Posted on 06/05/2016 8:36:05 AM PDT by Oldpuppymax
As a DC police patrolman in the mid-70’s, I was partnered with a Marine veteran who exemplified the doctrine, “polite to all, friendly to none.” It was while enjoying an after-shift beer at a local DC watering hole that we were joined by a group of Army officers. In the course of the evening, one of the Army officers started spouting off about how the Army makes the world safe for democracy. My partner quietly responded, “That’s true. But the Marines make the world safe for the Army.”
The silence was deafening.
Awec Bawdwin, favorite butt boy of North Korea’s dictator... or was that just a movie?
yup, Louis Johnson is one of the most worthless and harmful people ever to serve in a high US govt. position.... ofc he was doing the bidding of Harry S Truman, who has been vastly over-rated so far in history, merely due to a few posturing slogans like “Give ‘em hell, Harry!”
So few citizens know how badly the Truman admin. gutted the military before Korea, leaving us highly vulnerable.
Great movie!
I remember reading that article.
I miss the old Reader's Digest!
Well yes ,but in the larger scheme Marines were sent to “the shores of Tripoli” when deploying the Continental Army would have been logistically and politically more difficult.
I miss all the things destroyed by political correctness.
The short folio histories of the Marines in the Pacific War that are available free at Gutenberg are worthwhile.
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/World_War_II_(Bookshelf)
Historically, the Marines were part of the Department of the Navy, which the President could use (within reason) to effect foreign policy without getting Congress involved with a Declaration of War. Basically an unwritten rule of American government for 150+ years or so. Anything big enough to require/involve the Army, and the Department of War, took an act of Congress. Of course, all this went out the window with the unified Department of Defense after WWII.
It wasn’t a bad system.
On that, see my previous.
The Air Force never should have been allowed to form as a separate branch.
Marine and Naval Aviation shows why.
They were not sent there for that purpose. They were the marine complements on the U.S. Naval vessels that were operating against the Barbary pirates.
Hey Big Daddy, I was applying my comment primarily to the current enemies of freedom who are attempting to destroy our military thru reduction, political correctness and lack of funding. As for Jimmy Doolittle, perhaps if they’d done what he was seeking to do, all prior to the Korean War, would’ve the US Army at that time, have survived the onslaught, without the Marines help, particularly early in the Korean war? Just asking. I’m the son of a US Army Korean War vet, and my father often asked the question himself. There will always be the need for U.S. Marines, no matter what the cost. Based on all the Marine vets I’ve met over the past 50+ years, I haven’t changed my mind. IMHO.
In the scene were Stryker hands the flag over to three Marines to put up, are actually the three remaining living Marines who put up the flag.
One of his fellow players at USC was none other than Ward Bond.
Yep. The Marines did it their way.
Correct.
As an old doggie combat veteran, I must admit that the combat history of the USMC in Korea was sterling, They were instrumental in saving the Pusan perimeter at the Naktong Bulge, their aggressive seizure of Seoul after Inchon, the wisdom of MG OP Smith, CO of the 1st Marine Division in disregarding the reckless orders of the X Corp commander Army Gen. Ned Almond and keeping his forces well deployed to blunt the Chinese Winter offensive, the incredible stand of Fox Company against the better part of a Chinese Division at the Toktong pass as they covered the withdrawal of the 1st and 5th Marines to Hagaru-Ri, The magnificent and orderly withdrawal of Marine forces from the Chosin resovoir (aided though by the sacrifice of Army 7th Division Task Force Faith who were annihallated as they caught the initial brunt of the Chicom offensive) and so much more. There is something truly special about the fighting qualities of the Corp.
That being said, In every major war it will always be the Army that kills and captures most of the enemy, takes and holds the most ground, and fights most of the major battles, cause the Corp just ain’t big enough. They sure do punch WAY above their weight though. Used properly they are an invaluable asset.
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