BURLINGTON - Today is the U.S. Marine Corps birthday!

And, as Veterans Day looms tomorrow, Rene Carbone Bardorf, a Woburn native, is scheduled to appear tonight on CBS's 60 Minute television broadcast (8 p.m., Channel 4) in support of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund - a group formed to assist Marines injured in combat.

Today, more than 174,000 active duty and 37,000 reserve Marines are on active duty protection in the United States. A significant percentage of them are deployed overseas to serve the county in hotbeds of violence like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Originally set to air in December, Rene Carbone was interviewed November 9 by the 60 Minute commentators and the recent increased military hostilities in Fallujah has brought an even greater awareness of the plight of U.S. servicemen and women in combat.

The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is imperative in assisting the entire family of Marines. The financial strain is a telling one and the emotional support provided by such a fund is necessary, noted Diane Carbone, a Lahey Clinic employee and the mother of Rene Carbone.

Rene Carbone's husband, Major David G. Bardorf, USMC, is a tank commander in Operation Iraqi Freedom and in March 2003 was directly involved in the fierce fighting throughout the Baghdad area. She is currently with him in Quantico, Virginia.

According to Diane Carbone, the segment and the appeal was supposed to be aired in December on their re-scheduling, but the current fighting brought the group to the forefront.

Still another U.S. Marine is Woburn native Chad Carbone, USMC, who was promoted to captain in December. He is also the son of Diane and John Carbone of Woburn and recently raised over $7,000 for the fund that his sister, Rene, is spearheading on the local front.

Chad Carbone ran the Washington D.C. Marathon in support of the fund on October 31. And, among the major supporters of this effort was the Radiology Department of the Lahey Clinic in Burlington where his mother Diane Carbone works.

The Carbone home at 120 Montvale Ave. in Woburn today is decorated with U.S. Marine Corps flags and stands out at the corner of Bow Street, just behind Woburn Memorial High School.

The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund was formed by Rene Carbone, along with several wives of Marine Corps members. "Her father and I are very proud, along with her brother, Chad," said Diane Carbone at the Burlington lab.

Both Rene and Chad Carbone are graduates of Woburn High School, who also showed much leadership in those days as captains of their respective sports.

U.S. Department of Defense statistics indicated 1,168 Marines have been wounded in a period from March 2003 to June 26, 2004.

Typically, injured Marines are sent to Germany and then to the Washington D.C. area to hospitals like the Bathesda Naval Hospital in Bathesda, Maryland. Hospital stays can be for weeks or years.

The 60 Minutes crews heard of this fine effort and have put a spotlight on their effort this evening (8 p.m. Ch. 4).

Some typical comments from Marines aided by the fund are:

Lance Corporal:

"IED explosion in early April and over 15 surgeries, loss of knee, music, handwebbing, partial vision and feeling in my leg. Since April, it has been considerably tough to play music, the drums, a major inspiration in my life. They say I can't run ever again but not news a Marine or myself accepts."

Corporal:

I lost a leg below the knee to an IED/RPG blast on April 24, 2004. I would use the grant to pay off bills left behind while deployed and toward a start to an education (i.e supplies).

Corporal:

"I was hit be a friendly fire mortar attack on April 11, 2004. If granted, I would use the money to help me with my education needs and since by right leg was taken, also modify pedals of my car so I can drive again."

(For those wishing to donate, send checks made to Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, c/o Dianne Carbone, 120 Montvale Avenue, Woburn, MA 01801)