"The Devil Walked the Streets of Beirut" — A Marine Sniper Survives the 1983 Barracks Bombing

On October 23, 1983, at 6:22 in the morning, a truck bomb destroyed the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. Marine Scout Sniper Frank Roberts was 400 yards away, sleeping in the dirt near Charlie Company. The blast threw him into a wall. When he came to, the four-story building was gone.Frank was 20 years old. He had come up through amphibious recon school and Scout Sniper School, where he learned from the legendary Carlos Hathcock, and was sent to Beirut with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines on what was called a peacekeeping mission. In this episode of Ask A Vet, he tells us what it really was: restrictive rules of engagement, constant shelling, sniper duels, and, after the bombing, more than a week cut off with no resupply and their chain of command gone.Frank also shares what came after: training the next generation of snipers, undercover narcotics work in New Haven, a contract on his life during the largest RICO case in Connecticut history, and the oyster farm in South Carolina where he found his way home.IN MEMORY: This episode is dedicated to the 241 American service members, 220 Marines, 18 sailors, and 3 soldiers, killed in Beirut on October 23, 1983, to the 58 French paratroopers lost the same morning, and to every Marine and sailor who served there.CONTENT ADVISORY: This episode contains graphic descriptions of combat, the aftermath of the bombing, severe injuries, PTSD, and strong language. Veterans in crisis: call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net.⏱️ CHAPTERS00:36 The man with two birth certificates01:01 Growing up in a Marine family02:20 The first enlisted man in the family04:31 Parris Island05:36 Eight months at sea on the USS Nassau07:47 Selected for Scout Sniper08:18 Amphibious Recon School, Little Creek10:28 Scout Sniper School and Carlos Hathcock12:04 The M40A1 and two-man teams14:27 Learning to stalk16:11 Orders to Beirut18:36 Patrolling the rubble19:44 Rules of engagement: one round at a time22:18 First sniper mission25:49 Humping through Beirut27:32 Ambushed in a ditch31:17 The man with the white handkerchief35:47 Letters home36:52 Warning signs and the tank that was moved37:58 The morning of the bombing41:03 "It was gone"42:43 241 lost44:17 Cut off: no ammo, no food, no water46:15 Help turned away47:47 The plane he refused to board50:24 33 days of shelling51:03 A prayer under fire53:20 Abandoned: "What's to become of us?"55:35 Twelve men step forward57:55 Coming home1:00:05 Rebuilding as a sniper instructor1:01:14 Delta Force and a CIA offer1:02:16 New Haven Police: undercover narcotics1:05:39 The raid on West Street1:08:18 No fear left1:09:01 The Latin Kings and the FBI1:11:07 A contract on his life1:13:35 On the witness stand1:17:43 The truth about the bomb1:19:10 Becoming an oyster farmer1:24:03 The bond with his brothers1:27:25 Nightmares, healing, and the VA1:30:10 Closing🎖️ SUBSCRIBE for new veteran interviews every week.Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UvdMjkOkOgoHM2yIckhlhListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-a-vet-podcast/id1854840136Read the blog: https://curioushumanography.com/Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/curioushumanography/If you're a veteran with a story to tell, or you know someone who should be on the show, reach out at [email protected]#AskAVet #Beirut1983 #MarineCorps #ScoutSniper #BeirutBarracks #VeteranStories #USMC #militaryhistory