Brian Stewart’s Memoir Revisits U.S. Marines’ Turbulent Lebanon Mission

Veteran journalist Brian Stewart reflects on a harrowing chapter in military and media history in his new memoir, On the Ground: My Life as a Foreign Correspondent. The book revisits his experiences in Lebanon during 1983, a tumultuous year marked by civil war and the presence of U.S. Marines as part of an international peacekeeping force.

Stewart’s journey began amidst the chaos of a city under siege. The first evening of his stay was punctuated by the sound of artillery as U.S. Marines fired back at enemy rocket strikes. The urgent atmosphere around the U.S. Marine base near the Beirut airport was palpable, and Stewart, alongside his producer Tony Burman, raced through dangerous territory to reach their destination.

Upon arrival, Stewart observed the scene resembling a film set for a war epic, with helicopter gunships overhead and Marines clad in camouflage moving about their duties. The tension was thick as Colonel Tim Geraghty stressed the need for restraint within the volatile environment. The Marines, tasked with supporting the Lebanese army, faced hostility from various factions in the ongoing civil conflict.

The mission, initially intended as a peacekeeping effort, had become increasingly fraught. Stewart described the precarious situation surrounding the base, which was threatened from multiple directions. Sunni militias to the south and Druze fighters to the east posed significant risks, while powerful Shiite militia, influenced by Iran, loomed to the north.

As Stewart and his team navigated the perimeter of the base, the reality of the conflict became evident. They were shown bunkers bearing the scars of recent artillery strikes, and one Marine casually handed Stewart a shard of metal from a previous explosion, a grim reminder of the dangers present.

During his time at the base, Stewart witnessed the Marines’ fire-control operations, which utilized ground radar to track incoming attacks. Alarms frequently echoed across the base, signaling the need for cover as rockets and mortar rounds struck nearby. The tension escalated not only from enemy fire but also from the moral dilemmas faced by the troops, who often refrained from retaliating against potential threats to avoid escalating violence.

Stewart noted the resilience of Beirut’s civilians, despite the ongoing violence. Shops, restaurants, and universities remained operational, showcasing a determination to maintain a semblance of normalcy amid the chaos. Yet, beneath the surface, fear and desperation were pervasive, with a burgeoning black market for tranquilizers indicative of the psychological toll the conflict was taking.

The foreshadowing of tragedy loomed heavy over Stewart’s experiences. Upon returning to London, he was jolted awake one night by a powerful explosion nearby, later discovering it was a terrorist bombing. Just days later, he was ordered back to Lebanon after a devastating truck bomb obliterated the Marine barracks, killing 220 Marines among the 241 personnel present.

This attack marked a significant turning point, as the era of large-scale terrorist assaults began to take shape, foreshadowing events that would lead to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Stewart’s recollections serve as a stark reminder of the complexities and human costs of military interventions in foreign conflicts.

Stewart’s memoir, published by Simon & Schuster and priced at $37.99, provides a deeply personal narrative that encapsulates the experiences of those caught in the crossfire of war, while also shedding light on the challenges faced by journalists striving to tell their stories.