SwiftVets.com

[Guest]

I wonder how many times during Operation Iraqi Freedom that the phrase
"Goddamn Marines" was uttered? Even in the best of times, Army and Air
Force officers have been heard muttering some epithet about Marines,
invoking either heaven or hell. Interestingly enough, we Marines find it
all rather reassuring and, at times, amusing.

Most of the time, Marines do not go out of our way to be obnoxious; we
are just doing what Marines have done for over 225 years. A good example
is the fact that Marines always raise the American flag over mountains or
cities they have conquered. From Mt. Suribachi to the City of Hue, to
Kuwait City to Baghdad, U.S. Marines have raised the Stars and Stripes-in
the latter examples, much to the chagrin of higher headquarters. You
don't get these kinds of problems with the Army. So what is it about the
U.S. Marines that they stick U.S. flags on everything and do more with
less, a less that is either old or an army hand-me-down? We call it
Esprit de Corps, but it goes deeper than that.

We learn and maintain myths of the past, which also means living up to
those historical examples. Marine Corps boot camp is the longest of the
services; it is where we mold young men and women into the mythical image called a
Marine. You can be in the Army, you can join the Air Force, but you become a
Marine.

All of the other uniformed services have songs; the U.S. Marines have a
hymn.

The basic pattern of Marine Corps uniforms comes from the late nineteenth
century; our emblem "the Eagle, Globe and Anchor" has remained largely unchanged
since 1868. The buttons on our dress blues, whites and greens date back to the founding
of our Corps.

The Marine Corps is the only service that requires its officers to carry a
sword, whose pattern dates back to 1805.

I think that the path of being a Marine was established long ago. On the
10th of November 1775, the Marine Corps was first established. ........in a
tavern. To this day, no matter where in the world, Marines celebrate the founding
of our beloved Corps, much to the confusion of the other services.

A few years ago, a congresswoman from Colorado felt that the Marine Corps
was radical and extreme. She contended that the Marine Corps was not
politically correct, nor did we seem to be part of the Department of
Defense's transition to a "kinder and gentler" military. She was correct,
and the Marine Corps took it as a compliment.

But the proof is in the doing, and during Iraqi Freedom the Marines
demonstrated what Marines can do. I watched with some amusement as a
reporter asked a young lance corporal about being in Iraq and under rifle
fire. "Love it, sir!" was his response. The reporter was taken aback and
asked, "No, really." The Marine then tried to explain that this is what
he was trained to do, he looked forward to doing it and was now happy to
be doing it. No doubt in boot camp he was told that he was "a minister of
death praying for war."

Contrast that with the poor U.S. Army Apache pilots who said that if they
Had to take life, they would do so reluctantly. You are either a warrior or
you are not.

Marines are mission oriented. Live or die, the most important thing to a
Marine is accomplishing the mission. Whether taking the bridge, river or
town, accomplishing the mission is the Holy Grail of being a Marine. How
the mission is accomplished is not so important, as it is expected of all
Marines to accomplish the mission with the tools available. This is
probably why we heard that Marines in one engagement were fighting with
knives and bayonets. This was hardly high tech, but it was effective.
These Marines now have bragging rights, for they have proven that they
talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk. I doubt there is a single Marine who is
not envious.

Marines are practical, as well. I enjoyed hearing two reporters
interviewing each other, one embedded with the Army, the other with the
Marines. The reporter with the Army noted that the sandstorm had blown
down many of the soldiers' cots. The other reporter countered that the
Marines did not have this problem because they slept on the ground. The
Marine learns to live with what he can carry on his back. He expects to
be moved around on the battlefield via his two black Cadillacs (boots).
If he is lucky and gets a ride on an amtrack, so much the better-but it
is not expected. At the end of a mission, the priority for cleaning is
weapon, then equipment, and finally, body. When the other services talk
about "quality of life," they are referring to housing, clubs and food.
Marines are talking about better weapons, equipment and training, winning
the battle and coming home alive is considered "quality of life."

All of this translates into combat power. In comparison to the U.S.
Army's 3rd Infantry Division, the Marines of I Marine Expeditionary Force
were lightly equipped. Yet, they battled through the heart of Iraq,
fought to the center of Baghdad and then moved off to Tikrit, taking that
city as well. The press was so enamored with the Marines that in the
final days of the war they even credited the Marines with deeds actually
accomplished by the Army.

Little wonder we heard "Goddamn Marines!" so often. So we need to give the
Marines some slack when they do something politically incorrect, such as
raising the flag or appearing insensitive when killing the enemy. In the
field, they look sloppy compared to the Army, but are aggressive in the
attack and generally unhappy in the defense.

Marines take pride in their work, even if that work is war. We are just
Marines and that is what we do.

ps: from email. i was usn, sorry if title was offensive

[AMOS]

and the name of that tavern was Tun Tavern.

In Vietnam we had hand-me-downs......the hard shell flak jackets, aluminum canteens and WW II back packs and other stuff...junk compared to the Army's equipment.

1945 Eleanor Roosevelt made this statement, "The Marines have been 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."

What a compliment, thanks Eleanor.

[USMCWayne]

I have utmost respect for all of our Sister services, but undying love and devotion to my Corps.

Others may argue that there's not a lot of difference between the men and women in the services, but the Marine Corps has ingrained and, yes, brainwashed us into believing we are a special breed.

I have a close friend who served in the 70's in an MP unit in the 82nd Airborne. Many of his stories of that time frame are pretty funny and it would seem to me would be something similar to the esprit de corps of those of us who served in the Marine Corps.

He's told me, seriously, that he bumps into other guys who served in the All American Division, from different eras, and they each could care less about sharing "war" stories.

Conversely, one of my closest friends is a former Marine. He served a decade before me and was a Captain, while I was a Sgt, but the bonds between us are strong.

Many years ago he and I were at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, DC. One of the civilian volunteers there was wearing a Smoky the Bear drill instructors cap. We started visiting with this old DI and, amazingly, found he was a DI at Parris Island when my buddy was there.

He ordered Al to drop and give him 20...and Al did it.

There's so many stories each of us have, from the various times and eras we served, that it all helps to bind us together as fellow Marines.

Semper Fi guys.

[carpro]

If I had to drop and give him 20, he'd be measuring me for my own memorial.
_________________
"If he believes his 1971 indictment of his country and his fellow veterans was true, then he couldn't possibly be proud of his Vietnam service."

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

The "20" part wouldn't create the slightest bit of a health problem for me - unless you can die laughing?

But, I think that I could manage the "drop" part.

God-blessed Marines - love 'em! Ooo-rah!
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[JN173]

Damn guys. Those jarheads have a big enough ego without piling it on.
_________________
A Grunt
2/503 173rd Airborne Brigade
RVN '65-'66

[baldeagle]

I am also Navy, but I had an uncle who Island hopped across the Pacific in the early forties from Guadalcanal all the way to Okinawa and my youngest brother did his tour with the Marine Air Wing in 'Nam and now I have a grandson-in-law at Quantico just beginning his Marine career.
During my many years in the Navy I served with many Marines and have always had the greatest respect for them, even when the "Squid" vs "Jungle Bunny" incidents invariably arose in various liberty ports.
Semper Fi and Happy Birthday Marines!
_________________
"In a word, I want an American character, that the powers of Europe may be convinced we act for ourselves and not for others; this, in my judgment, is the only way to be respected abroad and happy at home." --George Washington