Marine Corps lore is as storied as any fighting force in history. The Marine Corps hymn tells of famous battles from “the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli.”
Each field exercise, operation, or real-world deployment gives new opportunities for Marines to carry on the legacy, or at the least, have a good story to tell.
Facing the Elements
Equipped with combat boots, Kevlar helmets, and flak jackets, Marines are ready to stand against any foe. But cold is cold. And everyone gets cold.
“I was deployed to an exercise where it was so cold and we did not have enough warming layers and we had to run around just to keep warm. And in between the times we ran, we would stop and be standing separate, with space between us, and slowly we all started to mass together trying to stay warm. That night, it had gotten so cold that we were all pretty much laying on top of each other in an attempt to stay warm,” said Lance Cpl. Duane L. Carroll Jr., cannoneer.
Marines in Mud
Rain seems to chase around Marines during every training opportunity. Marines have even adapted a motto for it; “If it ain’t raining, we ain’t training.” However, with the rain comes the mud which the Marines are certain to find.
“I was sent to a field exercise and while we were out there it rained the entire time. The rain caused the ground to turn into “peanut butter” mud. We call it that because it was like trying to walk in peanut butter. Well this mud was orange, so from us lying in it to fire the weapons, every one of us looked like giant Cheetos. The mud got so bad; it was getting into the weapons and jamming them. The inside of the trucks looked like giant mud caves; it was on everything,” Cpl. Jacob Fruge, motor transportation operator, Gun Team Five.
Fighting in Fallujah
There are also the stories of Marines that originate on the battlefield.
“I shot artillery in Iraq during the battle of Fallujah. When we arrived there it was hot. We fired into the city for two months straight during the first battle. We were taking incoming mortar fire from the enemy and as soon as we got that, we would send counter fire. The enemy tried to hit us by firing from the back of trucks then driving away. They also froze the rounds in blocks of ice and set it up on the mortar tube, so that when it melted it would fall in and fire. When I was there, I was working with Alpha Battery 1-11. I still keep in touch with a lot of those guys,” said Sgt. Felipe D. Bachicha, section chief, Gun Team Five.
There are many fire teams, squads, platoons, and gun teams throughout the Marine Corps. Their Marines come from various parts of the United States, from small towns to big cities. Each one is different with a story to tell. Together, they carry on the legacy of the Corps.