War, Conflict & Front-Line Reporting

1983. This clip, from Eyewitness news, gives us a brief history of the Marine Corps. How did the leathernecks earn their reputation as the toughest of the tough guys? We start with a recruiter's conversation, some history of the Marine Corps since it's creation as the Continental Marines in 1775, and a look at boot camp's 10 week program. 16 hour days and the drill instructor's tough regimen make this profession suitable only for a few good men. The clip moves on to the Marine Corp''s role in WWII and other modern conflicts. We conclude with a short speech by Marine Commandant General PX Kelley, as he relates every Marine's true message: Semper Fi.

The USMC, United States Marine Corps, is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. The core remains active in conflicts in 2024, with its own infantry, special operations, artillery and aerial services.

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Geraldo Rivera, reporting for Eyewitness News in 1983, takes us to the front lines outside Tripoli where Yassir Arafat's forces are fighting against Syrian-backed PLO rebels. We then go to Beirut, Lebanon and see the conditions of Arafat's forces there. We also meet some of the marines from Bravo company, stationed at the Beirut airport. In the confusion of this war they are cut off from communicating with their loved ones, with Geraldo and the WABC team offering a remedy by bringing a message from home.

In October 1983, not long before this report, truck bombs were detonated in Beirut aimed at the international peacekeeping force. 241 U.S. and 58 French military personnel were killed, as well as civilians and the attackers themselves. The deadliest single day death toll for the Marine core since World War II.

The Lebanese civil war saw armed conflict in that country from 1975 to 1990.

Syrian and Israeli forces occupied different parts of Lebanon until 2005.

Today, this region is again in turmoil with many of the same actors. What will it take to see peace?

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2004. Geraldo Rivera for Fox News Channel is in the Al Qa'im area of Iraq with Tiger Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. We learn about this extreme wild west of Iraq and the operations of U.S. forces there, seeing the convoys, helicopters and various armament. The locals know whatever the politics, these soldiers want the people of Iraq to be prosperous and free.

The 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment deployed to Iraq several times during the war, and in this video are turning over control of the area to the Marines.

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1978. Geraldo Rivera, reporting for ABC news from Nicaragua, where a large swath of populace is rebelling against the government of General Anastasio Somoza. Violence is almost a nightly occurrence all over the country, with the poorest joined by students and other groups in their protests against the authoritarian government. The average per capita income in Nicaragua at this time is under $750 per year, while President Somoza and his family are worth upwards of 500 million dollars. Later in the clip an interview with President Somoza is shown, where he is asked about this disparity.

The Somoza family had dominated the Nicaraguan government since 1937, and Anastasio Somoza was the last of that family to do so. He fled as rebel troops were closing in during 1979, and was assassinated in 1980.

The Sandinistas had more or less led the rebel movement in Nicaragua, and came to power on President Somoza's demise, first as part of the Junta of National Reconstruction.

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2004. Geraldo Rivera reporting from Iraq with the Fox News crew convoy, traveling from Sulaymaniyah to Erbil then on to Mosul. On their way to Stryker brigade the convoy is hit by gunfire.

"..Is anyone hit?"

Pulling in to a nearby University hospital, the team inspects the damage and the injured driver is treated. Later in the segment Geraldo speaks to Colonel Joseph in the area, who gives insight about the situation in Mosul. This incident happened not a half a mile from U.S. forward fire base, likely by individual/s from Saddam Hussein's former regime.

In closing the team heads to the border with Turkey, where we see the border backed up for miles.

Operation Iraqi Freedom officially ended in 2011, although many parts of the country remain hazardous to journalists and civilians alike.

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1991, America and 41 other countries are at war with Iraq during 'Operation Desert Storm'. With United States Air Force pilots conducting so many missions, and hitting so many strategic targets with pinpoint accuracy, how do our pilots largely escape unscathed in the face of Iraqi air defense systems?

We take a deep dive into Nellis Air Force Base, in the Nevada desert, the finishing school for fighter pilots. We speak with pilots, officers, and members of the armed forces for an informative look into America's air force, and the training our service members receive before being sent to war.

The Department of Defense reports 148 battle related deaths during Operation Desert Storm, including air force pilots.

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2001. Geraldo Rivera is in Kunduz, Afghanistan after the United States supported Northern Alliance liberates that city.

"..half these guys are volunteers from the surrounding countryside, who've never even been in a city before.."

This is an extraordinary look at northern Afghanistan and the Northern Alliance fighters.

"...15,000 heavily armed conquering troops in town....they represent the biggest threat to public safety now...

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President Donald Trump's combat operation in the skies over Iran continues, as that country strikes back at U.S. assets in the region. Can America give the good guys in the Iranian army a way out?

"Unlike the United States, Iran does not have a limitless supply of these ballistic missiles..."

President Trump's gives his latest comments latest comments with reaction, and John Fetterman is the lone Democrat to stand with Republicans.

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April 30th, 1981. 20/20 Eyewitness news looks back at the last American troops leaving Vietnam six years before.

"By the last week of April the entire top of South Vietnam was last, Saigon itself was cordoned off and surrounded...now it was no longer a question of whether or not the Americans in Vietnam would pull out, it was only a question of when..."

This segment begins looking at the cultural happenings in 1975, before moving to the biggest event of that year and its extensive cast of characters. We learn how in the weeks of April Americans and the Vietnamese supporting them were making every attempt to leave the country, and the eery quiet in Saigon during that time period. War footage and reports during that time show the chaotic scenes.

As the segment continues principals are interviewed, CIA agents in the country, generals in charge of the theater, embassy security guards, helicopter evacuation pilots and many more. So many helicopters are bringing evacuees to American ships that there is no space for them, and the choppers are pushed into the sea. Classified documents are being shredded at the embassy, a huge cache of weapons will be blown up, thousands of Vietnamese are at the gates desparate to get in, in order to get out of the country. U.S. Marines deploy tear gas and form a security perimeter to maintain order.

The chaotic fall of Saigon continues to referenced in American cultural and military settings. In 2026 the city is more commonly known as Ho Chi Minh City.

This stock footage courtesy of Geraldo's television history.

Some of the original audio in this television archive has been replaced.
Hall of the Mountain King by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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