230
year LEGACY
As reported by others
Happy Birthday Marines
OUR LEGACY
We
signed up knowing the risk. Those innocent people in New York didn't go to work thinking
there was any kind of risk.
Pvt. Mike Armendariz-Clark, USMC; Afghanastan, 20 September
2001
As reported on page 1 of the New York Times
The
safest place in Korea was right behind a platoon of Marines. Lord, how they could fight!
MGen. Frank E. Lowe, USA; Korea, 26 January 1952
Marines
know how to use their bayonets. Army bayonets may as well be paper-weights.
Navy Times; November 1994
Why in
hell can't the Army do it if the Marines can. They are the same kind of men; why can't
they be like Marines.
Gen. John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, USA; 12
February 1918
The
United States Marine Corps, with its fiercely proud tradition of excellence in combat, its
hallowed rituals, and its unbending code of honor, is part of the fabric of American myth.
Thomas E. Ricks; Making the Corps, 1997
For all
of those that have son's or daughter's at bootcamp let me pass on what I found. Let me
give you a little background first. When my son left home he had no motivation, he was
lazy, slobby, no pride, no self worth. This is the boy that got off the bus March 18th at
Parris Island. The man that I met on Thursday for parents day is AWESOME. There is no way
I can describe to you all the difference. He looks different, he walks different, he talks
different, he has such a sense of bearing and pride all I could do was look at him in awe.
Oh yes, the training is hard, what he went through is unimaginable to any one that has not
been there. They are definitely taught to be Warriors. Let me tell you the surprise of
what else they are taught. My Marine son has better values, better morals, better manners
than any one I know. It is so much more than Yes Sir, Yes Mam...so much more. He cares
about how he looks, he cares about what he does, and its not a boastful, bad ass thing. He
is a true gentleman. I saw patience, and a calmness in him that I have never seen. I could
never express my gratitude enough to the Marine Corps for what they have given my son. I
know this, I have an 11 year old Devil pup still at home. When the time comes for his turn
if I had to I would take him kicking and screaming all the way. Although I'm sure that
will not happen. The hero worship I see in my younger sons eyes for his Marine brother
tells me I will have two Marines in the family, and I will be one very proud mother.
"Cybil", Mother of a Marine writing to the myMarine Group
The
raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years.
James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy; 23 February 1945
(the flag-raising on Iwo Jima had been immortalized in a
photograph by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal)
I have
just returned from visiting the Marines at the front, and there is not a finer fighting
organization in the world!
General of the Armies Douglas MacArthur; Korea, 21
September 1950
We have
two companies of Marines running rampant all over the northern half of this island, and
three Army regiments pinned down in the southwestern corner, doing nothing. What the hell
is going on?
Gen. John W. Vessey Jr., USA, Chairman of the the Joint
Chiefs of Staff
during the assault on Grenada, 1983
The
Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the
highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God
for the United States Marine Corps!
Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States, 1945
Some
people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the
Marines don't have that problem.
Ronald Reagan, President of the United States; 1985
Marines
I see as two breeds, Rottweilers or Dobermans, because Marines come in two varieties, big
and mean, or skinny and mean. They're aggressive on the attack and tenacious on defense.
They've got really short hair and they always go for the throat.
RAdm. "Jay" R. Stark, USN; 10 November 1995
They
told (us) to open up the Embassy, or "we'll blow you away." And then they looked
up and saw the Marines on the roof with these really big guns, and they said in Somali,
"Igaralli ahow," which means "Excuse me, I didn't mean it, my
mistake".
Karen Aquilar, in the U.S. Embassy; Mogadishu, Somalia,
1991
For
over 221 years our Corps has done two things for this great Nation. We make Marines, and
we win battles.
Gen. Charles C. Krulak, USMC (CMC); 5 May 1997
Come
on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever?
GySgt. Daniel J. "Dan" Daly, USMC
near Lucy-`le-Bocage as he led the 5th Marines' attack into
Belleau Wood, 6 June 1918
Gone to
Florida to fight the Indians. Will be back when the war is over.
Colonel Commandant Archibald Henderson, USMC
in a note pinned to his office door, 1836
Don't
you forget that you're First Marines! Not all the communists in Hell can overrun you!
Col. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, USMC
rallying his First Marine Regiment near Chosin Reservoir,
Korea, December 1950
Marines
die, that's what we're here for. But the Marine Corps lives forever. And that means YOU
live forever.
the mythical GySgt. Hartman, USMC; portrayed by GySgt. R.
Lee Ermey, a Marine Corps Drill Instructor using his own choice of words in Full Metal
Jacket, 1987
You'll
never get a Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!
Capt. Henry P. Crowe, USMC; Guadalcanal, 13 January 1943
We are
United States Marines, and for two and a quarter centuries we have defined the standards
of courage, esprit, and military prowess.
Gen. James L. Jones, USMC (CMC); 10 November 2000
I have
only two men out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it
is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant
barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold.
1stLt. Clifton B. Cates, USMC
in Belleau Wood, 19 July 1918
I love
the Corps for those intangible possessions that cannot be issued: pride, honor, integrity,
and being able to carry on the traditions for generations of warriors past.
Cpl. Jeff Sornij, USMC; in Navy Times, November 1994
Courage
is endurance for one moment more...
Unknown Marine Second Lieutenant in Vietnam
My only
answer as to why the Marines get the toughest jobs is because the average Leatherneck is a
much better fighter. He has far more guts, courage, and better officers... These boys out
here have a pride in the Marine Corps and will fight to the end no matter what the cost.
2nd Lt. Richard C. Kennard, Peleliu, World War II
A
Marine should be sworn to the patient endurance of hardships, like the ancient knights;
and it is not the least of these necessary hardships to have to serve with sailors.
Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery
Lying
offshore, ready to act, the presence of ships and Marines sometimes means much more than
just having air power or ship's fire, when it comes to deterring a crisis. And the ships
and Marines may not have to do anything but lie offshore. It is hard to lie offshore with
a C-141 or C-130 full of airborne troops.
Gen. Colin Powell, U. S. Army
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff
During Operation Desert Storm
This
was the first time that the Marines of the two nations had fought side by side since the
defence of the Peking Legations in 1900. Let it be said that the admiration of all ranks
of 41 Commando for their brothers in arms was and is unbounded. They fought like tigers
and their morale and esprit de corps is second to none.
Lt Col. D.B. Drysdale, Commanding
41 Commando, Chosen Reservoir, on the 1st Marine Division
Division
You
cannot exaggerate about the Marines. They are convinced to the point of arrogance, that
they are the most ferocious fighters on earth- and the amusing thing about it is that they
are.
Father Kevin Keaney
1st Marine Division Chaplain
Korean War
There
was always talk of espirit de corps, of being gung ho, and that must have been a part of
it. Better, tougher training, more marksmanship on the firing range, the instant obedience
to orders seared into men in boot camp.
James Brady, columnist, novelist,
press secretary to President Reagan, television personality
and
Marine
The
bended knee is not a tradition of our Corps.
General Alexander A. Vandergrift, USMC
to the Senate Naval Affairs Committee, 5 May 1946
By
their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth
Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their country which only history will be able
to value fully. Among the American who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common
virtue.
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, U.S. Navy
Being
ready is not what matters. What matters is winning after you get there.
LtGen Victor H. Krulak, USMC
April 1965
The
Marine Corps has just been called by the New York Times, 'The elite of this country.' I
think it is the elite of the world.
Admiral William Halsey, U.S. Navy
I still
need Marines who can shoot and salute. But I need Marines who can fix jet engines and man
sophisticated radar sets, as well.
General Robert E. Cushman, Jr., USMC
Commandant of the Marine Corps, 17 May 1974
I can't
say enough about the two Marine divisions. If I use words like 'brilliant,' it would
really be an under description of the absolutely superb job that they did in breaching the
so-called 'impenetrable barrier.' It was a classic- absolutely classic- military breaching
of a very very tough minefield, barbed wire, fire trenches-type barrier.
Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, U. S. Army
Commander, Operation Desert Storm, February 1991
I am
convinced that there is no smarter, handier, or more adaptable body of troops in the
world.
Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Winston Churchhill
The
deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.
Gen. John "Black Jack" Pershing, U.S. Army
Commander of American Forces in World War I
Do not
attack the First Marine Division. Leave the yellowlegs alone. Strike the American Army.
Orders given to Communist troops in the Korean War;
shortly afterward, the Marines were ordered
to not wear their khaki leggings.
The
American Marines have it [pride], and benefit from it. They are tough, cocky, sure of
themselves and their buddies. They can fight and they know it.
General Mark Clark, U.S. Army
They
(Women Marines) don't have a nickname, and they don't need one. They get their basic
training in a Marine atmosphere, at a Marine Post. They inherit the traditions of the
Marines. They are Marines.
LtGen Thomas Holcomb, USMC
Commandant of the Marine Corps, 1943
I've
always been proud of being a Marine. I won't hesitate to defend the Corps.
Jonathan Winters, comic and Marine
Every
Marine is, first and foremost, a rifleman. All other conditions are secondary.
Gen. A. M. Gray, USMC
Commandant of the Marine Corps
A Ship
without Marines is like a coat without buttons.
Adm. Farragut
If I
had one more division like this First Marine Division I could win this war.
General of the Armies Douglas McArthur in Korea,
overheard and reported by Marine Staff Sergeant Bill
Houghton, Weapons/2/5
First Copyright 2004; All rights
reserved by Box LT Publishing
Created : 1/28/2004. Update : 9/31/2006
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