Tribute to United States Marine Corps
General Douglas
MacArthur, US Army:
". . . these Marines have the swagger, confidence and hardness that must
have
been in Stonewall Jackson's Army of the Shenandoah. They remind me of
the
Coldstream Guards at Dunkirk."
Admiral Chester Nimitz, US Navy, on the Marine Corps' battle for Iwo
Jima:
"Uncommon valor was a common virtue"
General Douglas MacArthur, US Army:
"I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the front. There is
not a finer fighting organization in the world!"
LtCol T R Fehrenbach, USA, in "This Kind of War":
"The man who will go where his colors go without asking, who will fight
a phantom foe in a jungle or a mountain range, and who will suffer and
die in the midst of incredible hardship, without complaint, is still
what he has always been, from Imperial Rome to sceptered Britain to
democratic America.
He is the stuff of which legends are made. His pride is his colors and
his regiment, his training hard and thorough and coldly realistic, to
fit him for what he must face, and his obedience is to his orders. As a
legionnaire, he held the gates of civilization for the classical world
... today he is called "United States Marine."
An Anonymous Canadian Citizen:
"Marines are about the most peculiar breed of human beings I have ever
witnessed. They treat their service as if it was some kind of cult,
plastering
their emblem on almost everything they own, making themselves up to look
like
insane fanatics with haircuts so short as to be ungentlemanly,
worshipping
their Commandant as if he was a God, and making weird animal noises like
a
band of savages. They'll fight like rabid dogs at the drop of a hat just
for
the sake of a little action and are the cockiest SOBs I've ever known.
Most
have the foulest mouths and drink well beyond man's normal limits, but
their
high spirits and sense of brotherhood set them apart and, generally
speaking,
of the United States Marines with whom I've come in contact, are the
most
professional warriors and the finest men I've had the pleasure to meet.
"
????General John J "Black Jack" Pershing, US Army:
"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle! "
General Mark Clark, US Army:
"The more Marines I have around the better I like it! "
???General Johnson, US Army:
"I can never again see a United States Marine without experiencing a
feeling
of reverence. "
Richard Harding Davis, war correspondent (1885):
"The Marines have landed, and the situation is well in hand."
A Marine Drill Instructor at Parris Island:
"Did you come here just to spoil my beloved Corps, maggot?"
A boot camp weapons coach:
"To a Marine, happiness is a belt-fed weapon."
LtCol Oliver North, USMC (ret):
"The only people I like beside my wife and kids are Marines."
MajGen J N Mattis, CG, 1st MarDiv - Iraq, March 2003:
"You are part of the world's most feared and trusted fighting force.
Engage
your brain before you engage your weapon. Share your courage with each
other
as we enter the uncertain terrain north of our Line of Departure. Keep
faith
in your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead. Fight
with a
happy heart and a strong spirit. For the mission's sake, our country's
sake
and the sake of the men who carried the Division's colors in past
battles --
who fought for life and never lost their nerve -- carry out your mission
and
keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world there is 'No Better
Friend,
No Worse Enemy' than a United States Marine."
????Eleanor Roosevelt - 1945:
"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
I have
ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps."
An Anonymous US Marine:
"I recently attended a Kansas City Chiefs football game at Arrowhead
Stadium.
It was their annual Veteran's Day tribute so members of all the services
were
asked to participate in the festivities.
A color guard for the National Anthem was provided by the Buffalo
Soldiers
Association. They looked very sharp in their 1800s-era US Army Cavalry
uniforms. Following that, the Navy parachute team put on an impressive
display
that brought cheers from the 78,000 football fans in attendance. Shortly
thereafter, we were treated to the truly awesome sight of an Air Force
B-2
Spirit stealth bomber flyover as well as a few other aircraft. All of
these
sights -- but especially the B-2 -- were truly appreciated by the crowd
who
let it be known by their cheers.
I expected that was all we would see of the US Military that day. I
thought
we would see a high school or college marching band during half-time.
Few
watch those shows anyway because they have to go to the head or grab
another
beer during the intermission.
Shortly before half-time, however, I looked down on the sidelines near
the end
zone and saw the Marine Corps' Silent Drill Team forming up. As the
half-time
show started, the players left the field and the announcer came on the
public
address system to advise us of the Drill Team's performance. Many of us
Marines have seen these performances in the past and they're always
awe-inspiring. I didn't expect that the large civilian crowd of football
fans
would be as appreciative of the Drill Team as they had been of the
high-tech
B-2 or the daring of the Navy parachute team. However, I was on the edge
of my
seat. As the Drill Team marched onto the field, the crowd grew
noticeably
quieter. Soon, the team was fully into their demonstration. The
stadium was
absolutely silent.
From high in the stands' upper reaches where my seats were, I was able
to
hear the "snap" and "pop" of hands striking rifles. Both big screen
"Jumbotron" scoreboards displayed close ups of the Marines as they went
through their routine. As they completed their demonstration and lined
up for
the inspection, the crowd began cheering as the Marines twirled their
rifles
in impossible fashion. Then came the inspection. Again, the crowd fell
silent and watched intently as rifles were thrown, caught, twirled,
inspected
and thrown some more. Each well-practiced feat brought a "wow" or "did
you see
that?" from those sitting around me.
I sat there in silent pride as I watched my brother Marines exit the
field. A
young girl behind me asked her mother a question about how the Marines
learn
to do the things they just did. The mother replied, "They practice long
and
hard and they're Marines; they're the best."
Semper Fidelis!!!
Jay Printz, Sheriff (ret.)
Babylon, Iraq
jprintz@bresnan.net