MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- The news of Saddam Hussein's capture spread quickly throughout the nation and here around Camp Pendleton.
As soon as the news broke, friends, co-workers and family members ran to the phones to tell loved ones of the great news.
Many of those long distance phone calls made there way to the Marines and sailors of Camp Pendleton.
Disbelief struck many hearts.
"I got up Sunday morning, jumped on the Internet and there it was," said Lt. Col. Laurence Foy of 1st Force Service Support Group. "I couldn't believe it."
With Saddam's history of using look-alikes, some figured it just couldn't be him.
"I found out at 3 A.M. when my friend called me," said Lance Cpl. Chris J. Rousseve of 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion.
"I just figured it was an imposter," Rousseve said.
Because Saddam was such an evil dictator, many thought that no one would find him and if he were found, that he would go down in a great fight.
Neither proved true.
"My wife called me from work that morning and woke me so I turned on the news," said Cpl. David H. Estrada of 1st Marine Division.
"I was so excited. I never thought we'd get him alive," he said.
With Camp Pendleton based units already tapped for a second deployment to Iraq, some wondered what this would mean to the upcoming mission.
"I'm wondering if the missions will be the same and if the resistance will increase or now that their leader is gone they will back off," Rousseve said.
"It's a huge step, but it's still necessary for Marines to go back over," said Sgt. Domingo M. Govea Jr. of 1st Marine Division.
"(The violence) is not going to stop now that we have him because some people are still behind him," Estrada said.
"Hopefully it will swing some momentum on our side," he said.
"I think there's more to it than just Saddam," said Gunnery Sgt. Steven E. Rice Sr. of Marine Aviation Logistic Squadron 39.
"There still are many more things to be done to ensure a stable and secure country of Iraq," Foy added.
That scruffy bearded man flashed over many television sets evoked many reactions.
"I wasn't surprised at the circumstances of his capture," Foy said.
"The man was in a desperate situation. He looked just like a man who was on the run and in hiding."