“The bastards tried to come over me last night. I guess they didn’t know I was a Marine.” -PFC Edward H. Ahrens, US Marine and Navy Cross Recipient
Today is 10 November 2017, that means it is the birthday of the United States Marine Corps. An institution that I credit with providing me so much of my life, whether it was my Grandfather who served for a long time and was always a part of my life as I grew up, or it is the 5 and a half years of my young adulthood that was completely encompassed by the United States Marine Corps as I worked to be the best I can be, as it forced me to be even better than that. I have said this before but it can never be said enough, I would not be half the kind of person I am today if I did not join. At 17, I made the decision to commit the rest of my teenage years and a few of my 20s, at a minimum to the Marines. I left about 2 weeks after graduating high school, riding in a van to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Paris Island. The Marine Corps was always something in my life and something I wanted to be a part of for a long time and looking back on my early adult life, I am seriously so damn proud of the choice I have made.
The Marine Corps has a rich history filled with heroes. Even if you ignore the fighting for a country or a belief system or whatever, and you just focus on the love and sacrifice that the men and women of the Marine Corps have for each other. When people are pressed, with their backs to a wall, and they have to choose between fight or flight, there are many in the Marines who, previously, would have chosen flight, but when their decision is one that affects their fellow Marines, something in them fires and they will choose to fight. This is fueled by their love for each other and the knowledge of the necessity to do everything they can for the other because you have to trust that the other would do absolutely everything for you. There are many heroes in the Marines, not because they fought for the US, or killed people or whatever, but they are heroes, true heroes because of what they would do for those they live with, care about, suffer with and love in a confusing but real sense of the word.
My great uncle, Bob, who sadly just passed away on October 20th, served under one of the most legendary commanders in Marine Corps history. He fought at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir under then Colonel “Chesty” Puller. They were surrounded, the weather was freezing cold, and Marines who fought there are known as the “Frozen Chosen.” Chest Puller has one of those great historic quotes: “We’ve been looking for the enemy for some time now. We’ve finally found him. We’re surrounded and that simplifies things.” Chesty Puller is an iconic figure in the Marine Corps. He is seen as a figure to emulate and is beloved to an almost idolized proportion. When we do pull-ups, we have to do 20 for a perfect score on the physical fitness test, if you do 20, you will be told to do “One more for Chesty” and you will do it, even if you barely managed to do 20, you will find it to do the 21st. When we have to do 100 crunches in 2 minutes for a perfect score on the physical fitness test, when you hit 100, even if it was right as the timer sounds and you have nothing left to give. You will do a 101st for Chesty. Saying that you are “doing one for Chesty” was always a semi-joking motivation tool to push yourself to do just a little bit more to get the job done a bit better. It is a mindset that has stayed with me. I find myself at the gym in the middle of Germany at 6:30 am doing bench presses or squats and I get to the end of my set and I muster up strength to do an 11th or a 13th rep for no other reason than because as I exhale and say “done” I think that there is something more in the tank, something more I can give and I say to myself “one more for Chesty.” You may ask, why is Chest Puller so highly regarded? It is because of the style of leadership he embraced and used that has made an impact and are still around today in the Marines. He used to organize ‘chow’ eating, by, the lowest ranking members would eat first, and it would go in order, lowest ranking to highest ranking all the way up to him, where he ate last. This was something he implemented, and now it is how everything works. Doesn’t matter if it is a Private and a Sergeant or a General and a Lieutenant General. The General will make the Lieutenant General eat first and the Sergeant will have the Private eat first. He lead by example and it was a way of life, not just a saying for him. He is the most decorated Marine in history and has been awarded 5 Navy Crosses. He fought in two of the bloodiest battles in WW2, Peleliu and Guadalcanal and he is taught as a case study for officers on the perfect way to lead and carry yourself.
There are many, many Marines who are true heroes. Risking their lives, or giving their lives for their fellow Marines. One story I want to share is Lance Corporal Torrey Gray. I know about him because the Parade field at Twenty-Nine Palms California is named after him. LCpl Gray was killed on April 11, 2004, on Easter in Fallujah, Iraq. He was awarded a Bronze Star with a ‘V’ for Valor for his actions and this is his citation.
“Lance Corporal Gray was Posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device for heroic achievement in connection with combat operations against the enemy as fire team leader, 1st Squad, 2d Platoon, Company L, 3D Battalion, 4th Marines, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division, 1 Marine Expeditionary Force on 11 April 2004, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On this date, Lance Corporal Gray performed his duties in the highest traditions of the Marine Corps while conducting combat operations just north of Fallujah Iraq. The platoon encountered a large weapons cache, assigned to an overwatch position in order to provide force protection for the remainder of the platoon. Lance Corporal Gray positioned his two-man team on top of a light tower adjacent to the weapons cache site. While in position, he and his spotter received a barrage of enemy machine-gun fire. As his spotter attempted to climb down from their position, he was struck twice by enemy fire. Ignoring the hail of enemy fire, Lance Corporal Gray immediately moved to assist his wounded comrade. Recognizing the enemy fire presented a greater threat to his comrade than his own wounds, he instructed his spotter to not move and stay down, with no regard for his own personal safety, he laid down on top of his spotter using his own body to provide cover for his fellow marine. While providing protection to his fellow Marine and transmitting information via radio to his Platoon Commander, he was struck and mortally wounded by enemy machine-gun fire. By his zealous initiative, courageous actions, and exceptional dedication to duty, Lance Corporal Gray gallantly gave his life for his country and reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.”
When I first read that on Lance Corporal Gray’s memorial at Twenty-Nine Palms, it was a hot afternoon on the weekend, as it normally was in the middle of the Mojave desert. I stood there and read it, then I sat down for maybe 30-45 minutes and just thought about that. He made sure to achieve his goal, he transmitted radio information back to his platoon as was his job, but he did so while protecting his wounded brother. He used his body to protect a fellow Marine who could no longer protect themselves. I was 19 when I first read this and he was 19 when he gave his life shielding his spotter. That is what really hit home for me, this man at the same age as me did the most selflesss thing that could be done.
That is what it is to be a Marine in my mind, to do everything that you possibly can. You can’t do everything, but because you can’t do everything, you should never refuse to do the things that you can do.
Happy Birthday, Marines. I love you and I could never be prouder to call you my brothers and sisters.