A Marine former hostages explains resistance

From IMAO:

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When we were first taken, the Iranians took us into a room individually and asked us to sign a statement denouncing the US policy in Iran, Israel, the Shah, etc. The Marines signed with names such as Michael Mouse, Chesty Puller, Dan Daly (google the last two...Marine Corps legends), Harry Butz, etc.

During the ordeal they would try to tape us for propaganda purposes. Personally, I would keep looking down to the ground or hide behind others so that my face wouldn't show (in fact, after a couple of months of not seeing me in any of the videos my records I was classified as MIA). Another Marine and I shared the same cell and when they came in with cameras we'd strip down. I heard a rumor that one of the other Marines smeared ketchup on his face and started howling.

They day before they released us, we were taken to a room with a camera and Mary the Terrorist who was going to interview us. We were threatened that if we didn't say the right things we wouldn't be released. Some Marines gave only name rank and SSN, others sang (Marine Corps Hymn or God Bless America), others just said nothing.

On the day they let us go, I was being herded towards the airplane by a couple of those monkeys. I pulled my arm out of their grasp and let them know that "We're number one"...but used the wrong finger.

For our troubles we were isolated, thumped, went through two mock executions, starved, threatened, and had to put up with useful idiots from Amnesty International showing up just to let the world know how humane we were being treated.

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I am reminded of a Marine enlisted man captured by the NVA who was eventually released because they got tired of all his pranks. Apparently he had been the same way in school. Stories like this one are another reminder of what special people Marines are. Semper Fi means something to them.

This is via TigerHawk. Another captive gave this heartwarming remembrance of his time in captivity to the author of Guests of the Ayatollah: The Iran Hostage Crisis: The First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam.

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Guests is chock full of stories about American resistance and Iranian abuse, but one short passage strikes me as directly on point:

For many weeks [Political Officer John W. Limbert, Jr.] had no contact with anyone other than his guards. He began to worry that something had happened. Had everyone else been released? Had he been left behind? Had the others been killed?

Then one day a guard asked him to define some English words that he didn't understand.

The words were "raghead," "bozo," "motherfucker," and "cocksucker." Limbert laughed. It warmed his heart. Someplace nearby his captors were still coping with the United States Marine Corps.

With some provocation, Marines can be downright disrespectful to the enemy.