marines and naval forces were assembled for an invasion. on nov twentieth america launched in assault against one of the most heavily fortified japanese islands in the world. tyrone. on board a higgins landing craft in sydney on cooper was responsible for the lives of hundreds of men. for the thousands of marines riding to the shores that morning no one could imagine the ferocity of the battle to come or the death and destruction it would soon face. in february of two thousand and eight the young cooper a navy veteran of the tower of babel and a film crew left los angeles on a journey that took sixty five years. to. be looked. on. while doing research for my recent book the war in the pacific of retrospective i happened across an associated press report that said in effect. where hundreds of marines died there are now millions of plastic bags crumpled paper boxes and when i saw that of course. since i have been a party to. our witness to all of the killings that took place i felt a special way. and i need to do something about this. i was.

marines have sacrificed a slipping for people's memory that's coming up next. the large concentration of litter on the beach poses an additional health hazard when the refuse is swept out to sea during the storm. despite this danger leone saw no empty aluminum cans or plastic bottles he found a base yos major recycling plant nearby where aluminum cans are crushed in both cans and bottles. leon paid a visit to the owner and manager of the plant and reward i wrote repeatedly to the washington usual suspects the president and the white house the secretary of defense the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff members of congress so i'm here to began and hopefully an action program with prodding from my government but we've got. to be starting out there are many. thanks to all who. call that. here's the not show what i'm thinking that we should expand your operation clean up the beach on red beach one would be my primary objective because my salty language but you can understand my anger and having seen this desecration of how the ground war on red beach. leon had de

one marine commented that it was the closest thing to dantes inferno you'd ever seen. it was a hellish wasteland of destruction. literally covered with thousands of bodies and ordinance. now came the grim task of collecting and bury a body. general holland smith and the marine commander was reputed to have said later that tara was a tragic mistake. after the battle the marines would bury their dead take detailed plot maps of the grave sites and within a matter of days return to their ships. meanwhile the burial were continued gun issue. identification was made more difficult by the condition than decomposition of several bodies in a number were lost at sea. i unfortunately had the unpleasant duty of attending a number of burials at sea i can't remember how many at least a half a dozen but one of the stands out in my memory in particular the chaplain who was in charge of the burial details i was standing next to him after he said his usual words before we dumped the guy into the date and i said the chap on the horizon who is a sky and he said we don't know and i said we

the marines. why?ha raddatz. >> the few, the proud, the marines. >> reporter: marines, who have the toughest physical standards, more frequent combat deployments, the fewest percentage of women, by far, and are also the youngest force, with 60% under the age of 22. all resulting in a macho decor in which marines pride themselves. that deeply patriotic, high octane approach to recruiting may be one reason that 40% of marines don't want to see gays serving openly, higher than any other service. there is a more practical reason the marines cite, as well. every marine has a roommate. >> unlike the other services, we have consciously, for decades now, billeted by twos. so, if the law changes, we start out with a problem in terms of how to address that. >> reporter: and general conway and his replacement general jim amos have both said they do not want to see the policy changed. given the extraordinarily tight bonds of the marine corps, statements like that most certainly affect the thinking of the younger m

here's martha raddatz. >> the few, the proud, the marines. >> reporter: marines, who have , more frequent combat deployments, the fewest percentage of women, by far, and are also the youngest force, with 60% under the age of 22. all resulting in a macho esprit de corps in which marines pride themselves. that deeply patriotic, high-octane approach to recruiting may be one reason that 40% of marines don't want to see gays serving openly, higher than any other service. there is a more practical reason the marines cite, as well. every marine has a roommate. >> unlike the other services, we have consciously, for decades now, billeted by twos. so, if the law changes, we start out with a problem, in terms of how to address that. >> reporter: and general conway and his replacement, general jim amos, have both said they do not want to see the policy changed. given the extraordinarily tight bonds of the marine corps, statements like that most certainly affect the thinking of the younger marines general amos now leads. the chiefs of the other services have expressed concerns about the policy change,

my grandfather was a marine. cannot say i joined because of him because he never told me about the service. he had a lot of things that happened by the time he retired in 1974 they did not want to tell me about. nevertheless, when i joined -- and he never told me what service he was in until i joined. i told him to join the marine corps. he told me i would never make it because of my mouth. [laughter] then i said something smart that probably emphasize his point. but each day i strove to make them and other women proud. as a woman of veteran, is a very high bar that you have said. there is a lot that is required of a woman to maintain her femininity, to still be a mother, to still be a wife, to still be a home giver. we can do it. [applause] 235 years of marine corps in existence. not all that time that the mills been part of that. i am short the marine corps is are very grateful they collected their original -- they corrected their original mistake. we began doing clerical duties in 1918. but as the dearly -- th

the question is, what happens when the marines leave? already a first attempt to build a local police force here failed. they were outsiders, corrupt and alienated the population. a new force with many local men is faring better. as these marines do their part in taking the offensive, while s laying the sides of an eventual handover to afghan troops they make so with no illusion the taliban will go quietly. still the man leading the fight here believes the success in marjah can be replicated. >> there are other places in helmand province that i've still got tasks to do. we're still going to have casualties. and there's still work to be done. each of them will eventually become marjahs and each of them will become even better than marjah. >> and to underscore the fight still to come and the battle still being waged there, the marines announced this week they're bringing in 16 heavy big batt battle tanks to give them more fire power in that region. >>> turn now to the big story back home. the outrage over the new screening rules on this bu

explain the tradition of the oldest marine serving the youngest marine. >> the oldest marine, this cakeltiple parts. the first one, we do four things. we recognize the 235 year history of the marine corps, we celebrate that and then we honor those who served before us. particularly those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. and in the oldest marine represents that legacy of service will cut a piece of cake, and then the second part of that, we'll cut another piece of cake. the oldest marine will pass it to the youngest marine and that symbolizes the handing of tradition, history and experience to a new generation. >> alisyn: this is going on around the world. even in combat? >> afghanistan on u.s. navy ship, bases and stations world wide, cities like new york or small towns across the country. wherever marines are, active marines or those who previously served. >> brian: if you're watching overseas or anywhere, write us because we know they watch fox a lot in battle. as they're preparing for battle, we want to know how you're celebrating. don't you feel in the remarkable history of the mari

a fellow marine was killed and three wounded. two of jake's things were severed. and he walks with a cane. >> got a little banged up and trying to get back on the move. >> reporter: jake is from wyoming but spending thanksgiving with his buddy's family. they have become his second family. >> you we met in the marine corps. >> he lived and worked with me every day in those three and a half years and he is my brother as far as i'm concerned. >> reporter: a thanksgiving to be truly thankful. >> i can't imagine anything more special. is it unreal. >> reporter: thomas and jake are finished with their active duty and tomorrow i will that be joined by four more marines for thanksgiving dinner. 16 marines in all who can appreciate what the meaning of tomorrow is all about. ken wayne, ktvu channel 2 news. >>> and during to -- the procession two motorcycles collided and our camera caught the other cycles stopping to help. one suffered a broken leg and caller bone and is being held overnight in hospital. and the other biker was treated at the scene. this happened on northbou

a heroes' homecoming for two marines. >>> an >>> two young marines have special reason to be thankfulthanksgiving. they just arrived home from the battlefield in afghanistan with remarkable stories of survival. they shared what this holiday means to them with ken wayne and he joins us live with a report. >> reporter: the pride is evident here. the party wrapped up within the hour in this home for two young marines just back from the war zone in afghanistan. [applause ]. >> reporter: it was a heroes' welcome for thomas brook and jake henry. they got warm embraces and their own escort from patriot guards. 56 harley-davidsons escorted the men to walnut creek. and a warm reception from friends and neighbors glad to see the two men home and out of harm's way. it is a bit of culture shock for the marines. >> 20 days ago i was in afghanistan. and now i am thrown back into america. i will have my friends and family around and that will help. >> reporter: the men told us about their experience in southern afghanistan. >> what we were up against was pretty much guerrilla warfare. >> reporter: j

kip joined the marines at age 17. he came from colorado.. i have a picture of that in the book. 10,000 ft level. the kelly family is in the book as well. john kelly was the deputy mission commander for the first marine division during the first battle of fallujah. his son robert was a pfc going door-to-door with firefights. his son john was also a marine and was in iraq. if family, generation's going to war. we have been reluctant to tell our soldiers not thanks for serving can and you are good people, but when they win, thanks of winning. this book's as banks or winning. >> a call on the republican line from aidala. >> how are you? host: fine. caller: can't you consider the chemicals that used as weapons of mass destruction? guest: yes, we've knowledge saddam hussein used weapons of mass destruction, chemical poison gas, to kill the kurdish people in large numbers in northern iraq. that was chemical ali, that was the name of his deputy who was tried and executed. just as we executed people after the november trial after the second world wa

. >>> federal officials say they've arrested three former marines for selling weapons to a las vegas gang. the suspects ringleaderho served in iraq oversaw the sales of two cases of firearms, including an ak-47 and two other semi automatic rifles. at the sale, which was attended by both a government informant and a gang member, the former marine was asked if he would be willing to sell more weapons to other gang members in the future and he agreed. the suspect called the charges unte. >>> and now here's a look at other stories making news early today in america. a california mystery has been solved. an unidentified object thought by many to be a missile launch just off the coast of california was not, at least according to the pend gone and the faa and

still ahead, a neighborhood comes out for two marines. and coming up a little later. they were separated for more than 40 years, now, seven brothers and sisters are a family again. sapphire preferred are worth 25% more on travel. we're like forget florida, we're going on a safari. so we're on the serengeti, and seth finds a really big bone. we're talking huge. they dig it up, put it in the natural history museum and we get to name it. raus. sethasauraus. really. your points from chase sapphire preferred are worth 25% more on travel? means better vacations. that's incredible. believe it...with chase sapphire preferred your points are worth 25% more on travel when booked through ultimate rewards. j,. >>> good morning, it's 4:44, this will be a happy thanksgiving for two bay area marines back from afghanistan. they got a hero's welcome home after finishing a difficult tour of duty. alan wang has their story. >> marine corporal thomas brook and lance corporal jake henry have a lot to be thankful for. they just completed a tour of duty in southern helman province. it's one

marines talk about dropping five pounds and getting in shape. the news starts right now. >> good evening. i'm diane dwyer. in san francisco tonight, police are investigating a frightening attack on a cable car operator in chinatown this afternoon. the victim is hospitalized in critical condition tonight. police have a suspect in custody, but they still have not figured out what led to the attack. nbc bay area's monte francis is live tonight. >> reporter: a suspect is in jail, and he faces charges of attempted murder. the attack happened at about 4:20 this afternoon at mason and jackson streets in chinatown on a cable car that was out of service. shortly before the attack the mason line had again down because of a problem with a cable. there were no passengers on board, but the operator was and that's when he tacked the operator. a witness called police and then helped officers follow a trail of blood to an apartment on himel man place just two blocks away. oddly enough, police say the trail of blood belonged to the victim, not the suspect, becau

at the same time: 40% of marines said they'd be concerned about serving with gays in combat. meanwhile, in health news tonight, a medical first. doctors injected embryonic stem cells into a woman's brain, hoping they'll fight her cancer. close to 23,000 americans are diagnosed with brain cancer every year, and more than half that number die. ben tracy met this pioneer patient and has an exclusive look at this groundbreaking procedure. >> i've already agreed. >> reporter: jenn vonckx has been leaning on her family a lot lately. just three weeks ago, doctors in her home town of seattle told her there was nothing more they could do to treat the tumor in her brain. they gave her two months to live. >> it's a short time, when they tell you that, wow. you wouldn't even believe how short it feels. >> reporter: she didn't know at this hospital near los angeles dr. karen abude has been working on a revolutionary new cancer treatment for the very worst brain tumors called glioblastoma, the same kind jenn has. these kind of tumors are so invasive, until now there have been no way to get

he died eight days later but he saved the lives of two other marines including retired marine sergeant hampton is who married and his wife remembers jason. >> we'll be cheek to cheek or close to each other and we'll say i love you to each other. she says, "and i love jason, too. ">> officer told us earlier this is a tragic beautiful story of self-sacrifice. 22-year-old dunham in the wrong place and yet he did the right thing. >> jason's parents say not a day goes by when they don't remember their boy. >> people will tell you it will get better with time. it's a lie. what you will learn how to do is find a way to move on and live through each day. >> the crew will home port in norfolk, virginia, where they train for first deployment. orlando salinas. fox news. >> bret: we have our own veterans day tribute at the end of the show. we'll talk about a tough day with the president with the all-star panel when we come back. e]e] >>> we need to make sure over the next several weeks we are crossing the "t"s, dotting the "i"s, being able to make the case to both the korean people and the united

more than 1100 marines and sailors died, almost 2300 wounded, 4600 japanese killed in the first majorf the pacific. cooper, a landing craft officer, ferried waves of marines ashore. >>. >> and i saw fear in their eyes. all i can think is could they see the fear in mine? >> reporter: now he's fighting so america never forgets. >> there are hundreds of guys who lie in tarawa in unmarked graves. >> reporter: we first met him at his malibu home two years ago. >> i was angry. all those guys dying. >> reporter: angry at finding red beach where so many marines died was the island dump and neither the pentagon nor politicians seemed to care. but today... they seem to be paying attention now. >> yeah, because we made a lot of noise. >> reporter: following our story and a documentary cooper helped make, the pentagon was prodded into action. recently sending a forensic team to tarawa to search for the remains of fallen fighters. >> being on marine hallowed ground, bringing my fallen brothers home, that's as good as it gets right there. >> reporter: the team recovered two sets of remains believed

you got marines an soldiers in afghanistan sacrificing for their country. and you're not willing to give up your mortgage interest deduction or see a little raise in your capital gains tax? that is the question the country really has to ask. and i would say it's not, the change is going to happen in washington, there has to be a change in the country of voters saying yes, i hate this but i'm willing to do it or else the politicians will go nowhere near it. so there has to be some surge in the country first of people saying yeah, we're serious about this. >> lehrer: how can there be a surge without an election it is to the going happen before 2012. >> social movement as rise. we had the obama movement arose. the tea party movement arose. people got organized. institutions formed. >> lehrer: so it could happen. >> they changed the political dynamic. we would have to have a significant change in the political dynamic before politicians in either party will touch this. >> lehrer: one quick thing before we go. you mentioned george herbert walker bush. what do yo

four marines were hit, and we lost one on the ground. myself was injured. >> surmgens reattached two of his fingers. >> got a little banged up, but treeing to get back on there. >> he is adapting, but i will have my friends and family around me. >> i can't imagine anything more special. it is unreal. >> after seven months of hard fighting and sleep less nights and a diet of field rations, thomas and his friend jake will sit down to a home cooked thanksgiving meal knowing their tour of duty is finally over. there is no place like home. president aring in walnut creek, alan wang, abc7 news. >> no indeed. >>> well, could she have been saved? up next, details of a nurse at napa state hospital leaves a daughter with an agonizing question. >> the majority of americans don't want to put up with the blue blood. >> sarah palin's choice words for the bush family. >> and the only remaining swan from the palace of fine >> closed captioning brought to >> closed captioning brought to >>> a bay area woman is blaming poor security for her mother's death

there is a more practical reason the marines cite as we.ery marine has a roommate. >> unlike the other services we have consciously for decades have two. if the law changes we start out with a problem in terms of how to address that. >>reporter: general conway and his replacement general amos have both said they do in the want to see the policy changed given the extraordinarily tight bond of the marine corps statements like that most certainly affect the thinking of the younger marines general amos now leads. chief of the other services have expressed concerns about the policy change as well but nothing like general amos who has gone so far as to say it is a risk to unit cohesion during wartime. this is news from washington. >> well today is veterans day of course. day to honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women who seven in the military. if airmen were honored in a veterans day parade in a marin city today. they were the first aviator in u.s. history and fought in world war ii. sonoma couldn't also paid tribute to this country

to the marine corps. officer brenda edwards and she is retired that are referred to her as the traveler. she was born in mississippi, went to high school in chicago, illinois, went to navy boot camp at orlando, florida. she want to mess management school in san diego, california. she has now been from north to south, from east to west. then it was off to see. and she did assignments around the world, and she received many awards for best operations, and i guess when she was the cook on the ship, they had the best food they'd ever have. [laughter] she even did a tour with the white house food-service teen. she qualified as a cpr instructor for the aviation warfare program, and was one of the first women to report aboard a combat ship. so if anybody needs help, cpr wise, we have the expert here. so next, somewhere, is chief master sargeant tre king, air force. i went to a retirement it ceremony at then bowling air force base and the master of ceremonies was chief king. when i left that day, i had her promis