Need for Marines

[BLUEHAWK]

Best explanation of a Marine I've ever seen...

Thank you.

As a teenager, my first experience losing a friend was my buddy Paul...joined a year before me, USMC Pfc Paul, 1964... VN, never came home, not even in parts.

[reeb]

Scamp,

I was referring to the Red Stripe down their britches legs.

Ya know, like the old Bell Hops..

There is a story about that stripe, that was posted on another site by Leatherneck, but I forget what it really stands for.

enough.............

[Seascamp]

A ?Red Leg? Marine is a Corporal (E-4) or better as I understand how things work. An official Navy ?NCO? starts at PO2 (E-5) but as I recall, the Marine deal is that they call a Corporal an NCO, thus the red stripe down the trouser leg.

Scamp

P.S. As I recall, only Detachment Marines were issued the fancy dress blues. The rest had to buy theirs at their own expence. Bummer, huh.

[39mto39g]

The Marines, in all of our wars didn't acomplish 1- 10 of what the Army did, They just talk about it more, In WW-2 Of all the Island hopping they did Iwo was the only real important Island that they took, the rest could have been bypassed and saved all those Marine lives. even Iwo most famous picture was a set up. The Marines rasing the flag was done for the camers, The real first flag was a lot smaller and some Gen has it at home. Marines go through Basic training just like the Army people go through basic training, The Marines say that a Marines first duty is a rifleman, I say hog wash, Soon as the Marines are done with there training they are assigned an MOS that definds what there job is, Infantry, Truck driver, Cook, supply, Clerk etc. Just like the Army, if drafted.
When under attack all Marines are riflelmen, Well no shit--- So are all Army personnel, and anyone else that happens to be around.
The only difference between a Marine and Army is the Marines willingness to expend its personnel, Some call it Brave to assult a defencive possition. I would call it something else. The Army never sends a Army person where you can send a bullit instead, and the bigger the bullit the better.
No one has yet named one thing the Marines do right now that any Army Light infantry unit couldn't do.
I have only had two occasions to work with some Marines, (Dominican Republic, and VN) I made a bunch of friends, but they are no different (maybe more errigant) than any other infantry guy.

Ron

[the humper]

ME, or is is (proper) arrogant' that I interpret the above concerning basic training!! How can anyone, comprehensible, say "hog-wash" to something they've never been subjected too, or be so knowledgeable, again, about something, they evidently, don't have a clue about!!!!!! Someone must have had hell in all that island hopping, Normandy etc., in WW-11, cause if you read it, someone is well informed, about everything!!!!!!!!
SF
NC

[39mto39g]

The basic training I heard from all those Marine friends of mine, They discribed it just as the same stuff I went through. The Marines were at all those Islands I just think it was a big waste of good people to send them into places they could have just went around. I don't have a clue about history, I'll admitt to that, But, were the Marines even in France or Germany or Italy? Like I said I only have two experiances with the Marines on a perfesional basis, Dominican republic, and VN. The Marines weren't any better or worse than any Army unit I seen.
And, I'll say it again, Tell me one thing that the Marines do today that ANY Army light infantry unit couldn't do?
Even if you can name one, we'll just jump to the next level in the Army, Mech Infantry, But we don't need to cause the Marines don't do anything that a Army light infantry unit doesn't do.
I like all the Marines I know and you have a chatchy tune to dance to but, thats not the question,

Ron

[the humper]

that I know the Marines have done, is go try and retrieve a WHOLE battery of 105's that the artillery folks (bugged-out, driving and running) leaving ALL the firing equipment to the gooks so it could be used by them. And the troops, as we were going north, yelling at us, "Man, don't go up there, the gooks are all over the place". This one unit had done it before and they were disbanded. I feel sure if a unit of there service would have been available, they would have tried to extricate them also. But, They wouldn't have had a "Catchy Tune" and a few other things to go with!!! (If the TUNE is YOUR style, a response to this post is not necessary, whoever reads this!!!!!!!
SF
NC

[39mto39g]

Any 105 battery is not a infantry unit, They fight with a cannon, If they bugged out its because they were way out numbered and had good reason. But then a good Marine would have stayed and died protecting his 105, , Any Army light infantry unit could and would have "extricated" them just as well.
You still have not told me one thing that the Marines do today that any Army light infantry unit couldn't do as well.

Ron

[DMZ-LT]

Ron , judging from this thread they would do much better on the game show Jeopardy.

[39mto39g]

Do you think that the Marines do anything that any Army light infantry unit couldn't do?
Speak up Boy---- like you got a pair. I can't hear you.
Drop and give me 20.

Ron