AN AWESOME COLLECTION OF MARINE CORPS QUOTES, HISTORY & LORE!
Contributed by John "Doc" Little.
Thanks Doc.
“Mess With One MARINE - You Mess With Them All!”
“A Marine on duty has no friends.”
“Remember that diplomacy is the art of saying ‘nice doggie’ until you can find a bigger rock.”
“Do not fear the enemy, they can only take your life. It is better to fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR.”
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, and a lot of bitching. “
“The insurgent leader is a stallion standing on his hind legs. You don’t win his heart and mind. You kill him.”
“Combat Breakfast: two aspirin, two cups of coffee, a quick prayer, a quick puke”
“Corpsman: In combat, a good man to buddy-up with.”
“Sweat dries, blood clots, bones heal.. Suck it up!”
“Retrieving wounded comrades from the field of fire is a Marine Corps tradition more sacred than life. ~Pisor”
“You have to put grunts on the ground, double tap the survivors, and feed the kids chocolate bars! ~1stSgt”
“USMC: The spineless need not apply. ~Cpl. Beddoe”
“Life is tough, but it’s tougher if you’re stupid. ~Sgt. Stryker”
“When a Marine is wounded, surrounded, hungry, or low on ammo, he looks to the sky. He knows the choppers are coming.”
“Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.”
“USMC: No better friend — no worse enemy.”
“I watched Marines die face down in the mud protecting freedom. ~Col. Oliver North, 2001”
“In a firefight, if you see two colonels conferring, you have likely fallen back a little too far.”
“On the seventh day God rested — Marines filled sand bags.”
“The Marine Grunt: A gung-ho, hard-charging U.S. Marine Corps Infantryman.”
“The Marine Grunt: A professional assassin.”
“The Marine Grunt: An indispensable element of the United States’ Foreign Policy.”
“The Marine Grunt: The sole reason for the existence of Marine Air”
“Marine Recon: The stealth version of the Marine Grunt.”
“M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.”
“The order ‘Gangway!’ is used to clear the way for an officer ashore, just as it is afloat.”
“Olongapo Philippines. ‘Nuff said.”
“Those who ‘live by the sword’ will die — when they fight those who use automatic weapons.”
“REMF: spoken ‘re-miff’, Rear-Echelon Mother F*cker, term used by Marine infantrymen to describe those far from the fighting.”
“Dan Daly (2 Medals of Honor) was a New York City newsboy with a reputation of being handy with his dukes.”
“Marine Corporal (Civil War) John Mackie, first Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor.”
“SgtMaj. Jiggs’ (dog mascot) death on 9 January 1927 was mourned throughout the Corps.”
“Marine Girlfriend – Do not confuse your rank with my authority!”
“The Professionals — 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines.”
“Thundering Third — 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines.”
“Infantry Rifleman — Don.t call 911, call 0311!”
“Women Marines — Fewer and Prouder.”
“Marine Wife — Toughest job in the Corps!”
“Vietnam War, 13,067 Marines killed, 88,633 wounded”
“Beginning in 1798, ‘one stock of black leather and clasp’ was issued to each Marine annually. #Leatherneck.”
“Swift-Silent-Deadly — 1st Recon Battalion.”
“Korean War, 4,267 Marines killed, 23,744 wounded.”
“Drill Instructor: A maniacal, sadistic, extremist psychopath.”
“Major Alfred A. Cunningham, the 1st Marine aviator, shot down 12 German planes in WWI.”
“Marines: Don Adams, Brian Dennehy, Glenn Ford, Gene Hackman, Brian Keith.”
“Daily Ration Allowance in 1775, 1 pd bread, 1 pd meat, 1 pd potatoes, turnips, pease, .5 pt rum.”
“The First Annual Marine Corps Reserve Marathon occurred on November 7, 1976.”
“If the Army and the Navy ever look on heaven’s scenes, they will find the streets are guarded by United States Marines.”
“The Marine Band has played at every Presidential Inauguration since 1801, and is known as The President’s Own.”
“The Marine Band is the oldest musical organization in the United States.”
“The Marine Band, dubbed the President’s Own by Thomas Jefferson, provides music for White House functions.”
“In 1861, Battalion of 365 Marines led by Brevet Maj. John G. Reynolds fought in Battle of Bull Run.”
“During the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, the temperature plunged to as low as -35 F.”
“In the Battle of New Orleans, 300 Marines fought beside Andrew Jackson.”
“Even the Boy Scouts have figured it out: ‘Be Prepared.’”
“Cover your Buddy, so he can be around to cover for you.”
“Marines: George C. Scott, Robert Wagner, James Whitmore, Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Green Jeans.”
“ESPRIT DE CORPS simply means that no Marine ever lets another Marine down.”
“July 1930, Chesty Puller won 1st of 5 Navy Crosses chasing Sandino guerrillas in Nicaragua.”
“Good Night Chesty, Wherever You Are!”
“Without supplies, Colonels and Corporals aren’t good for much.”
“In 1915, Commandant George Barnett authorized the creation of an aviation company consisting of 10 officers and 40 enlisted men.”
“The Continental Congress established the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps in 1775.”
“The Marine Corps Birthday, November 10th, is a very important day for all Marines”
“The Marine Corps War Memorial adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery was dedicated in 1954.”
“The Marine Corps builds Men – Body – Mind – Spirit.”
“The Marine Corps has no ambition beyond the performance of its duty to its country. ~Gen Cates.”
“The Marine Corps makes no promises. It simply offers recruits and officer candidates the challenge to ‘be one of us.’”
“All Marine Corps members undergo 12 weeks of Basic Training at Parris Island, S.C., or San Diego, Calif.”
“The Marine Corps motto until 1871 was ‘First to Fight’.”
“The Marine Corps often receives criticism from those who could never qualify as Marines.”
“The Marine Corps’ first action of the War of 1812 was the establishment of a base at Sackets Harbor, New York by 63 Marines.”
“The Old Corps: The era of the M-1 Garand.”
“Marine Corps Credo: To catch us, you have to be fast. To find us, you have to be smart. To beat us, you have to be kidding.”
“WARRIORS BY DAY, LOVERS BY NIGHT, PROFESSIONALS BY CHOICE, AND MARINES BY THE GRACE OF GOD.”
“DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR.”
“Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daily, only enlisted Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor twice.”
“Unless You’re Dead, You’re Not A Former Marine.”
“Arm of Decision — 10th Marine Regiment.”
“Only the Deity can forgive the enemies of our great nation. The U.S. Marines can not.”
“Death Before Dishonor: The most popular tattoo among Marines.”
“Cpl. Jason Dunham, CMOH, is my hero. He will NEVER be forgotten. ~Cpl. Beddoe “
“More Than Duty — 8th Marine Regimen.t”
“The Fighting Fifth — 5th Marine Regiment.”
“Ready to Fight — 1st Battalion, 1st Marine.s”
“Seven-six-two millimeter. Full. Metal. Jacket.”
“Whip these Germans so we can get out to the Pacific to kick the shit out of the Japs before the Goddam Marines get all the credit. ~Patton”
“Honor Before Glory.”
“War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography. ~Bierce”
“USMC: One Good Deal After Another.”
“Stand gentlemen! He served on Samar!”
“October 1820, Henderson appointed Commandant, held position for 38 years, until his death.”
“Gen. Archibal Henderson, The Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps, served as Commandant for 38 years.”
“Hit quickly, Hit hard, and keep on hitting! ~LGen Smith, 1949”
“Hollywood is Hollywood. Don’t believe it. Getting shot does hurt.”
“America — Home of the Free, Because of the Brave. “
“The Marine Hymn is the oldest official anthem of any U.S. military service. “
“Above all I will be truthful in all I say or do”
“‘8th and I’ Marine Barracks, the oldest post in the Corps.”
“@SgtGrit, If they don’t have it, Chesty wouldn’t want it!”
“OOORAH – It’s a Marine Thang!”
“Never Forget Iwo Jima! “
“On 1 January each year the Marine Band serenades the Commandant of the Marine Corps.”
“On Iwo Jima, the 26th Marines lost 81 percent of its men.”
“October 1880, John Philip Sousa appointed 17th leader of the Marine Band.”
“The rank Lance Corporal went out of use sometime after 1930 and was reinstituted in 1958”
“Marines: Jim Lehrer, F. Lee Bailey.”
“No One Likes to Fight, But Someone Should Know How.”
“Ham and Lima Beans. The rations we loved to hate!”
“April, 1805, Lt. Presley O’Bannon and seven Marines led attack against Derna, Tripoli.”
“BGen Gail M. Reals, 1st woman to become a Marine general through the regular promotion process.”
“November 1915, Maj. Butler led Marines in attack on Fort Riviere in Haiti, awarded his second Medal of Honor.”
“Prepare to March — 7th Marine Regiment.”
“In 1925, Marine Corps Order No. 4 designated gold and scarlet its official colors.”
“For the Marine Corps there is no peace. ~Maj. Demby, later Sec’y of the Navy”
“Ask A Marine Officer.”
“When a Marine attains the rank of Corporal (E-4), he can wear the red blood stripes on his trousers.”
“Being a Marine is as much a matter of the heart and mind as it is the body.”
“Being a Marine is not simply a job. It is a calling.”
“The average Marine lance corporal speaks with more self confidence to a reporter than does the average Army captain. ~Ricks”
“WW1 female Marine reservists were called Marinettes.”
“Once a Marine, always a Marine. ~MSgt Paul Woyshner, a 40-year Marine.”
“Ask any Marine. He will tell you that the Marine Corps was born in Tun Tavern on 10 November 1775.”
“1Bn 9th Marines – The Walking Dead.”
“If the Marines are abolished, half the efficiency of the Navy will be destroyed. ~RAdm. Porter 1863”
“Today, 184,000 Marines are stationed around the world, ready to deploy quickly whenever and wherever needed.”
“The American Marines are terribly reckless fellows… they would make very good storm troopers. ~German officer.”
“A million Marines can not take Tarawa in a hundred years. ~Japanese Admiral speaking before Marines took island in 3 bloody days.”
“The 1st Marines is the oldest permanently organized regiment of the Marine Corps.”
“WWII, 19,733 Marines killed, 67,207 wounded.”
“WW1, 2,457 Marines killed, 8,894 wounded.”
“Of the Marines on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue ~Admiral Nimitz, Iwo Jima WWII.”
“Semper Fidelis, Marines.”
“In the Marines, the phrase ‘I wish…’ or ‘I desire…’ uttered by a senior is considered an order.”
“Marines: Lee Marvin, Steve McQueen, George Peppard, Drew Carey.”
“Failure is NOT an option! “
“Old Corps; New Corps, Hard Corps!”
“Old Corps. New Corps. It’s our Corps!”
“Old breed? New breed? There’s not a damn bit of difference so long as it’s the Marine breed. ~Chesty Puller”
“The Striking Ninth — 9th Marine Regiment.”
“No Promises, No Short Cuts, No Retreat, No Surrender.”
“U.S. Marines. No short cuts, no promises, no compromises.”
“Marines: Ken Norton, Bum Phillips, Leon Spinks, Lee Trevino, Ted Williams.”
“Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is better.”
“Frozen Chosin; OLD CORPS!”
“USMC — Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever.”
“in 1813, On board the Essex, 1st Lt. John Marshall Gamble commanded the first Marines in the Pacific.”
“Marine Air. On-Time. On Target.”
“One Shot, One Kill.”
“Until 1917, Parris Island was known to the Marines as ‘Port Royal’.”
“To the Shores of Tripoli!”
“Save Water, Shower With A Marine.”
“Operation Desert Storm, 24 Marines killed, 88 wounded.”
“General Orders: Take, walk, report, repeat, quit, receive, talk, give, call, salute, and be.”
“We’re surrounded. That simplifies the problem! ~Puller”
“The Oldest, The Proudest — 4th Marine Regiment”
“U.S. Marines. The change is forever.”
“Tun Tavern: The original home of the world’s warrior elite (and the best beer).”
“The D.I.; They will admire him. And they will fear him. And when it’s all over, they will remember him for the rest of their lives”
“I am They. ~Gen Louis H. Wilson, 26th CMC.”
“One Shot, Twelve Kills — USN Gun Fire Support.”
“Time Tested. U.S. Marines.”
“One Nation Under God and His Marines Standing Guard!”
“91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served.”
“Leathernecks: Revolutionary War Marines wore leather bands around their throats to protect necks from injury.”
“The Korean War was a series of cold, bloody, battles that claimed over 33,000 American lives.”
“The Small Wars Manual is a USMC manual on tactics and strategies for engaging in certain types of military operations.”
“Private Owens! Was the sand flea you killed male or female? Male, sir! Then this ain’t it. Keep looking.”
“Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., holds the official Battle Color of the Marine Corps.”
“U.S. Marines: We fight for each other, honor, and our Corps.”
“We’re Marines, We took Iwo Jima – Baghdad ain’t shit, ~Gen. Kelly, USMC.”
“Pain Is Weakness Leaving The Body.”
“Marines Always Welcome, Relatives By Appointment.”
“U.S. Marines. When it Counts!”
“Marines: Jonathan Winters, Ed McMahon, and the Everly Brothers.”
“FREE FIRE ZONE: A battle area or combat zone in which no restrictions are placed on the use of arms or explosives.”
“Unless you’re a Drill Instructor, GET OFF MY ASS!”
“To observe a Marine is inspirational, to be a Marine is exceptional. ~GySgt Wolf”
“I am a United States Marine, I am the measure against which all others fall short.”
“Field Day: a despised indoor non-athletic activity.”
“There was a dull pop in the air above us, and an illumination round fell drowsily over the wire. #dispatches.”
“Show me a hero, and I’ll show you a bum. ~Maj Greg Pappy Boyington.”
“He charged a machine gun bunker with hand grenades, trying to save some guys. He didn’t have to do it. He had two kids. ~1LT Fritz”
“I’d give a million dollars to be a Marine ~Reddick Bowe, who only completed 11 days of boot camp.”
“Up from a sub sixty feet below, When I hit the surface I’ll be ready to go.”
“In combat, a thorough mission briefing is a good idea, but no plan has ever survived enemy contact, intact!”
“Carry On: a verbal order which means resume doing nothing.”
“We’re not accustomed to occupying defensive positions. It’s destructive to morale. ~LGen Smith, Iwo Jima, 1945.”
“Semper Fi, adopted in 1883, the Marine Corps motto, short for Semper Fidelis, latin for Always Faithful.”
“Their fiery advance and great tenacity were well recognized by their opponents. ~LtCol Otto.”
“There is always payback!”