The Most Nightmarish Marine Fight in History

General John J. Pershing, Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, called the Battle of Belleau Wood: "The biggest battle since Appomattox and the most considerable engagement American troops had ever had with a foreign enemy.”
In June of 1918, as Russia had withdrawn from World War I, Germany relocated thousands of soldiers to France and launched a massive offensive to end the war. But as the German Army breached the Western Front and attempted to advance to Paris, it faced fierce resistance from Allied forces.
A robust contingent of thousands of American soldiers and Marines arrived to fight the weakened Germans in the Belleau Wood preserve area, and the first large-scale battle fought by US forces during World War I ensued.
Fighting mainly in the dark with fixed bayonets, poison gas, and hand-to-hand combat amidst harsh wood terrains and overgrown wheat fields, the Marines engaged in savage combat that cemented their place in history as some of the fiercest of warriors.
- As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

[@jcarlile8279]

When I was a kid I lived close to Camp Pendleton in California. I will never forget the day my JROTC unit was giving tours of a naval warship and a very old and frail looking man was helped up the gangplank. After quick pleasantries I started talking to him and learned he was one of the of 1st marine div soldiers at Belleau Woods. I don’t remember much from the tour that day because I was listening to every word he said. He thanked me later for listening; I thought this was odd and then he said nobody really listens to him since he can’t talk very good due to the gas attacks. He passed away about a year later but I’ve never forgotten him. His name was James and even in high school I made it a point to stay in touch till the end.

[@tippski5229]

Thank you for you kindness. Amazing that you possessed such awareness at such a young age. You were raised well. Bless you and Semper Fi.

[@altoids79762]

Very interesting story. When was this?

[@burtonlee22]

Thank you for being James’ friend

[@woodrowcall3269]

Well done John Carlile. Much respect to you.

[@mr.bonesbbq3288]

Ooorahhh! God Rest his Eternal Soul...

[@joelburch1542]

I am now 78 years old. When I was 24 I was seriously wounded, and permanently disabled while serving with the third Marine Division near the DMZ in Vietnam, and spent a bit over a year hospitalized with wounded Brother Marines. Now, as an old man I still view my time in the Corps as the high point of my life and the Marines and Navy corpsmen with whom I served as heroes who should be honored by all.

[@jaaaanee1316]

👏🏾

[@stevek8829]

I'm glad you're back. Seventy eight isn't old yet.

[@fmfdocbotl4358]

Welcome home brother. When I was a young Doc, my Senior Chief and my Gunny had served in Nam so I soaked everything in that they said. I'm honored to be called Brother by my Marines. Semper Fi Doc

[@monsieurdubois2830]

Semper Fi warrior! Those of us who have earned the title will always have reverence for our forefathers who fought before us!!! The greatest honor of my life is knowing that I have served my country with my fellow Marines in Trashcanistan and Iraq. I pray my service has done honor to my predecessors and the glory of United States Marine Corps Semper Fi!!!

[@ramal5708]

Thank you for your service. Just wanna say Belleau Wood(WWI), Guadalcanal/Tarawa/Iwo Jima(WWII), Chosin Reservoir(Korean War), Khe Sanh/DMZ/Hue City(Vietnam War) and Fallujah (Iraq) are the toughest times the US Marines had to endure in their history since their formation on November 10th 1775, older than the US Independence on 4th July 1776.

[@markmulder9845]

"Retreat?!?! Hell! We just got here!" The most American thing any service man ever said.

[@mikewalrus4763]

What was really meant was "we've only just got into this war", everybody else more or less had been in it for three years and were dog tired!

[@markmulder9845]

@@mikewalrus4763 Fully aware. But it carries that American recklessness in it.

[@mikewalrus4763]

@@markmulder9845 That's Americans for you though, I've served with a lot of you guys many years ago and that always defined you - in some ways it kind of indicated who you were - Your American? Just watch this guy do something crazy, You usually did but by heck we liked you for it - God knows why some of the things you did . . . . . .

[@Chainsaw-ASMR]

Also "hold my beer"

[@daughertyjack1]

Chesty Puller has entered the chat.

[@fredgilbert2032]

“The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!” ― Eleanor Roosevelt SFMF

[@Irish381]

Semper Fi, do or die! Ooh Rah!

[@Chainsaw-ASMR]

"America is all about SPEED...hot, nasty, badass SPEED!" - Eleanor Roosevelt

[@shadetreejoe3986]

I guarantee that as she said those words, there was at least one Marine thinking, "I'd hit that..."

[@fredgilbert2032]

@@shadetreejoe3986 Of course how many ppl could say they got with the 1st lady? Every Marine would buy you a beer

[@Cowboycomando54]

@@fredgilbert2032 Hell, you might even get a challenge coin for it.

[@francispitts9440]

My paternal Grandfather was a Marine and served in WW I fighting in Belleau Wood. He enlisted in 1912 and went overseas to fight. He didn’t say a lot about what happened but he did have a deep resentment for the French. He said one of the hardest things they faced was getting past the retreating French soldiers. They simply didn’t want to fight. He was a witness to this. He re-enlisted in 1941 serving as a Marine recruiter and then a Drill Instructor before going back to sea. Two world wars. I can’t imagine that and I respected him more than many people I’ve met. He was my inspiration for joining the Marine Corps when I turned 18.

[@jerrylyons9279]

THE FRENCH HAD BEEN FIGHTING FOR FOUR YEARS, AMERICA FOR 4 MONTHS.

[@triumphmanful]

French say "Make love not war ! " Thats Ok , Marines say , "But only after the fighting is over ! "

[@francispitts9440]

@@jerrylyons9279 Oh please. That’s the weakest excuse I’ve heard yet. It was their freaking country and their future. The British were fighting too for many years but they remained a cohesive fighting group. In fact the Brits are one of the toughest groups of people out there. I trained with Royal Marines and they were not only the nicest guys but some of the toughest I’ve met. The only force from the French that has any respect in the military world is the French Foreign Legion and they are made up from non French citizens. They see the heaviest fighting in every war France has been in since their formation. It’s a shame that they weren’t in the region that my Grandfather was. At least they would have helped and not fled like sorry weaklings. Sorry but to insinuate that the French were worn out from fighting is a joke. They have a long history of running away and bending over for any invading military. Germans knew one German soldier on the road into town carrying a fully automatic weapon would make most French military flee. It’s why they sent the bulk of their forces to the other roads and wait for the cowards to emerge. BTW stop shouting at people with those idiotic all capital letters.

[@shadetreemech290]

@@francispitts9440 Wow!

[@Tourist1967]

@@francispitts9440 Verdun. Ran from February to December 2016. The battle lasted for 302 days, the longest and one of the most costly in history. The French suffered 400,000 casualties, 163,000 of them dead or missing. Insofar as the Germans failed in their objective - to eliminate the French fortifications, a threat to German lines of communication, and destroy a huge percentage of the French Army - the French won. Because of the millions of shells fired, many of them containing poison gas and many of them unexploded, 386 square miles around Verdun is permanently closed to the public. Belleau Wood lasted 24 days and the US Army suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. In WWI terms, a sideshow.

[@MrVonBastard]

I grew up in Prince William County, Virginia, a suburb of Washington DC. Quantico Marine Corp Base was a ten minute drive from my house. My father was a veteran marine that served in the Pacific War. One of his best friends was an old Marine named Micky Finn. Sargent Finn was a veteran of the fight at Belleau Wood. He went into the battle as a Corporal and came out as the company commander. This was because all the officers and NCO's that outranked him were either killed or wounded. Whenever there was a fourth of July parade, they'd put Micky in a convertible and let him lead the parade. My father was in the honor guard that marched in front of the car. I was allowed to sit next to Micky in the car as he waved at the crowd. It was awesome. Micky was a kind man that loved to raise prize winning chickens and everyone that knew him adored him. He told me many war stories but the one that I was most fond of involved sauerkraut. He talked about how hungry he was during the whole battle. He told me how he and his men found a barrel of sauerkraut in a German trench they had just captured and how he busted it open with his rifle butt. He told me how delicious that sauerkraut was and how every man grabbed a handful of it as they passed. There was no time to stop so they ate the sauerkraut in their hands as they continued to attack. I hope you enjoyed reading my comment. ;)

[@jordanw4448]

I lived in Prince William to and the county has so much military history in its community.

[@billd.iniowa2263]

I did, thankyou!

[@MrVonBastard]

@@jordanw4448 Everyone's father and some of the mom's too had served in the military. Many of my friend's mothers were foreign women their fathers had fallen in love with when they were overseas. Our playground looked like a little united nations. None of us knew anything about racism. Our parents shielded us from it for as long as they could. What a pleasure it was growing up ignorant of racism. When we looked at each other we only was ponies of many different colors. Unfortunately, our teachers insisted on taking that innocents' away. I remember that day in Fourth grade when my teacher told me and my best friend Robbie we couldn't be friends. That day as we walked home we decided we would ignore her. We're still friends to this day. Still, I long for those days and weep for the children of today. Why we allow these teachers to sow hatred in our children is beyond me.

[@cryptosporidium1375]

Praise the Kaiser for the pickled cabbage.

[@johnhagemeyer8578]

I am from Bowie in Prince George County.

[@johnwilliamson2276]

When I went through Parris Island in the summer of 1968 we had to learn the bloodied history of the United States Marine Corps. Know it's heros and battles. Thanks for telling one of our Corps great battles and the great men that fought it. Semper Fi Brothers Rest In Peace Marines.

[@lightningdriver81]

I went through P.I. in 1966. Same-same.

[@armyvet8279]

Us Army guys love the Marines! 🇺🇸

[@padroooo]

I was at Paris Island in April of 1968, platoon 348.

[@comeauxjc]

Parris Island 1975. Platoon 299 SEMPER FI

[@anthonychavez1906]

Same here brother. They were still doing it when I went through MCRD San Diego in 1984.

[@scottfoster2639]

I joined the Marine Corps in 1986 when nothing was happening. I stayed in for a number of years during Iraq I & II, Somalia, Afghanistan and a few 'small wars' in the PI and S. America. Every step I took under fire, I always felt the presence of Marines that came before me, urging me forward.

[@lynnwood7205]

1982 found me working a part time job as a a janitor in a VA hospital. One fellow who was a patient, who had been 17 in 1918 in that battle, described how he was still haunted by the screaming of the horses as the artillery killed them and would sob telling of that time. May he rest in Peace.

[@billelliott334]

so true,most people don't think of all the poor Animals that were also killed

[@redfishbluefish4973]

@@billelliott334I’m also glad that someone mentioned this. I’ve thought about that my entire life.

[@sgtoldschool1486]

100 years later our enemies still know and fear us. Semper Fi brothers.

[@gregorysinicrope947]

No they don't!

[@sgtoldschool1486]

@@gregorysinicrope947 sure they sugar britches. Lol. You just keep telling that lie from behind your keyboard. 😅😝😂

[@jerryabanto4289]

Next time, don't ever, ever, ever teach them how to make a 💣 bomb. Remember what comes around goes around.

[@sgtoldschool1486]

@@jerryabanto4289 what are you rambling about?

[@gregorysinicrope947]

@@sgtoldschool1486 I witnessed how they fight first hand. The enemy knows us and laughs

[@speedeemee]

My great grandfather served as a Marine rifleman in Belleau wood. He was wounded by a machine gun in the leg while raiding a trench and eventually found a field hospital along with a boy from Kentucky who had been shot in the stomach. Doctors wanted to amputate his leg but a Belgian nurse was able to save it. He was 19 and the first from his town, Darby Pennsylvania, to volunteer.

[@trauko1388]

That is easy, almost no one volunteered for that dumb war...

[@farpointgamingdirect]

​@@trauko1388 You know nothing. Marines were not drafted in WWI. EVERY SINGLE MARINE WAS A VOLUNTEER. Know what you're talking about before you open your mouth!

[@lageronimo8012]

God bless you. Alas, our miliary is going weak. Recruitment down by as much as 50% in one branch. The liberal politicians recruit now pushing pronouns and political correctness. Tough to recruit when your administration says the country/flag is built on racism and evil colonialism. If you are Republican/conservative you are pushed out now. Heanen help us. Democrats of today do not serve. They hate our founding.

[@jacklarue7049]

Thank your great grandpop for his service. I also live in Delaware County, PA, right next to Philadelphia…the birthplace of the marines! I’m sure he was a hell of a man/unit! Semper Fi

[@chizorama]

Sending much love & gratitude for your grandfather from the Lehigh Valley.

[@jayjackson19]

I love that we were taught our history at boot camp. It gives me a great deal of pride to have an understanding of where our reputation comes from and who came before. Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, and Guadalcanal are places I connect with just as much as those where I fought. Damn, I miss putting on that uniform.

[@ypop417]

Thank You For Your Service!

[@SouthBaySteelers]

Tarawa

[@padroooo]

During my working years in a steel mill here in Indiana I worked with an Army veteran and he told me he envied the way Marine talked about their history. He didn't give many compliments.

[@ridetillidie8090]

Unfortunately, we have given up our honor for corporate profit and our senior leadership are too busy on their knees sucking off defense contractors for cushy after-retirement jobs to stand up to the corrupt politicians trading our honor for Wall Street profits. #SFMF #USMC #proudcrayoneater

[@xxtipfizzyxx6857]

Semper

[@advforops]

Being a Retired Marine and a combat veteran. It does my heart well when programs like yours speak of the History of the Marine Corp. Also having served with the 5th Marine Regiment. A Regiment that was in the battles for Belleau Woods It was an honor to be part of that unit. So thank you for the excellent subject matter.

[@billhalyburton4125]

My grandfather was a 20 year old in the 5th Marines at Belleau Wood.. his diary was used in the British documentary "The First World War"

[@thebronzetoo]

If you're a retired Marine, wouldn't you know that it's Corps, not Corp?????

[@amundamundson402]

i'm a former marine i served in desert storm and my uncle served in WW II he was on bogenville and new georgea i'm proud I served and don't regret one minute of it

[@gunnyski6304]

Your not a former Marine, your a Marine, Gunny, per the commandant

[@billcorbell5362]

No such thing as a former marine.

[@amundamundson402]

@billcorbell5362 I stand corrected a marine okay article 15 my ass

[@blindlemming7446]

My grandfather fought at both Chateau Thierry and Belleau Wood. He survived gas attacks at the Chateau and the wheat field advance at Belleau Wood. He never talked very much about his experiences during that war. He's been gone since 1973.

[@edwardcricchio6106]

My grandfather was a member of the US Army during WWI. Fought in France as well. He passed away in 1965 before I was old enough to understand what he had done. I heard plenty of stories though.

[@Oliveria663]

I still have my french fortege awarded for those men's actions. They were the legacy of my regiment and battalion.

[@Oliveria663]

@@spookysockmonkey4605 well, this is the first time for me. Link me your 'proof' lol

[@Oliveria663]

@UCx1ey1mb2Q5yIAqVB_XwWMA dude I legit just sub here after getting linked from a Dark 5 video. I haven't post this before. Think what you want.

[@warriorodin8367]

Semper Fi Marine

[@tomwithey711]

*fourragere

[@Yaz-pn9py]

SEMPER FI BROTHER

[@joecombs7468]

My great uncle wasn't with the marines he was with the army. He was killed on the first day of Belleau Wood and is buried there. R.I.P. Bob Goodykoontz You are gone but not forgotten

[@rebeccaj.2606]

I know the feeling of having an ancestor still buried over there. My grandfather died in WW2. He was with the Army too.

[@joecombs7468]

@@rebeccaj.2606 I hope one day we both get to go & pay our respects.

[@FuzzyMarineVet]

Was Bob in the 23rd regiment? The whole US 2nd Division deserves credit for saving Paris during the Kaiserschlact.

[@joecombs7468]

@@FuzzyMarineVet I'd have to call my daughter because I don't remember and I gave her all the family records. But I know which grave is his. You go down the center aisle to the front row. Turn left and his grave his the third one. I want to get there before I die. My time is getting shorter, but I haven't given up yet. Thank you for asking. Those men gave their lives for us. The least we can do is remember them.

[@mikeellingburg9677]

As a fellow marine I want to personally thank you for expressing the importance of this battle and showing why the Marines are the worlds most finest fighting force . _Semper Fidelis _

[@mmouseav8r402]

No, the Marines aren’t the worlds finest.

[@lildurk35]

@@mmouseav8r402you right the army is

[@ryanmarquez9404]

"Retreat? Hell we just got here!"- Capt. Williams

[@pgroove163]

krauts learned a very big lesson

[@jasonthomas9596]

The whole world learned a very valuable lesson that day. The only thing more dangerous than a Marine in his rifle is an entire regiment of Marines in their rifles. One Marine pretty amazing an entire regiment invincible in war.

[@Stolley211]

It sounds gross to say this but 220 deaths out of how many of those Patriots that served those days. It could of been worse if they all weren't badass af, USA showed our pride in WW1

[@bulldog03leatherneck91]

Semper Fidelis the Germans called us Tiffel Hunde " Devil Dogs"

[@jakef5724]

Must of been nice skipping most of the war

[@jamesmorasco9991]

My grandfather joined the Marines in WWI at age 17. He fought in the major battles including Belleau Wood. Before he was done, he had suffered a gunshot wound and was mustard gassed. He had a cough for the rest of his life.

[@scottconn62]

My grandfather was a Marine in WW I and he fought in Bellevue Woods. Unfortunately, I was too young to really know him before he passed away. I did inherit a scrapbook he put together. It has pictures from Bellevue Woods and other battlefields.

[@user-82719a]

May God rest your Grandfathers Soul, and may He Rest in Peace. I was given a scrapbook from my grandmother which belonged to my great-great uncle who fought on a sub before and during WW2. My great-great uncle was assigned to operations in the Aleutian Islands during WW2 when Japan invaded but also captured many photos in the late 30s before the war broke out.

[@AmicableAtheist]

You know who was here and at every other Marine Corps battle that no one talks about? US Navy Hospital Corpsmen. I would love it if you did a video about the Hospital Corps.

[@FuzzJBall]

Agreed, give some love to the docs who patch us up, whether it's from an enemy or our own stupidity!

[@RyanGribble]

Gotta show love to doc

[@uhadowhat273]

“CORPSMAN UP!”

[@ryanmarquez9404]

Best damn job in the navy. Being an fmf doc was one of my greatest accomplishments.

[@stridertex]

The "Devil Docs"

[@jadissx]

*gazing into a crystal ball* "I see Marines. And shotguns ... Jesus, that's a lot of shotguns..."

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

I see liberals.... dead liberals

[@ognargormsby7121]

@@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245- Those are progressives (communists) the real liberals still value the Constitution and are gradually being pushed to the right. And there are damn few liberals who are still in support of the DNC.

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

@@ognargormsby7121 *you’re a socialist, false news, media lover antifa BLM comeback*

[@trauko1388]

Look at all the trumptards... lol!

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

@@trauko1388 look HERE librat: the oath keepers of 37F 37Q MVVIIVVVIVM will say you WILL comply to us MOLON LABE and anon will make you comply. 10/4 good buddy? Your safe space don’t have a 6 to check.

[@michaelwillette5738]

Being a son in a Marine family, i grew up with the most famous quote from Beleau Wood. Lt. Clifton Cates, in part:" ...I have none on my left and a few on my right. I Will Hold". The First Marine Division FMF departing to rescue the forces trapped in the Pusan perimeter, Korea, 1950 were seen off by Marine Commandant General Clifton Cates... A long line of Marines fades into the distance guarding the street corners of Heaven... Semper Fi.

[@rickyric4643]

That is where the Germans called us Devil Dog. Our history is great Semper Fi to all my fellow marines past & present..I served from 1984-1992. 1MarDiv CLB15

[@iraqafghanistanmarine6905]

As a Marine, I can testify to our proud and storied history. I am so proud to have been apart of its recent history in Iraq and Afghanistan. Semper Fidelis.

[@RyanGribble]

Thank you for your sacrifice Marine

[@nedludd7622]

Wow, proud to kill people in illegal imperialist wars.

[@keithg7298]

@@nedludd7622 He’s proud he fought with his brothers, did a job that he was told to do. That’s what it is, not being proud of killing, proud he was fighting with his brother on left, and on his right. Willing to give it all for those men that had to do a job they were told to do.

[@humancattoy7767]

Semper Fi, Devil Dog. Thank you for your service, Marine.

[@HollywoodMarine0351]

I and my old roommate managed to visit Belleau Woods and drink from the Devil Dog fountain 4 years ago this month. It was a memorable and somber experience sitting foot there.

[@stubvids7403]

Back when I was about 14 or 15 years old (1980), we were stationed in Paris and my father took me with him when he went to Belleau Woods for a wreath laying ceremony. While there, he introduced me to the battlefield caretaker.... who took us for a tour of a building where they stored all of the artifacts they found during maintenance. They had some pretty interesting stuff in there. The embassy's Marine security detachment had a car they shared but none of them could speak French. I could speak enough to get around, so I had a deal with them where I would take them to meet the caretaker and see the artifacts and they would buy me lunch and a few beers. Every visit turned up an artifact or two, which the Marines really cherished. It was like finding a holy relic to them. The most interesting thing I found was the end cap to an unused (still had the wood and ceramic lanyard button inside) potato masher grenade. The time I spent with them must have rubbed off on me, since I eventually joined the Marine Corps.

[@stefanschleps8758]

Thank you for choosing to serve our nation. Semper Paratus.

[@lamoe4175]

67 /71 - Sgt - Chulai 68. Was asked by my nephew when he was about 14 "what makes Marines act the way they do?". He'd been reading about battles in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam. I said "fear". Not fear of the enemy, fear of not living up to the standards set by those who came before us. "Never leave a Marine behind / never let your brothers down" are not just words. Belleau Wood, Frozen Chosen, and others were what the D.I.s hammered into us. Khe Sanh, Hue, etc. are part of the legacy we handed down for the next generations to follow. Brother was an Army Sgt. - Vietnam 67. We talked about Marine's esprit de corps vs the Army's. I'll never forget his comment, one that I agree with. "you guys were fecking AHs". He was a soldier, I'm still a Marnie - just no longer on active duty - and still an AH. Worked for a Japanese company - had VIPs from corporate visit - one saw my car with obligatory stickers - he told the others - boss said "What the hell did you say to him? Call your wife - you're going to dinner with us." Turns out they had this Bushidō thing going on and wanted to ask questions about Boot Camp and especially combat in Vietnam. We had other vets who didn't get invited. I asked why - "yes, but you Marine"

[@Shinigami8143]

Semper Fidelis

[@richardhicks7946]

Great video. As a Marine I still get teary eyed hearing of my brother that died in all the battles to keep the world and this country free. I was in the 5th Marines. Thank you all. Semper Fi. Always Faithful.

[@georgesakellaropoulos8162]

During the battle of Belleau Wood the Marines opened fire with their rifles at a range of 800 yards. The Germans were convinced that they were facing many machine guns, due to the rapidity and accuracy of the fire.

[@meyrickgriffith-jones3908]

Old story. actually referred to the British army in 1914.

[@ralphdougherty1844]

Yeeeeaahhhhh…That was a supposed quote talking about the British and their SMLE rifles at the Marne in 1914

[@brt-jn7kg]

This is where Teufelhunde (Devil Dog) comes from. "Those American Marines fight like devils they don't fight fair. They're shooting my men at 700 and 800 yards. It's just not civilized." German officer

[@ronin47-ThorstenFrank]

There´s no recording of a quote like this. Also, in the French, British and German the whole action is recorded as nothing special. Also, interestingly, where are the accounts of the other Allied forces fighting in this area?

[@thomasb1889]

@@ronin47-ThorstenFrank The other Allied forces in the form of the French left. But even if apocryphal Devil Dog fits the Marines when they are in the line.

[@jasonthomas9596]

There's a lot of things that happen in world war I don't get recorded in an official transcript. I could completely believe some German officer bitching about the Marines beating the s*** out of them

[@thomasb1889]

@@jasonthomas9596 A big problem with WWI history is so much was lost in WWII so there are many gaps.

[@jasonthomas9596]

Unfortunately a lot of the things that transpired in world war II had their germination in world war 1

[@ognargormsby7121]

Semper fidelis to my brothers, and salute to my fallen brothers of the past.

[@onionhead5780]

Semper fi. USMC 0352 Antitank Assault Guided Missileman. TOW Critters! Death on a Leash. ☠️

[@iraqafghanistanmarine6905]

We are proud of our history aren’t we my brother?

[@mikefischer8576]

Semper Fi 0621 2016-2021.

[@donoberloh]

Semper Fi. ‘73-‘77 0321 and yes, us and those like us, are proud. No one else understands!

[@customfittraining9422]

Semper Fi MF’s USMC ’88 to ’05. It is the commitment of upholding all that those have fought and struggled for that keeps me accountable and professional. Best job I ever had

[@Pixxelshim]

I am the grandson of an Army officer who served under Pershing in Mexico and France, the son of a Marine officer who served in the WWII Pacific War, Korea and twice in Vietnam, the brother of a Navy Admiral who never liked my taunts about him being a SUB-mariner (hehe). And yes, I served as a Marine as well. The history of the Corps was instilled in me from an early age and, after all of these years, I am proud that my father's Mameluke sword is displayed on a wall of honor in my home. Thank you, Dark Docs!

[@dvldog_]

As a former Marine I am in awe of the Marines who came before me and fought in battles like this. I am amazed to be part of the brotherhood of Marines with these men. Semper Fi, do or die!

[@gregfair1749]

My grate grandfather was a Marine in this battle!!! He suffered respiratory health problems from being gassed the rest of his life! My dad told me he was tuff as nails and died when he wanted to on his terms! I come from a long line of military veterans! My mom and dad were both in the military. I was in the military and went to Iraq. Had Aunts and uncles in the military and have cousins still in the military! It was awesome to see a video on this battle and see video footage of it! Thank you for posting it!

[@albertserrano3707]

Thank you for your service, and thanks God you came alive from that hell.

[@christihiatt3459]

My uncle Asa was there, and he said it was hell, and that's what they gave the Krauts, too. He still missed his friends after sixty years, as if they'd been killed days ago, and seeing this video gives evidence of how the Marines were tested, and how well they worked together in forging such timeless bonds.

[@Shazza2024]

Many of the soldiers of WW1 were some of the best ever. In Australia we redesignated all military units after ww1 to have the prefix "2" (as in corps 2/3 or 2/2 etc as it was considered that the units of WW1 were without equal and would never be surpassed in valour and so should forever remain "1"

[@ebtv7663]

Dam that's saying something cause I know how yall get down

[@billcorbell5362]

Aussies were, and still are badass!! Respect from U.S.A.

[@kenschultz3836]

I was Marine Infantry in the 80s 1st Bn 6th Marines stationed at Camp LeJune N.C., we wore the French fortege on our dress uniforms (hope i spelled it right) , in honor of our 1st Bn 6th Marine brothers that fought in this battle. My Dress blues still have it attached. I am honored to be in this unit and part of history.

[@toab5541]

"Once a Marine, always a Marine!" -MSgt Paul Woyshner

[@donoberloh]

Semper Fi

[@joeybomba4932]

This staff sergeant agrees fully aye aye.😋

[@gregorysinicrope947]

I'm embarrassed to be called a Marine

[@donoberloh]

@@gregorysinicrope947 Why Gregory? I mean that with compassion and concern.

[@gregorysinicrope947]

@@donoberloh with what is in there could not fight there way out of a wet paper bag if they were in side of it. I was honorablely discharged in March of 1990!

[@abbenormal9665]

I was lucky enough to tour this epic battlefield while attending H.S. in Belgium in the early 90's. My father gave a tour to a group of visiting Marines from stateside and it was nothing short of amazing. Wound up walking out of there with a live round from the battlefield they had found earlier that day.

[@iraqafghanistanmarine6905]

As a Marine, I can tell your viewers, the Marine General pinning awards on Marines at :05 is none other than General John A Lejeune. My fellow Marines will remember the ditty “ Chesty Puller was a horse Marine, all he wore was Marine Corps green”. The horse Marines in this video made me think of that.

[@michael7324]

I can hear it like it was yesterday. Running PT singing that song.

[@rodrigjose]

Boot Camp 1967, always before lights out we sang out "Good night Chesty Puller where ever you are"

[@isogsargent4823]

Puller was an ass who should never have risen above Captain. LeJeune was a real marine.

[@randommexican5664]

He ate steaks eight inches thick, picked his teeth with a swagger stick, singing lo right leyoooo The best cadence

[@michaelplanchunas3693]

US Army sang a derogatory song " Capt. Jinks of the Horse Marines," during the late19th century."Im Captain Jinx of the horse marines, I feed my horse on corn and beans. I sport young ladies in their teens tho' a captain in the army..."

[@charlesinglin]

I've been working my way through "The 4th Marine Brigade at Belleau Wood and Soissons" by J. Michael Miller, which gives a detailed account of the battle. After a while you begin to realize that we won through enthusiasm and an aggressive attitude rather than skill. We hadn't really absorbed the lessons the French learned in 1914 and the British learned at the Somme. Advancing in open order with bayonets at high port through an open wheat field against a line of machine guns made for a stirring saga, but it was tactically foolish and unsustainable. It was a sobering introduction to modern warfare for the survivors.

[@chefchemist7343]

Absolutely correct.

[@MasterBlasterSr]

the story of the Marine Corps, killing their boys through stupid and ill-advised tactics while bragging how heroic it was. The Marines need to stay on their boats as cock holsters for the squids and stop getting American kids killed through stupid military tactics.

[@josevicentejrmeneses8552]

just like Pickett's charge.

[@favrerules04]

How so?

[@carlinglin7289]

@@favrerules04 They were advancing on open order, rather than lines like during the Civil War, but they were still relying on mass, momentum and enthusiasm to overwhelm the other side.

[@waterlicker8635]

“5 times attack, 5 times repelled, and the 6th time they managed to break the lines”

[@nbr3795]

Heart of the corps, and a part of the lore

[@nbr3795]

Kill, fight, die That's what a soldier should do

[@jackwentworth4986]

@Wesley Maxfield In a war machine They were the USA marines

[@symoncacal6011]

@Wesley Maxfield and attack through the lead

[@veyolaski4324]

@@symoncacal6011 put to test on the battle of belleau

[@magicconchshell9659]

As a Marine, I can tell you that it is one the most memorable stories I have from boot camp. You retold it very well!

[@Gyrine1969]

SEMPER FI FROM AN OLD LEATHERNECK " ONCE A MARINE ALWAYS A MARINE " !

[@paulloya5]

Alexander Peña, 3rd Battalion 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian, He was KIA July 30th 1944 on Tinian, the island was declared secure Aug 1st, he almost made it home, R.I.P Uncle Alex, the Greatest Generation of All Time, God Bless America!!

[@justavillain]

As an Infantry Marine I can say this has been well done and a very real part of the history of my beloved Corps. One in the landing/battle of Tripoli would be awesome as that battle gave us a sword, in the hymn, and ships

[@servicedog2325]

This is the battle where The Marines earned the name "devil dogs." It was given to them by the German soldiers they fought against and is still the most complimentary thing you can call a Marine.

[@Tourist1967]

Nice story, but not true. The nickname was invented by a journalist for a propaganda puff piece written before Belleau Wood was fought. The kilted Highland regiment "ladies from hell" nickname was the same. Also a US journalist.

[@millennium677]

@@Tourist1967 finally someone that knows the truth, Americans are so convinced the myth is true

[@Tourist1967]

@@millennium677 To be fair, the Brits believe "the ladies from hell" stuff too.

[@millennium677]

@@Tourist1967 thats probably less myth than the Devil dogs myth

[@Tourist1967]

@@millennium677 Nope. Yellow journalism at its finest.

[@johnbarnett6924]

God Bless you Jarhead and your family, John Barnett revisited October 2023

[@PL-rf4hy]

My grandfather was a Marine during the Great War but he got stuck guarding a battleship off the East Coast (the U.S.S. Virginia). They put him on bread and water for three days because he got in a fight. We got his service records from the government and it's all there.

[@packletackle9047]

Makes me proud to have been a man who served amongst giants.

[@davidkiser6083]

I served with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division in Vietnam 1968/69, and we were well school on these battles in WWI. We were still authorized to wear the French award around our shoulders.

[@fahkinlosah8469]

“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” - Plato

[@hauntedmoodylady]

History has proven that true so many times...

[@danroffee4904]

Marine Corps public affairs dominance in WWI caused such contempt in American Army officers, General Marshall ordered that no Marine units would serve in Europe during WWII.

[@hauntedmoodylady]

@@danroffee4904 That's an interesting piece of info which I wasn't aware. I won't take up the space I have in the past writing on this issue in these U Tube comments, however, it is an interesting topic. I retired from the Army some time after Completing the US Army Command & General Staff Officer's course. I was once in an Army unit which trained Marines, I'm sure they put on their drawers, and boots the same way GI's do. This stuff of Marine self promotion does go back to WW I. The Army was in France before the Marines arrived; 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Divs. General Pershing (Army) the CO of all US units would not allow any newspaper releases or any kind unless it was first summited to his HQ's, censored for operational security issues, and approved. There was a newspaper reporter from the Chicago Tribune who showed up among Army units. The reporter by the name of 'Gibbons' (or something similar did not like those restrictions. He went to the Marine units. They told him he could write what he liked as long as it made the Marines look/sound good. Gibbons wrote the story of Marines being known as Devil Dogs. There is no record by any German source (after action reports, journals, civilian newspapers, nothing) referring to Marines, or for that matter GI's as devil Dogs. There is however, a record of a journal found on the body of a dead German Officer in Italy where he referred to Paratroopers of the 504th / 82nd Airborne Div. as Devils in Baggy Pants. There's also a record of a Marine General by the name of Holland Smith (I suppose he prided himself on the moniker of Howling Mad Smith) who relieved an Army Division Commander by the name of Smith. Howling Mad's CO was an Admiral who allowed the relief to stand, regardless officers of all ranks both Army, and Marines were P O ed about it. Howling was not permitted to attend the surrender of the Japanese on board the USS Missouri. After WW II there was of course a huge reduction in force across all services. The Army actually made more (numerical) amphibious landing than the Marines during WW II. Many in the Defense Dept favored the idea of eliminating the Marines as a separate service, that was not what happened. Rather, Congress established by statute a minimum strength level for the Marine Corps. the only service of the Armed services with a minimum force structure. It may have been during this process that Harry Truman (an Army Artillery Officer in WW I) said 'nothing beats the Marines PR department' ( or something to that effect).....

[@JLAvey]

I imagine the Marine Corps believed they didn't need the Army in the Pacific getting in the way of their war.

[@Keifsanderson]

@@JLAvey I think the Army was right there in the island hopping campaign, but I may be wrong.

[@vinnybag-o-donuts4362]

My brother served with 3/6 Kilo in OIF and OEF and these boys still do work. Teufelhund is a well earned name that not many understand, great video sir. SEMPER FIDELIS

[@kdmecosolutions]

i GREW UP HEARING THE HISTORY of the USMC FROM MY grandfather (W O 4) and my father (Master Gunnery Sargent) from the time I could listen until their deaths and loved every minute of it. Didnt hear any of their stories of battles but found out at my grandfathers funeral what medals he had. My dad didnt even know. Both were great men and both served this country proudly.

[@carsone7550]

I enlisted in the Marine Corps and going to ship out this September for basic training. I'm very proud and honored that the Marine Corps has given me the chance to become a Marine.

[@isogsargent4823]

You'll be sorrreeeee!

[@gunnyski6304]

Great Choice , no uniform in the world compares to Dress Blues , especially when you earn the blood stripe

[@Inkfidel0331]

Good luck, devil pup! You got this. Can’t wait until you get to join the ranks of the warriors who came before you. I look forward to calling you “brother”. Semper Fi

[@Emanemoston]

Every Marine is a rifleman. They teach us in boot camp that the Germans thought America had developed a new type of land mine, because their troops were dying "well outside" of rifle range. Turns out these Marines were better marksmen than Germans.

[@donoberloh]

I thought we all went to Basic Training, (Basic’) not called boot camp

[@Rockinruffhouser]

😂

[@gfodale]

@@donoberloh This is one reason you are not a Marine.

[@punk303]

Not really.... Every Marine is a janitor first, then a barber...... Then a rifleman.

[@donoberloh]

@@gfodale Tell me you called it Boot camp, what at PI? You sound like a grunt. Maybe you are one of the “new” wannabes

[@DLewis-pc2op]

The most deadly thing in the world: "A Marine and his rifle".......Semper Fi

[@onwardupward9392]

But not in Lebanon

[@shadetreemech290]

"The most deadly force on any battle field is a single well placed shot." Carlos Hathcock

[@cireynolds]

My great uncle, CPL James Forrest Reynolds died at the Battle of Belleau Woods on 26 June 1918. He was apart of the 82nd Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines. He was killed on hill 204. Thank you for this video, I felt like know him better.

[@jamessimms415]

My family were ‘Corporate Nomads’ while I was growing up. While living in Monroeville, AL; our next door neighbors son, a Marine; was one of the Embassy Guards killed @ the start of Tet. The family was so gracious in giving me his Marine Field Cover that I still have & treasure to this day.

[@Monestary_Warrior]

I’m proud to be a US Marine. Semper Fi! 🇺🇸👊🏻

[@atomicwedgie8176]

Same

[@shepherdkelley4156]

Ooh Rah

[@stevecamarano7146]

Luv a 12 gauge pump!! SEMPER FI!!!

[@davegeorge9538]

Ooh Rah!

[@billjenkins5693]

To me as a raw recruit in the mid 80s, and throughout my four years as a Marine, these were some of the men that I and others looked up to and aspired to emulate in our dreams.

[@Chainsaw-ASMR]

Dark Docs has stepped up his game. Well done!

[@richardpetrey2010]

I am 72 years old and I am a very proud Marine Corps veteran of 30 years of service. It’s the Marine Corps that instilled pride in me as a young private and the pride was just as strong when I retired 30 years later as a Master Gunnery Sergeant. God bless the Marine Corps!!!!!! Ooooooorah!!!!!!!

[@ocalafl954]

My grandson joined the Marines last year and loves it We're so proud!

[@graycloud057]

From the United State’s Navy, God bless the United States Marine Corps. 🙏🏼🇺🇸

[@davegeorge9538]

Oohrah and Semper Fi

[@charlesrevello9829]

Simper fi brother

[@kroes1687]

My great grandfather was a marine in ww1 and fought in many battles. Was wounded twice. Unfortunately I never got to meet him. But the stories he told my father are crazy stuff i can hardly imagine.

[@IANTGOTNOHOWWHATCHAMACALLIT]

Marine not marine

[@TheMichaelStott]

The Marines are highly respected here in Australia and through the Australian Defence Force (ADF) I have a suggestion for a WWI Battle. The Battle of Hamel: The Battle that created a bond of Mateship between Australia and the U.S that has lasted for over 100 years and wars since then. Or another Topic could be "Why does the 1st Marine Division Ship out to Waltzing Matilda?" Watzing Matilda is an Australian Folk Song and it's another not well known story concerning our Friendship between each country.

[@yettobseen]

That’s America, that’s the America I learn about and grew up with.

[@hawkhawkins7562]

It was my great honor to serve with a USMC rifle company in Vietnam 67-68. I was an FMF Corpsmen. Marines- No greater friend__ NO worse enemy! Semper Fi( Do or Die) OORRAAH! DevilDoc8404

[@Dohams]

I am a HM1 (8404)/(8432). I went to 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa in 1974 and was deployed with India 3/12, BLT 3/4. Returned to the world to Camp Pendleton to 1st Med Battalion, and farmed out to all the Regiments of the 1st Marine Division to fix whom ever got hurt. Once a Marine always a Marine, For this Corpsman, once a Marine Corpsmen always a Marine Corpsmen. SEMPER FI.

[@hawkhawkins7562]

@@Dohams Hey Doc! I was with H 2/26 in 67-68. You are spot on “always a Corpsman “ . Oorrah Watch your 6 ! DevilDoc8404

[@stevenpaul3808]

Much Respect to All who served. Especially those who never returned home.

[@UpIzDown]

When your sitting in a trench deep in Belleau Wood and you here a shotgun being racked from the darkness. (chuckles) “Ich bin in Gefahr”

[@nicolehalley4432]

🤣🤣🤣

[@jeffho1727]

A joke and a German lesson . Well played Sir!!

[@daughertyjack1]

All the SHEISSE.

[@randommexican5664]

If I heard a dude yell yeehaw and start slam firing flechette rounds into my homies, I'd be a sour kraut too 😂

[@AGTheOSHAViolationsCounter]

Jerry when Americans start using shotguns: "Those are horrible and Inhumane!" American Marine: "Yeah well I don't give a fuc$ what you think Jerry!"

[@AN_PVS-2]

Love this video. I was with 6th Marines, very proud to have been with them.

[@richardcleveland8549]

A great story about a great American institution; for some reason, the name Belleau Wood has stuck with me since high school (back during the Pleistocene Age), so as soon Dr. Dark mentioned "a" battle, Belleau Wood came into my head - ah, said I, I'm not dead yet! All glory to the US Marines.

[@shadwknight1644]

I'd love to be a Marine, but I couldn't possibly be ready for anything like Bellaeu Wood. Mad respect to these honorable souls.

[@thecrowcook]

if you made it through bootcamp and MCT you would

[@alanmoffat4454]

THANK YOUS FOR THIS ONE , NEVER HEARD SO MUCH HONOUR 🎖.

[@markmulder9845]

When it doesn't seem like the enemy can be stopped, send in the marines. They have a reputation for accomplishing the impossible, looking good while doing it, and maybe leaving a few survivors with severe PTSD.

[@jeffglenn7609]

Unfortunately its the marines who suffer that. More of them have serious problems than any other branch. Highest casualties. Bravest but stupid at times. Look at Chesty Puller's ww2 battle against the Japanese.

[@Irish381]

@@jeffglenn7609 well as a marine, I can certainly see your point. But, being the smallest branch , and usually getting hand me downs from navy surplus. And being the first ones in, and the last ones out of any war zone. We do suffer higher than normal casualties. The Army fights smarter, but THE MARINE CORPS INFANTRY Fights the Hardest!

[@Rico11b]

@@Irish381 OMG, the bullshit is strong with this one. I was deployed in the desert TWICE for many months before I ever saw a single Marine. Get the fuck out of here with that "first in last out" BS! Marines will never get there before Army Paratroopers!

[@alaneskew2664]

"Second to none, a Marine and a gun"

[@jamesferguson9561]

And the foes run in fear of their name

[@ltcmdrtobyfox3969]

KILL FIGHT DIE THATS WHAT A SOLDIER SHOULD DO TOP OF THE GAME EARNING THEIR NAME, THEY WERE THE DEVIL DOGS IN A WAR MACHINE THEY WERE THE U S A MARIIIIINEES

[@Lehr-km5be]

@Riseagainst Theleft You are a joke

[@alaneskew2664]

@@ltcmdrtobyfox3969 Dogs lead ahead and attack through the lead..

[@gusstheduck1152]

Or American and a Trench Gun

[@keithhamlett8381]

I was very lucky during my deployment with 24 MEU in 2000 we took a day trip from working port in Toulon, France up to Belleau Wood and later that next day to Paris. It was uncanny and spiritual at the same time being from 2nd Bn 6th Marine Regt walking the same hollowed ground my exact unit walked and fought 82 years to the day in June 2000. We walked and toured the very trenches our unit fought and died in. We got to bivouac atop the marine cemetery that night and take in all the ambiance that special place had to offer. Camp fires lite we all got to sleep under the stars that our great grandfathers got to go before to pass that special torch of Marine Corps lore that is so often talked about. We got to walk beside our past brethren even though it was just for one day. It was a very special experience I will never forget.

[@TheCactusSoldier]

My uncles artillery battery moved up and relieved a British Battery. His C.O. ask the range to the German trenches and was told 1500 yards or what ever it was. He gave the order 1500 nyards fire for effect. The Germans were destroyed The British colonel protested says you supposed to fire one over one under and then one on target to allow the enemy to move. The Amercan officer replied I didn't come here to waste two thirds of my ammunition to tell the germans I mean to kill them I just kill them.

[@nevasoba5953]

Also a very American thing to say

[@wavydavy9816]

Americans? Conserving ammo? 😂

[@commando4481]

That is obviously not true.

[@jonnyjones4347]

Do you really believe that nonsense?

[@yeahdudethatthingrocksdoug9422]

@@commando4481 Don't know if that's true but President Harry " nuke em" Truman was an Artillery commander in the WWI army and had his men pour shells into the German trenches up to the last minutes of the 11th hour of 11th day of the 11th month of the war ending. He said he did it to give his men...a French word Élan or something. Some people are just cold ass killers. Trained and paid by a government somewhere.

[@cherylsmith4826]

God Bless Every. Single. Person. Who goes into combat. I am totally amazed by their bravery. I shed tears for the lost souls.

[@patrickholland6848]

The Marines weren't the only ones at Belleau Woods, elements of the 2nd Army Division was there also and fought just as bravely.

[@danieldunn6284]

A machine gun company

[@jameswells554]

The Corps will always have a special place in its heart for 2ID; they were Commanded by a Marine General after all. It's utter bullshit that the Indian is Gen. Lejeune, but hey who doesn't love a good myth.

[@ryanl2654]

I'm the great grandson of an ulsterman soldier who fought in the somme at age 16- ,he lied about his age to enlist two years earlier- and paschendale. He also enlisted to fight in WW2 as well. He died in 92 when I was 12, so I got to know him a little. Thank you all for sharing the stories of your grandfathers. It is indeed an honour to have their blood in our veins, no? Love reading about the marines, who brought battle honour to so young a nation.

[@JD-gj2rj]

My grandfather fought in WW1. He told me a few thing about it when I was a kid. He said the gas was horrible. Also about running through bomb craters as bombs were dropping everywhere. He was with his best friend running and he jumped in one hole and his friend jumped in another next to him. He said a bomb was dropped on his friends hole and he was covered by his guts. My grandpa wasn't a big man but when a bear came along next to us picking Blueberries he grabbed a big stick and charged that bear!!! I loved doing things with him when I was little. He was always busy! God bless all those heros that took that long boat ride to fight for a country they didn't know.

[@_gmmaann_]

Being a primarily WWII fan, I am still often bewildered by the crazy things that happened in the Great War.

[@billrhodes5603]

I used to think the same way, after all, WWII seems a lot cooler in many ways (unless you were actually involved in fighting in either, which would not be cool at all). But consider this...WWII is really just a continuation of WWI. The Treaty of Versailles was nothing more than a blueprint for the next one.

[@The_Stumbler]

@@billrhodes5603 it's definitely a continuation. Though I perfer ww2 history. It has the perfect combination of tech, tactics and guts. The world wars were horrific times, but they are treasure troves of history.

[@shadwknight1644]

People say World War 2 is the deadliest conflict in human history. Astonishingly, World War 1 was the bloodiest. Verdun, Gallipoli, The Somme. Consider early in the 20th century you're introduced to new weapons and tactics of war for like two weeks and then continue your basic training in a trench. That's Scary! Mad respect for all ww1 and ww2 vets (any war period!).

[@The_Stumbler]

@@shadwknight1644 you need to look over the numbers again, ww2 had the most deaths with military and civilians paying the price.

[@benphillips9229]

This battle CHANGED THE MARINE CORPS FOR EVER

[@iggyharl5780]

Now yall only need to pass Parachute Company and you'll be the best in the world 😉

[@lightningdriver81]

@@iggyharl5780 No one wants to jump out of perfectly good airplanes.😀

[@iggyharl5780]

@@lightningdriver81 you do if you want to absolutely destroy your enemys position 😜

[@paulespinoza974]

It wasn’t a battle that made Marines, it was Marines that made Marines.

[@thetigerstripes]

I was a US Marine from1964 to 1968. I served 2 tours in Vietnam with ground combat units in forward positions. We were taught about Belleau Woods in boot camp. Even in 1964 our Drill Instructors talked about Belleau Woods with a lot of reverence. 2nd Marine Division still carry battle pennants on the Division Battle Standard from Belleau Woods. WW 2 battles in the Pacific were even more brutal. The Japanese called the 11th Marine's Artillery the "Widow Makers".......😎. Marine Artillery was responsible for almost 80% of enemy battlefield casualties. Semper Fi to all you Devil Dogs out there from an old Artillery Forward Observer.......usually surrounded but never caught.

[@edrincon]

God Bless all past and present Marines! Thank you for your service and sacrifices.

[@cosmicpsyops4529]

It was my honor to serve on point with the Second Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment - still the most decorated battalion in the Marine Corps largely due to the selfless actions of these guys and the precedent they set.

[@Shogun459]

"...the Marines were alone." God Bless them and their descendants.

[@IrishTechnicalThinker]

I did not know this. God bless from Ireland.

[@HollywoodMarine0351]

Sláinte 🇺🇸🍻🇮🇪

[@xipingpooh5783]

When you go through boot camp and become a United States Marine, you learn about these brave, honorable Marines. We stand in the backs of Giants. Semper Fidelis🇺🇸 83-89

[@dalemessmer1079]

The greatest pride of my life will always earning the title... "United States Marine". (65-85), RVN 65-66, Khe Sanh 67-68, RVN 69-72. Rest in Peace, my Brothers. SEMPER FI, Leathernecks! D.D. Messmer, GySgt, U.S.M.C. (Ret)

[@utubetommy]

My respects, Gunny. Semper Fi

[@billcorbell5362]

I often wonder where we would be today, if you and your brothers had not stood in the way. God bless you all.

[@dalemessmer1079]

@@billcorbell5362 Bill... we just did what was needed at the time. We held that hill (861) because if we hadn't, many others would have paid the ultimate price. 1/3 of us came off in bags. All but 20 some earned Purple Hearts. I lost most of my hearing and got 12 pounds of stainless steel in my left leg to reconnect my knee to my ankle, and I was very lucky. But, I am not in any way special or better than any other Marine who took the oath. I followed in my family's footsteps. My grandfather crossed the wheat field at Belleau Wood. My father was at Tarawa, Okinawa & Iwo Jima, then came back in for Korea and was with Puller at the Chosin Reservoir. My oldest boy just picked up Lt. Col, and my grandson leaves for MCRD San Diego when he graduates. The Corps is filled with "family" Marines, and always will be. So, you see, there will always be generations of Marines to "stand on the wall"... for God, Country &Corps. My best to you. Watch yer six, and...KEEP THE FAITH. I am an old man now (79), but I am always going through to be a Marine. Semper Fi. Gunny Mad Dog... out.

[@brettstewart4851]

Well narrated. USMC is a force to reckon with. During the narrative of the units actions, a map depicting movements would be most helpful this battle’s are unfamiliar with most. Really enjoyed it.

[@pgroove163]

Just an incredible fighting force the United States Marines... God bless them..

[@peeledbananas9840]

I spend a lot of time on youtube and this is the only channel with notifications on. Great work man

[@joeyanny8018]

Thank you for that documentary. It’s a wonderful tale about a monumental battle by a brave group of courageous men who changed history for the better.

[@robertgreen2658]

Respect, honor, and love to my marine corps.

[@andrewmoore1347]

My great grandfather served and was wounded here. I have his helmet and leggings in my living room as a reminder of his service.

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

Nice! A person is never gone if even 1 person remembers them!

[@gargar8196]

My grandfather was wounded there also

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

@@GeneralZap I feel bad for all the people who died in these wars. So unnecessary. Such a waste! Breaks my heart. Kissinger said “military men are dumb stupid, animals to be used as pawns for foreign policies!” It is all of their opinions of us useless eaters.