Semper Fi!
Posted by Michael Ehart on Jul 4, 2011 in News | 15 commentsWhen someone mentions iconic, this is what they mean.
All branches of service have heroes but if you are looking for an entire organization that is dedicated to taking the fight to the enemy and delivering a healthy dose of kick-ass, the Marines are your go-to choice. From since before the Declaration of Independence to Iwo Jima and Desert Storm and beyond, if you absolutely, positively have to put serious hurt on some other country’s fearful trembling soldiers you call the Marines.
Let’s look at one of the Marines first encounter with a foreign enemy. The Battle of Derne (1805) was the first recorded land battle of the United States on foreign soil, so of course a Marine was there. In fact there were seven Marines, which in retrospect seems like overkill. Along with a few hundred local mercenaries, Lt. Presley O’Bannon and his Marines trekked across 500 miles of desert from Cairo apparently because there just wasn’t anyone to fight in Egypt. Once there they proceeded to take the city and fortress of Derne and hold it until the war was over.
Seven Marines. Only one city. Seems a liitle unfair, don't you think?
Seven Marines. An entire city. Although the official story had something to do with the newly minted United States not wanting to pay 1/8 of their entire annual budget as tribute to prevent the capture of American ships and crews, I think that Thomas Jefferson, who was president at the time, just wanted to settle the age old bar bet of Marines verses pirates. Which is why we now argue over ninjas verses pirates, because while everyone agrees that pirates are pretty awesome, they were so humiliated by the Marines that they refuse a rematch.
Lt. Presley O'Bannon. Because when you are that bad-assed, you can dress any damn way you want.
As result of this epic butt-wupping the Ottoman Viceroy gave Lt. O’Bannon a Mameluke sword, which became the official sword of the Marine Corps. This battle is also commemorated in the Marine Corps hymn with the line “to the shores of Tripoli” which I have on good authority is the tune that Marines hum while causing major mayhem to whomever they happen to be aimed at.
Pirates are no longer worthy.
Still carrying one of those swords is Lt. Col. Jeff Draper, who many of you know as… Jeff Draper, the frequent contributor to publications by our host, including “Thunder Canyon” in Rage of the Behemoth and “The Battle of Raven Kill” in Return of the Sword. Right now he is in Djibouti, Africa fighting pirates. Well, not exactly fighting pirates, because the pirates learned in 1805 what happens when you mix pirating with Marines. (Hint: Initials A.K., rhymes with Grass Licking.) Mostly just chasing pirates because pirates aren’t stupid.
This is Djibouti. Nice, huh?
For over 200 years the Marines have been involved in nearly every police action and intervention that the US has been in. It is easy to remember events like Iwo Jima because of films, books and photos. But who remembers the Second Samoan Civil War? Or the Zhili–Fengtian Wars?
The point is that whenever there has been a dirty, thankless job to do, the Marines have been there. Take for instance John Ehart, who entered the Marines during the Korean War. Yeah, he is my dad, now 80 and still the best looking guy in the room. At his 80th birthday party, after a lifetime of accomplishment, one of the things he was still most proud of was the fact that he was still a Marine, through and through. He was with the 1st Marine Division in Korea from 1951-1953. Ask him what he did there and he’ll tell you he just served his time.
My Dad. Still one of my heroes.
Probably had barbed wire for breakfast and shot fire from his fingertips. Nothing special.
For a Marine.
A great ode to the Marine Corp.
Thanks! Glad you liked it.
The sad thing about the Tripoli campaign is that– after the Marines won and had the government at their mercy (and a new, pro US Government ready to take over) a ‘political solution’ was found with the old government (ie a US politician secretly paid big $$$$ to get back the US prisoners taken by the pirates) and the marines had to give back all the ground that they had taken, leave the country, and pretty much leave all the local supporters to the wolves. (Sounds almost like modern politics, doesn’t it?)
Your dad was in the 1st Marines? (For those who don’t know, in Korea -as tough as Marines are- all the other Marines thought 1st Marines were absolutely crazy. When the Chinese completely surrounded them with an overwhelming force, it was the 1st Marine’s commander who said, ‘Good! Now we can attack in ANY direction and the b@$!%#@$ can’t get away!’)
Yeah. Late at night sometimes, when it is especially beerish out, I can sometimes get him to talk about his time in.
The stories are told in his usual calm way.
Just served his time, you know. Just served his time.
Nice post, Michael!
Thanks, Jack.
Nice, Michael. If you haven’t read ‘The End of the Barbary Terror’ by Frederick C. Leiner, you should give it a try.
I’ll look for it, thanks.
Hah! Entertaining and appropriate for the holiday. Your dad must get all the chicks!
Yup. Women love him, men want to be like him.
Wonderful article, Mike! I never served in any branch of the military, but the Marines have always held a special place in my heart. I just wrote an article about Blacks in the Marine Corps for the Black Science Fiction Society website. I did a lot of research into the history and traditionas of the Corps back in 1997 when I began writing a science fiction screenplay(more like old-fashioned space opera)about the United Space Marines in 2172. Even had many phone conversations with the Corps’ Hollywood liaison in San Diego. Amazing, what i learned, and even more amazing to learn how Hollywood, even though they worked with the Corps when filming a movie, would get so much wrong and have Marines doing things that were only done in the Army. I was told that 2 films were still revered by the Corps: “The Sands of Iwo Jima,” starring John Wayne, and “Tell It To The Marines,” an excellent silent film starring Lon Chaney, Sr as a tough dril instructor. Chaney was even made an honory Marine after the film was released. Good job, Mike!
Thanks, Joe.
Nice one, Mike!
Very well done, Mike. Everything you said is mostly true.
Mostly true is what I aim for.