The Global War on Terror

Nighttime Citadel

"The fifty million Muslims of Europe will turn it into a Muslim continent within a few decades. Europe is in a predicament, and so is America. They should agree to become Islamic in the course of time, or else declare war on the Muslims."
----Col Muammar Gaddafi, dictator of Libya, April 10, 2006.

September 11, 2001 changed the lives of millions of Americans and next to December 7, 1941, it was a day that changed a generation. This insidious Global War on Terrorism started decades earlier by Islamic extremists. It is a war with no borders and no country on which to declare war. The terrorists live in the shadows, indiscriminately killing innocent men, women, and children. The terrorists do not wear a military uniform and are difficult to find. "Allah Has Answered Our Prayers; the Sword of Vengeance has Reached America and Will Strike Again and Again"---Hamas Weekly, Sept 17, 2001.

November 4, 1979, Islamic terrorists attacked the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran. Sixty-six American employees and staff of the embassy were taken hostage. After the attacks, several Iranian Cadets at The Citadel asked the United States for political asylum since their country was under the control of anti-U.S. Islamic radicals. The United States military was in a period of downsizing. The Commander-In-Chief and President, Jimmy Carter, oversaw a massive reduction in force (RIF) of a demoralized post-Vietnam military. A hastily organized and poorly trained task force named Operation Eagle Claw was tasked to rescue the hostages. The mission failed and resulted in the deaths of eight service men. After 444 days in captivity, the American hostages in Iran were released on Jan 20, 1981, just minutes after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as President of the United States.

In April 1983, Islamic terrorists drove a vehicle loaded with explosives into the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. The vehicle exploded killing 63 Americans. The morning of October 23, 1983 at 6:20 AM, Islamic terrorists driving a vehicle filled with explosives attacked the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut. Two hundred forty-one U.S. military were killed including First Lieutenant Charles J. Schnorf, U.S. Marine Corps, Class of 1981. This was the Marine Corps largest death toll in a single day since the battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. Although, the undeclared "Global War on Terrorism" was still almost two decades away, Lt Schnorf was the first Citadel graduate to lose his life in the fight against terrorism. Just two years later in 1985, American service members were again attacked; this time at Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany. In the same year, terrorists attack a restaurant frequented by U.S. military personnel in Madrid, Spain and a disabled American confined to a wheelchair on the cruise ship the Achille Lauro is executed in cold blood by Islamic terrorists. The terrorist attacks become bolder, killing more innocent Americans.

On April 2, 1986, Trans World Airlines TWA flight 840 departed Rome for Greece when an Islamic terrorist bomb detonated en-route. Four Americans were killed including a 9-month-old baby that was sucked out of the aircraft during a rapid decompression caused by the explosion. Just a few days later, on April 5, 1986, a dance hall frequented by U.S. military members in West Berlin was bombed by Islamic terrorists linked to Col Muammar Gaddafi, the leader of Libya. The attack killed two U.S. servicemen and wounded over 50. President Ronald Reagan directed military strikes against Libya and on April 15, 1986 Operation El Dorado Canyon commenced.

Col Richard Higgins, USMC, was captured and held hostage by Islamic terrorists on February 17, 1988. He was Senior Military Observer with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Lebanon. He was tortured over a two-year period and later killed in July 1990. In 2003, after the Global War on Terror became a reality, Col Higgins was posthumously awarded the Prisoner of War Medal. On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 crashed in Lockerbie Scotland as a result of Islamic terrorists linked to Col Muammar Gaddafi, dictator of Libya. The death toll of 270 included 11 people on the ground at Lockerbie. Col Gaddafi agreed to pay the victims about 10 million dollars each after two Libyan citizens linked to the dictator were arrested and found guilty. The perpetrators were also linked to the Guardians of Islamic Revolution and Islamic Jihad.

Jan 25, 1993 an Islamic terrorist from Pakistan kills two CIA employees in front of CIA Headquarters. Just one month later, the first World Trade Center Bombing occurred on Feb 26, 1993. It resulted in the deaths of six Americans and injured over 1,000. An Islamic terrorist group led by Ramzi Yousef led the attacks.Khobar Towers terrorist attack June 25, 1996 resulted in the deaths of 19 U.S. servicemen and 371 other people were wounded in Saudi Arabia. The attack perpetrated by an Islamic terrorist group known as Hezbollah (Arabic translation "Party of God"). On Aug 7, 1998 the U.S. Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya are bombed by Islamic terrorists killing 225 and wounding over 4,000 people. This attack is linked to Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al-Qaeda. On Oct 12, 2000 the USS Cole is bombed by a small boat loaded with explosives in Aden, Yemen. 17 sailors are killed and 40 are wounded. The attack was perpetrated by Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al Qaeda, an Islamic terrorist group.

From 1993 to 2000, the Islamic terrorists escalated their attacks, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of U.S. citizens, over 5,000 wounded, and hundreds were held captive, tortured and some of those were killed. All of these attacks had one common denominator; all attacks were committed by Islamic terrorists. The United States fought a Cold War against communism that lasted over 40 years before victory came in the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is possible that the undeclared war on Islamic extremists could last even longer. The Citadel is again poised to provide leaders of courage, conviction, and honor in our efforts to keep the peace and protect our beloved nation and our way of life. After the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the loss of American Flight 93 which occurred on Sept 11, 2001, the Citadel and her graduates again answered the call to serve their country. Once again, Citadel Alumni served with honor, courage, and gallantry. Two military bases are named after Citadel Alumni who "gave their last full measure" in the Global War on Terrorism.

Alumni killed in the War on Terrorism include:

Societal Change      The Alamo Battalion, San Antonio Citadel Club