"The 4 biggest myths US Marines keep telling themselves" Topic

"U.S. Marines love to talk about their history — from battles won to the heritage of uniform items — but sometimes, the line between history and myths gets a little muddled.

There are some things in Marine lore that are passed on as tradition or legend that have no basis in fact. The truth hurts, Marines, but it's more important to get our history right…"
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Armand

Never a good idea to mess with the USMC.

quote from one of my favorite westerns

This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.

The fact that Marines are God's gift to women is not a myth. Especially the Grunts.

Wolfhag

A talk show radio host on air for Decades has said the Marines have kept more peace in the world than the Peace Corp

In the Korean War I have heard that N Korean Generals told troops to avoid contact with "the yellow legs" (USMC)
Another myth?

Russ Dunaway

(smile)

Armand

The fact that Marines are God's gift to women is not a myth.

Wolfhag

@Wolfhag, Urrah!!!!

Another myth…

"Marines don't need tanks…."

That will soon be shown to be the myth that it is….

Just read the article, some of th so called myths i.e. "marines never surrender" are not marine myths, in boot camp we were told about Wake Island and the capture of the island and the fighting beforehand.

This is a pointless post that links to useless content.

Thank you pikeman666.
You expressed that much better and "less strongly worded"
than I could have. Being an old Marine, my post would have
been censored for profanity.

Semper Fi, Russ and Wolfhag

Sam Lemonds

Hey Sam,
I'm all checked into Tennessee and loving it. We're out in the sticks and my wife (she's from California) heard some gun shots. She said, "What was that?" I replied, "Honey, that's the sound of Freedom."

True story: A number of years ago the military branches sent their recruiters to give a pitch to the high school seniors in the basketball gym. The Army, Navy and Air Force gave a slick Powerpoint presentation about how great it is, travel, benefits, etc. Last was the Marine, his presentation went like this: "I'm Sgt Johnson, United States Marine Corps. I don't have to tell you anything about the Marines as I know you've already heard about us". He spent the next 30 seconds walking up and down in front of the bleachers giving everyone the eye and then said. "Well, I can only count six of you that look as if you might have what it takes to be a Marine. You know who you are. Come see me when this is over."

When it was over the other branches had 2-3 people come up to them. Sgt Johnson about about two dozen, they didn't want to lose face in front of their peers. I don't know how many joined but it's an example of the Marines use of PR and reputation. Myths are bigger than life, unless of course you are Chesty Puller.

S/F guys,
Wolfhag

Crayons are an essential part of daily nutrition.

Especially the red ones, they taste like Candy Apples, you should try them.

Ah yes, the good ole days.

Wolfhag

BE ALL YOU CAN BE: WHY THE MARINE CORPS SHOULD LOOK TO THE ARMY FOR LESSONS ON FORCE DESIGN

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Armand

Wolfhag,
that cartoon said it all! LOL

I keep getting reminded that we're a department of the navy. I inform them yes, the mens department ! :)

Bismarck,
While deployed, my son's team was staying at the Trump Towers in Dubai. They were getting their drinks comped and he was given a nice $400 USD Italian leather jacket as a present. It was during the summer and there was an Italian all girls high school on a summer vacation there too. He said the elevators were kept very busy for the next few days as it was a target rich environment.

S/F,
Wolfhag

This is an obscure posting that could have been cross posted just to annoy even more folk.

"The biggest Myths" (Only four) come down to;

The origin of the red trouser stripes

The Birthday of the Corps (based on a decade in its early days when it did not exist…temporarily)

A name given to them in WWI by the Germans (one I have never heard before and the Germans deny anyway)

Who the heck cares about these three, as "Big Myths"?

and then the "Never Surrendered" claim. This is based solely on Wake, Guam and the Philippines, plus 40 members of USMC at Chosin. When ordered to pack up, when it is to save the lives of wounded, when there is no hope of relief, when you expect the enemy to respect the fight you have put up, as fellow professional soldiers. Anything else is what the Allies despised in the Japanese Kamikaze, or hated in the SS in late spring 1945 in Germany (neither implied great combat effectiveness remember, just refusal to surrender).

USMC will always reflect human nature, however highly trained and selected. There will be good and bad, heroes and those who keep their heads down (however few), veterans and -ing new guys. Every country has its elites and is proud of them, as are their members. It would take more than these four "myths" to change that.

But this article adds nothing to that debate. Good find though Tango, you should have widely crossposted this one!

For your information the Marine Corps is the Navy's police force and as long as I am President that is what it will remain. They have a propaganda machine that is almost equal to Stalin's.
President Harry S. Truman

There is a lot of inter-service rivalry and generalizations thrown by both sides composed of truths and fictions. This can make for some amusing reading:
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I spent one year in Army ROTC while in the Marine PLC program. I qualified for their "Ranger" unit and it was quite useful. Before I went to Boot Camp I already knew how to field strip an M-14, operate a PRC-25, drill and trained in basic ambush-counter ambush tactics in the Everglades. I even got to fire a .45cal MAC-10 with a silencer.

In Army ROTC (1970) the Marines had the reputation of, "Hey diddle diddel, right up the middle" because of their frontal assaults. However, the Army did the same thing at Normandy, Hurtgen Forest and a number of other battles.

We used to discuss that did the Marines make people crazy or we we already crazy before we joined? I was stationed on an Army Base (Ft. Meade) for 6 months. It did not go well. The Army told me to leave. I can say from personal experience there are many young Marines that are just plain assholes with an attitude, I know as I was one. I've grown up since then but my wife may disagree.

From what I've been reading about the Marines lately is that the Commandant is changing their mission to be more Maritime Interdiction. The Marines just do not have the budget to keep up with all of the new high tech weaponry and compete with the Army in conventional combined arms conflicts. They got rid of their tanks and some artillery and Rifle Battalions. The Army is going to be on their own in the next conventional war. They are not going to have them help out like they did in VN and the mid-east.

Wolfhag