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Bring Home 13 American Heroes
Published by Chipp Reid on Sep 09, 2009
575 Signatures 
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Target: U.S. Congress
Region: GLOBAL
Background (Preamble):
After 207 years of internment on foreign soil and US government indifference, it's time for the American people to bring home 13 heroes from America's first foreign conflict, a fight that goes on to this day for freedom of the seas. In 1801, the United States went to war to stop pirate attacks on its ships in the Mediterranean.
The war went on for three years, when, on Sept. 4, 1804, Master Commandant Richard Somers and 12 others attempted to execute the second-ever commando raid on foreign soil. The raid ended in disaster as Somers' vessel, the first USS Intrepid in the US Navy, exploded, killing all on board. The bodies of Somers and his crew floated ashore the next day and remain buried in an unkempt cemetery and an unmarked common grave to this day in Tripoli.
Starting in 2006, the descendants of the sailors attempted to bring home the remains of these brave men. The current US State Department, however, continues to block their return, saying Libya should care for the graves. In doing so, the State Department has broken the most sacred code in the U.S. military -- Leave No Man Behind.
This MUST change.
The war went on for three years, when, on Sept. 4, 1804, Master Commandant Richard Somers and 12 others attempted to execute the second-ever commando raid on foreign soil. The raid ended in disaster as Somers' vessel, the first USS Intrepid in the US Navy, exploded, killing all on board. The bodies of Somers and his crew floated ashore the next day and remain buried in an unkempt cemetery and an unmarked common grave to this day in Tripoli.
Starting in 2006, the descendants of the sailors attempted to bring home the remains of these brave men. The current US State Department, however, continues to block their return, saying Libya should care for the graves. In doing so, the State Department has broken the most sacred code in the U.S. military -- Leave No Man Behind.
This MUST change.
Petition:
We, the undersigned, believe the bodies of Richard Somers, Henry Wadsworth, Joseph Israel, Robert Clark, Isaac W. Downs, James Harris, William Harrison, William Keith, Hugh McCormick, Peter Penner, James Simms, Thomas Tompline and Jacob Williams deserve proper burial in the United States.
We applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for adopting the Rogers/Lobiondo Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act and call on members of the United States Senate to support this legislation and restore it to the Senate version of NDAA.
We applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for adopting the Rogers/Lobiondo Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act and call on members of the United States Senate to support this legislation and restore it to the Senate version of NDAA.
The Bring Home 13 American Heroes petition to U.S. Congress was written by Chipp Reid and is in the category Military at GoPetition. Contact author here. Petition tags: richard somers, henry wadsworth, edward preble, stephen decatur, intrepid, barbary pirates, north africa, tripoli, libya, navy, 1804, us navy, new jersey, barbary wars, bring home 13 american heroes
