fortifications.

Sunday Update: A comment from our dear friend and colleague Boston Maggie jolted my memory. Please see this article by Christopher Hitchens for an interesting take on the Barbary Wars. The more things change, indeed, the more they stay the same!