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!”

“The Marines always stand at attention during the playing of the Marine Hymn.”

“Always cheat; always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.”

“Marine is always written with a capital ‘M’.”

“I am an American, fighting in the armed forces which guard my country and our way of life.”

“Honor, Courage, and Commitment form the bedrock of the character of each individual Marine.”

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. ~Confucius”

“Forget Smith and Wesson . This Property Protected By A US Marine.”

“Keep thinking, and at all times be one jump ahead of the immediate situation.”

“Only imbeciles and fools fight fair, and won’t do so for long.”

“Friends Come and go, but enemies accumulate.”

“My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy.”

“GI beans and nasty gravy, Same old chow served in the navy”

“Although proud and patriotic, Marines are stubborn as Mules!”

“Believe in, and sacrifice for, a cause greater than self.”

“LIFE, LIBERTY, and the PURSUIT of ANYONE WHO THREATENS IT! “

“Making Marines and winning battles since 1775.”

“In combat, any Marine who does not consider himself the best in the game, is in the wrong game.”

“If there’s anything more arrogant than a Marine on a horse, it’s one in a plane.”

“If you are allergic to lead, it is best to avoid a war zone.”

“US Marines are also a descendant of the British Royal Marines.”

“If you are convinced you will lose, you are probably right.”

“The Marines are looking for a few good men.”

“Remember, you are not Superman and you are not bulletproof.”

“If you are not shooting, you should be communicating your intention to shoot.”

“If you are short of everything except the enemy, you are in combat.”

“Marine NCOs are the ONLY NCOs in any branch of The U.S. Armed Forces that have the privilege of carrying the sword.”

“You Marines at Khe Sanh will be remembered in the American history books! ~Col. Lownds, 1968.”

“Do not attack the 1st Marine Division. They fight like devils. ~Chinese directive, 1951.”

“Marine Wives automatically go to Heaven.”

“120 Marine aviators earned ‘ACE’ during WWII.”

“Side stroke, back stroke, swim to the shore, When we hit the beach we ill be ready for war.”

“Have a back-up plan, because the first one probably won’t work.”

“The newest battle streamers to be added to the Battle Color are the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Streamers.”

“Head-to-head in battle, the Marine Corps is, and will always be, the best.”

“Decide to be aggressive ENOUGH, quickly ENOUGH. Hesitation kills.”

“Dare to be different. If all think alike, none are really thinking.”

“I will be honest with myself, with those under my charge and with my superiors.”

“You can beat their bodies but not their minds, you can tame their hearts but not their souls.”

“Marine aviation began in 1912, when LT Alfred Austell Cunningham reported to the Naval Aviation Camp in Annapolis, Maryland.”

“At the beginning of the Civil War, the Marines numbered 93 officers and 3,074 men.”

“Courage is being scared to death – but saddling up anyway. ~John Wayne.”

“Conclusion: your best guess when you get tired of thinking.”

“American by birth, Marine by choice.”

“Marines are built through the ethos of struggle and sacrifice. ~Gen James Jones.”

“Speak softly but forget the big stick. Carry a belt-fed weapon.”

“And once by God, I was a Marine! ~Actor Lee Marvin, 1967, about serving in WW II.”

“No one can say that the Marines have ever failed to do their work in handsome fashion. ~MajGen Johnson Hagood, USA.”

“Marines everywhere can take pride in their contributions to our great nation. ~Gen Jones, 10 November 2001.”

“If you can’t carry it, eat it or shoot it, don’t bring it.”

“Bullshit I can’t hear you. Sound off like you got a pair. “

“If you can’t remember, the Claymore is pointed toward you.”

“A sucking chest wound is bad. But on the other hand, all wounds are bad, and all wounds suck.”

“When hot chow is flown into the field, it will rain.”

“The Navajo code talkers took part in every assault the Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945.”

“It’s no coincidence that 3 of the top 5 stock traders in a recent trading contest were all ex-Marines. ~Pretcher”

“The 54 colored streamers which adorn the Battle Color represent our history and accomplishments.”

“Grunts in combat in the tropics never wear underwear. Only they can appreciate why.”

“Thousands of combat veterans earned medals for bravery every day. A few were even awarded.”

“Fool: a combatant who believes in fighting fair.”

“I will constantly strive to perfect my own skills and to become a good leader.”

“Camp Pendleton contains the largest undeveloped portion of coastline in Southern California.”

“I am convinced there is no smarter, handier, or more adaptable body of troops in the world. ~Churchill”

“Boxes of cookies from home must be shared.”

“If everybody could get in the Marines, it wouldn’t be the Marines!”

“The riflemen’s creed should be memorized by every recruit before he or she goes to the rifle range.”

“Never allow cruelty, it undermines the natural courage and manliness of the perpetrator.”

“USMC: every day a holiday and every meal a feast! OOORAH!”

“No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair.”

“I will demand of myself all the energy, knowledge and skills I possess.”

“If I die in a combat zone, box me up and ship me home; pin my medals upon my chest, tell my momma I’ve done my best.”

“Marines never die! They just go to hell and regroup.”

“He who dies with the most toys is, nevertheless, dead.”

“Artillery lends dignity to what would otherwise be an ugly brawl.”

“The enemy diversion you ignore is often his main attack.”

“Not only do Marines fight, they fight far more often and in far more places than any other branch.”

“Grunts can do anything!”

“The Spartans do not ask how many the enemy number, but where they are.”

“If everyone does not come home, none of us can ever fully come home.”

“Teufelhunde! (Devil dogs).”

“If you don’t strike first, you will be the first struck.”

“When in doubt, EMPTY THE MAGAZINE!”

“Nobody ever drowned in sweat.”

“82 Marines earned the Medal of Honor in WWII.”

“Camp Pendleton encompasses more than 125,000 acres of Southern California terrain.”

“Do not encourage rumors–they are usually disturbing–most of them are without foundation.”

“Courage is endurance for one moment more.”

“Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults. ~Antisthenes”

“A DEAD enemy is a PEACEFUL enemy – Blessed be the Peacemakers.”

“If the enemy is in range, so are you. “

“Although the enemy might surrender, his mines won’t. “

“Always show enthusiasm – it is infectious.”

“America’s military: extremely fit, extremely faithful, and extremely patriotic!”

“In the face of TERROR and MURDER the call for peace is not patriotic, it’s COWARDICE.”

“The central fact of life in the Corps is still that the Marine Rifleman is the key to winning battles. ~Col. Miller, 1998”

“The prime factor in a successful fighting unit is ESPRIT DE CORPS. This needs no explanation.”

“Cover your fellow Marines, so they will be around to cover you.”

“That whole field is mined. Stay behind the tracs!”

“First to fight!”

“Anything worth fighting for is worth fighting dirty for.”

“A free fire zone has nothing to do with economics.”

“In a firefight, do something, even if it’s wrong.”

“The Marine’s first amphibious landing was at New Providence in the Bahamas in 1776.”

“Yes, fortunately for America, the U.S. Marines ARE extremists.”

“The Toys for Tots program was established by the United State Marine Corps in 1947.”

“Always arrange for the comfort of your men before you do your own.”

“Don’t you forget that you’re First Marines! Not all the communists in Hell can overrun you! ~Chesty Puller, USMC”

“Fortitudine (With fortitude) -The first motto of the Corps.”

“The Marines fought almost solely on espirit de corps, I was certain. ~Sherrod 1943”

“Freedom isn’t free.”

“It is friendship, and something beyond friendship, that binds the Marine Corps together. ~Sec. of State Regen”

“We come from a depot, A motivated depot, They call that depot, San Diego.”

“We come from an island, A motivated island, They call that island, Parris Island.”

“Incoming fire, from anywhere, always has the right-of-way.”

“See a gentleman wearing a ball cap with ‘Vietnam Veteran’ on it, just say ‘welcome home’; you’ll make his day.”

“You’ll never get a Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me! ~Capt. Henry P. Crowe, USMC Guadalcanal.”

“Sometimes you’d get so tired that you’d forget where you were and sleep the way you hadn’t slept since you were a child. #dispatches.”

“Between wars, girlfriends are fair game, but wives are not.”

“I must give the very best I have for my Marines, my Corps and my Country.”

“Everywhere we go, People wanna know, Who we are, Where we come from.”

“Where we gonna go when we get back, take the shower and hit the rack, No way, Gotta Run, PT, Lots of fun.”

“Sometimes, being good and lucky still was not enough.”

“‘Teufelhunden’ is grammatically incorrect in German, the proper term for ‘devil dogs’ is ‘teufelshunde’.”

“As America grew as a world power, president after president has ordered ‘Send in the Marines’.”

“Bring a gun. Preferably two guns. Bring all of your friends who have guns.”

“Wildlife and habitat protection is a top concern of all who live, work and train at Camp Pendleton.”

“Better fare hard with good men than feast it with bad. ~Thomas Paine.”

“Camp Pendleton has been the largest employer in North San Diego County for more than 60 years.”

“The Marines have a way of making you afraid — not of dying, but of not doing your job. ~1LT Little, Tarawa, 1943.”

“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won’t. ~Patton”

“The Marines have never shone more brightly than this morning. ~MacArthur 1950”

“And when he gets to Heaven, St. Peter he will tell, One more Marine reporting, sir, I’ve spent my time in Hell.”

“Approximately 12,000 helicopters saw action in Vietnam (all services).”

“God was here before the Marine Corps! So you can give your heart to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the Corps!”

“Those who hesitate under fire won’t get another chance to.”

“No matter how bad it gets, it’s not over ’till it’s over.”

“SLICK: A huey helicopter with no mounted guns, generally used for recon team insertion, TAC(A), VIP transport, and medevac.”

“Straight Scoop: Factual information.”

“Gung Ho! “

“Hard Corps! “

“Sound Off! “

“One Marine in Belleau Wood (WW1) referred to his pit as a foxhole. The name stuck.”

“Marines landed in Buenos Aires in 1852 to help protect American lives and property from rioters.”

“Any stone in a boot migrates to maximum pressure.”

“Our business in the field of fight is not to question, but to fight. ~Homer, The Illiad, c 800 BC.”

“Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you!!”

“From its inception, the Corps has been an elite fighting force with extensive ceremonial duties.”

“Remember: vision, initiative, commitment, tenacity.”

“Payback: An inspirational experience, if you survive it.”

“Combat pay is a flawed concept.”

“Chosin Reservoir is a man-made lake located in the northeast of the Korean peninsula.”

“Sometimes it is entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a sledge-hammer!”

“To ERR is human, to FORGIVE divine. HOWEVER, neither is Marine Corps Policy.”

“The Corps is living proof that a few good men can make the difference!”

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes, but no plans. ~Drucker”

“My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.”

“A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer. ~Emerson”

“Combat flying is not dangerous. Crashing is dangerous.”

“Being ready is not what matters. What matters is winning after you get there. ~LGen Krulak, 1965”

“A Marine is proud of his Corps and believes it to be second to none.”

“For such is the heritage I have received from those who have worn the bloodstripe so proudly before me”

“Combat experience is usually what we call our combat mistakes”

“Every Marine is, first and foremost, a rifleman. All other conditions are secondary”

“Semper Fi’, it is a bond of respectful recognition between and among Marines.”

“Legend has it that in 1847 a Marine stationed in Mexico during the war, wrote the original first verse of the Marine Hymn”

“Scuttle-but has it there is buried treasure at ‘8th and I’”

“Fortes Fortuna juvat (Fortunes Favors the Brave) — 3d Marine Regiment”

“Sitreps don’t kill anybody. ~LtCol Cook, Pohang, ROK, 1977”

“The bended knee is not a tradition of our Corps. ~Vandergrift”

“I don’t know but I been told…”

“Marines are known for their bravery, stubbornness, aggressive spirit, sacrifice, love of country, and loyalty to one another.”

“The dead know only one thing: it is better to be alive. ~Joker”

“Sooner or later, everyone has to die. The trick is to die young as late as possible.”

“A-lo righta lay-eft, Lo righta layy-eft. Here we go, All the way, Make it hurt, Yeah.”

“A Marine leader makes sure his men are comfortably clothed, housed, and justly treated.”

“God grants liberty to those who love it and are always ready to guard and defend it. ~Webster”

“Circling overhead, looking for the green smoke, were two Hueys.”

“When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. “

“Combat, like love, is not called off on account of darkness.”

“Fortunately, God loves the Marines. ~Morrison, 1951”

“Never trade luck for skill. “

“C-4 can make a dull day fun.”

“If men make war in slavish obedience to rules, they will fail. ~Grant”

“Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. ~Julius Ceasar”

“In interpersonal matters, apply the Golden Rule.”

“We have met the enemy and they are ours! –Commodore Perry, 1813”

“Only the most elite make it through, and those who qualify have earned the right to wear the uniform.”

“Panic sweeps my men when they are facing the American Marines. ~Captured North Korean Major”

“This is my rifle, this is my gun. This is for fighting and this is for fun.”

“This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.”

“SHU-FLY: The name coined for the initial introduction of USMC helicopters into Viet Nam in 1962”

“I don’t need reinforcements. I’ve got Marines! Col. Lownds, Khe Sanh.”

“There has never been another soldier as lethal as a Marine and his rifle.”

“Remember, you never carry too much ammo on patrol or ambush.”

“It was never easy to guess the ages of Marines at Khe Sanh since nothing like youth lasted in their faces for very long.”

“I will never forget who I am or what I represent.”

“Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot.”

“America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country. ~W”

“I will never surrender of my own free will.”

“1890’s Panama newspaper: ‘The Marines have landed and the situation is well in hand’.”

“Our last night on the island. I drew fire watch. ~Private Joker”

“There are no Ex-Marines!”

“Ensure that no Marine who honorably wore the eagle, globe and anchor is lost to the Marine Corps family. Gen. Jones.”

“There is no better friend… and no worse enemy than a United States Marine.”

“Guadalcanal is no longer merely the name of an Island. It is the name of the graveyard of the Japanese Army. ~MGen Kawaguchi 1943”

“There are no retired Marines, only former Marines”

“There is no such thing as an Ex-Marine. Once a Marine Always a Marine!”

“You are not asked to believe the legends, but if you don’t, try ‘telling it to the Marines’”

“I should not deem a man-of-war complete without a body of Marines. ~Commodore Sands, USN 1852”

“Marines do not fight for flag or country or Corps; they fight for each other!”

“Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima. ~Maj Howard Conner”

“Freedom is not free, but the U.S. Marine Corps will pay most of your share. ~Dolan”

“Combat is not like Hollywood. In combat, the cavalry does not always come to the rescue.”

“All who now wear, or have ever worn, the eagle, globe, and anchor share a common bond. ~Senator Robb, 2000”

“I am now, more than ever, committed to excellence in all that I do.”

“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. ~Katharine Hepburn”

“Boot Camp objectives: prepare recruits for (1) the Brotherhood of Marines (2) the hardships of combat.”

“What part of ‘Marine girlfriend’ don’t you understand? “

“The Americans of 1776 had the highest standard of living and the lowest taxes in the Western World!”

“In December of 1941 (after Pearl Harbor) 10,224 men enlisted in the Corps.”

“What part of Marine don’t you understand?”

“Each generation of Marines has walked in the footsteps of earlier Marines, earlier battles and heroes too numerous to mention.”

“The rank of Sergeant Major was made by congress in 1798.”

“The God of War hates those who hesitate. ~Euripides”

“The concept of a Corps of Marines was established when the colonies in America rebelled against Great Britain in 1775.”

“In matters of conscience, ignore the majority.”

“After years of fitting in, maybe it’s time to stand out. Join the Marines!”

“What type of salute requires no hands? The ‘Eyes Right’ salute..”

“The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years. ~Forrestal 1945”

“Best part of the Corps is the Corpsman!”

“Over 11,000 of the U.S. troops killed in Vietnam were under 20 years old.”

“As part of the world’s most elite fighting force, a Marine is a warrior, skilled in the art of warfare.”

“If any of you get hernias in this tug-of-war against the Army, I’ll pay to get them fixed. ~MajGen Haebel, PI 1982”

“Whenever an officer is promoted, he customarily holds a ‘wetting-down party’.”

“Six flag-raisers on Iwo Jima: Hayes, Stranks, Block, Sousley, Gagnon, Bradley.”

“Blood stripe on dress blue trousers represents blood shed by Marines at Battle of Chapaultepec, Mexico in 1846”

“Nothing changed on the Marine’s face, nothing, as he moved back into the darkness. #dispatches.”

“To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person ~Bruce Lee”

“Smedely Butler, only Marine Officer to be awarded the Medal of Honor twice.”

“There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the rules.”

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. ~Anais Nin”

“12th general order: ‘to walk my post from flank to flank and take no shit from any rank!’”

“We follow orders, son. We follow orders or people die. It’s that simple. Are we clear? ~Col Jessep”

“Service to our beloved nation is a God-given opportunity, not a burden.”

“The most outstanding custom in the Marine Corps is simply ‘being a Marine’ and all that it implies.”

“Vincent Sardi, owner of Sardi’s Restaurant in NYC, is a Marine.”

“A warrior’s pack, however heavy, is lighter than a P.O.W.’s chains!”

“Need work party volunteers. The Colonel wants his rocks painted gold.”

“Need work party volunteers. The Colonel wants his rocks painted red.”

“Need work party volunteers. The Colonel wants his rocks painted white.”

“Today, you people are no longer maggots! Today, you are MARINES!”

“Dignity and poise are invaluable assets to a leader.”

“USMC: Be polite. Be professional. And have a plan to kill everyone you meet.”

“All Marine posts have a bell, usually from a decommissioned ship of the Navy.”

“The U.S. presidential salute is 21 guns. The Vice President receives a salute of 19 guns.”

“We didn’t promise you a rose garden. ~USMC Recruiting poster”

“They are quite brave. ~Japanese officer 1942”

“‘Roger’: The radio transmission used by all pilots who are unsure of the proper radio response.”

“If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need.”

“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country. ~Nathan Hale”

“Whatever the regulations say, Marines do not use umbrellas!”

“Heroes get remembered, but Legends live forever.”

“All Marines rise for the Marines Hymn and remain standing during the rendition.”

“Paperwork will ruin any military force. ~LtGen Chesty Puller”

“I’m not scared of very much. I’ve been hit by lightning and been in the Marine Corps for four years. ~Lee Trevino”

“I can’t see how a single man could spend his time to better advantage than in the Marines. ~Dan Dailey”

“If ya see me comin’ you better step aside, Cause many men didn’t and many men died.”

“Note to self: Leave claymore at home.”

“447,000 Marines served in Vietnam. All gave some. Some gave All.”

“My integrity shall be impeccable as my appearance.”

“Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.”

“Every Marine should look like a Marine. But a Marine looks like a Marine when he’s got a bayonet stuck in the enemy’s chest. -Gen Magnus”

“You can’t snow the troops. ~U.S. Marine saying”

“Live for something rather than die for nothing.”

“Archibald Henderson’s son was one of 26 Marine casualties defending Chapultepec Castle in 1846”

“C’mon you sons-of-bitches, do you want to live forever! ~GySgt Dan Daley, Belleau Wood WWI”

“Onward we stagger, and if the tanks come, may God help the tanks. ~US Rangers “

“Because they stand upon a wall and say, Nothing’s going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch. ~A Few Good Men”

“Peace, through superior firepower.”

“Always make sure somebody has a P-38 (aka a John Wayne)”

“In a surprise meeting of small forces, hit the enemy immediately while he is still startled.”

“Heaven won’t take us and Hell is afraid we’ll take over.”

“You can tell a Marine, but you can’t tell him much.”

“Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.”

“It is that pride which sets a Marine apart from the men of other armed services.”

“30 of the 44 U.S. Presidents served in the Army.”