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Happy Birthday, Marines!
By Lt Col P
Happy Birthday to all my fellow Marines, past, present and future. Somewhere out there thousands of small boys and teenagers have seen a Marine in uniform, on a recruiting poster, or on the news and have said, "That's what I want to be." Here's to all of those now in uniform, in ev'ry clime and place, who are providing that shining example.
And let us not forget the nearly one thousand who have paid the ultimate price in this war.
Now stand by for a message from the Commandant:
And finally, Reasons 201 - 236 To Love The Corps...
201. The poncho liner. It’s a blanket, it’s a tent, it’s a keeper.
202. Combat fit-reps. People say they’re equal to regular fit-reps. People lie.
203. The “E-tool lean.” Sailors don’t know how good they have it.
204. Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno, Medal of Honor recipient. If Marines have a hot line to heaven, Father Capodanno — aka the Grunt Padre — would take the call. His body peppered by shrapnel, his right hand nearly severed, the Navy chaplain and priest crisscrossed a Vietnam battlefield Sept. 4, 1967, to render last rites to his fallen Marines and corpsmen with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, until 27 rounds from an enemy machine gun took his life. Last year, the Vatican declared him a “servant of God.” Next step, sainthood?
206. Amphibious warfare means always being near the beach.
207. No Fear #2. Talk about the AV-8B Harrier’s troubled past all you like, but brave jump jet pilots are flying missions in Iraq.
208. New Uniforms #2. Wash-and-wear combat uniforms mean no more starch, no more dry cleaning.
209. Marine air-ground task force. Nothing like controlling the air and the ground.
210. Slapping an eagle, globe and anchor on the back of your car and knowing it’ll get you out of at least one speeding ticket.
211. The Navy wants to put Marines back on warships. It seems that Tomahawk cruise missiles can’t do everything.
212. Liberty in Thailand.
213. Liberty in Australia.
214. Liberty, well, anywhere.
215. The Navy’s mascot is a goat. The Corps’ mascot is a bulldog. You don’t need Michael Vick to tell you who wins that fight.
216. If you need another occupying land force, you can use the Marine Corps. If you need another rapidly deployable, sea-based, front-door-kicking, air-ground team, you can’t use the Army.
217. 1775 Rum Punch. Four parts dark rum, two parts lime juice, one part pure maple syrup, grenadine to taste.
218. “It’s fun to shoot some people,” said Lt. Gen. Jim Mattis. He says what he thinks.
219. The Beirut Memorial Wall. If you ever forget what you’re fighting for, pay a visit.
221. “Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible
to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down, in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and
then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you
are entitled to.” Jack Nicholson, “A Few Good Men.”
222. Maj. Meghan McClung, Marine public affairs officer, killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq while escorting media. The PAO is more than just a spokesman.
223. Sgt. Rafael Peralta. Like Dunham, he hugged a grenade to save his buddies in Iraq. No Medal of Honor … yet.
224. Hearing an accidental discharge into the clearing barrel, then waiting for the Lieutenant to walk inside.
225. Call signs like “Spider” and “Assassin,” and these guys were Generals.
227. Buttered noodles for breakfast.
228. “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. Robert Magnus, Assistant Commandant, discussing body-fat standards. [The same Gen Magnus that just ran a 03:55:44 Marathon, at age sixty. We got tough Generals.]
229. “Infantry” is the easiest job for recruiters to sell.
230. Being the youngest Marine at the ball.
231. Being the oldest Marine at the ball.
232. The Marine Corps appreciates all you do, all you did, and all you ever will do. Happy birthday, Marines! Semper Fi.
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Comments
Happy Birthday, Marines!!
Thank you
I remember reading a few years ago an account of battle conditions in Korea written by an English war correspondent. He outlined the terrible circumstances and concluded by writing that conditions were, in sober fact, desperate. But, he added, the United States Marines were on their way, and somehow, someway, he believed that they would prevail. And of course, they did. That tribute to our Marine Corps written by a foreigner has always stayed with me. Around the world, through many generations now, the USMC is synonymous with courage in the face of overwhelming odds.
Happy birthday to Marines around the globe!
Semper Fidelis!
If any of you are in Virginia, check out the Marine Corps museum. It is fantastic!
Testing
It was with great pride, that I watched our #1
take Honorman for Co. DELTA a few weeks back.
Granted, I knew he had unfair advantage having already done 3 tours in the sand box with 3/7 as a Doc with Weapons Co. When he told me he was going back he said "I want to go FULL GREEN!" So here we all were, VIP'D with the bars and stars in the "Taco Shell?"
I will state now, former squid and all, there is no dress uniform on the face of God's green earth that screams WARRIOR more proudly than the Marine Corps Dress Blues!!
PS: I have installed a "MUZZLE BRAKE" on my keyboard to insure that future comments to this site do not inflict barometric trauma to the censors,
I like to type sometimes......
Semper-Fi
Just to let you know vid was no longer available. Nice page btw - love the photos, particularly the jets :)
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From a former soldier, all good natured ribbing aside, Happy Birthday Marine Corps...
Semper Fi..... I think that's how it goes....