When I met Red I was the platoon leader of 2nd Plt. Lima Co. 3rd battalion 3rd Marines as we were deployed in Saudi Arabia in the fall of 1990. He was a tall lean kid from Texas who was always cheerful (despite our circumstances) who's assault team was assigned to my platoon. I didn't know him prior to his attachment to 2nd as he was under another lieutenant. He was a good Marine and I am qualified to make that assessment. Sometime in January of 1991 we were in Kafji, Saudi Arabia attempting to train some Saudi troops in coordination with a Special Forces unit. I had split each squad off with a Saudi platoon for the day and was exploring some underground bunkers that Ssgt. Gibileo and Sgt. Fratinardo had discovered when suddenly we heard an explosion. I have never run so fast in my life and when I arrived at the courtyard to the (abandoned) apartment complex where they were training I found chaos. One of my Marines was wounded and bleeding in his arm, leg, and hand. A Saudi soldier lay bleeding out on the ground (he died of his wounds) and Red was swinging an M-60e3 machine gun at about 100 Saudis. He said one of then had thrown a piece of DPICM (grenade) at them and he was about to commence the killing. I talked him down "off the ledge" so to speak since technically those people were are allies. Part of me wished I hadn't run so fast. The truth of is is that him and Richardson (the wounded Marine) were friends and he was ready to draw some blood in payment as any 19 year old would do especially for a fellow Marine. And even though I had to stop him from doing what God had naturally put in his heart I was never more proud to be an officer of Marines than in that moment when I had to restrain Red. In full disclosure, I had long lost contact with Rob, in fact I didn't know his name beyond Lance Corporal Reddin before today. I learned of his death from other Lima Marines on Facebook and had to asked "is that Red?" But when I learned it was him I felt compelled to tell this story because I know he would never have told it about himself. I remember seeing Red praying with others the night we stepped off into the attack and I am convinced that he had a good heart and I pray for him tonight and remember that fine Marine from so many years ago. Rest in peace brother we will see you soon.