Marine veteran and Beirut Veteran of America member Richard Truman recounts helping wounded Marines after the Beirut barracks bombing on Oct. 23, 1983. | Marine Corps Times

The echoes of 1983 still resonate: 241 American lives tragically extinguished in the Beirut Marine Barracks bombing, an act carried out by proxies of the Iranian regime. That wasn’t an isolated incident. When you trace the timeline, the pattern becomes chillingly clear, strongly suggesting those same forces were likely involved in the 2000 attack on the USS Cole. We owe it to those who served—and those who fell—to remember the full scope of this history and the long memory required for security.

Thirty-six years ago a tragedy occurred that echoes today. Iran, the world's top sponsor of terrorism, still supports groups that pursue power at the expense of innocent lives. We honor the lives lost in the Beirut barracks bombings as we continue to work for peace in the region. | U.S. Department of State