June 26, 1898

"I want to go where the guns are."

"All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time."

"We're surrounded...That simplifies our problems."

At Koto-Ri in Korea, when an Army captain asked him for the direction of the line of retreat, this man called his tank commander, gave them the Army position, and ordered: "If they start to pull back from that line, even one foot, I want you to open fire on them." Turning to the captain, he replied, "Does that answer your question? We're here to fight."

These are quotes from a Marine hero. Today is the birthdate of Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller, the most decorated Marine in history. A man so hardcore, he tried to get himself reinstated in the Corps to fight in Viet Nam... he was sixty-eight.

Happy Birthday, Chesty, wherever you are.

Drink you bastards... drink.

Posted by That 1 Guy at June 26, 2005 12:42 AM | TrackBack