Semper Fi/Quotes

Freedom is not free, but the U.S. Marine Corps will pay most of your share.

—Ned Dolan

There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.

—General William Thornson

Ooo-rah!

—USMC Battlecry

There's no such thing as an ex-Marine. You may be out, but you never lose the attitude.

—Jake Sully, Avatar

I was a Marine. A, uh, warrior, of the... Jarhead Clan.

—Jake Sully, again, Avatar

People have been asking me why I say 'Semper Fi' all the time. It's 'cause I'm a Marine, and it's the Marine motto, numbnuts!

—R. Lee Ermey on Mail Call

The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle. It is your killer instinct which must be harnessed if you expect to survive in combat. Your rifle is only a tool. It is a hard heart that kills. If your killer instincts are not clean and strong you will hesitate at the moment of truth. You will not kill. You will become dead Marines. And then you will be in a world of shit. Because Marines are not allowed to die without permission! Do you maggots understand?

—Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, Full Metal Jacket

Today... is Christmas! There will be a magic show at zero-nine-thirty! Chaplain Charlie will tell you about how the free world will conquer Communism with the aid of God and a few Marines! God has a hard-on for Marines because we kill everything we see! He plays His games, we play ours! To show our appreciation for so much power, we keep Heaven packed with fresh souls! God was here before the Marine Corps! So you can give your heart to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the Corps! Do you ladies understand?

—Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, Full Metal Jacket

Today, you people are no longer maggots. Today, you are Marines. You're part of a brotherhood. From now on until the day you die, wherever you are, every Marine is your brother. Most of you will go to Vietnam. Some of you will not come back. But always remember this: Marines die. That's what we're here for. But the Marine Corps lives forever! And that means YOU live forever.

—Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, Full Metal Jacket

We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things for us a great deal.

—Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller, remarking about the sizable numbers of the Chinese and Korean enemy during the Korean War

They are in front of us, behind us, and we are flanked on both sides by an enemy that outnumbers us 29 to 1. They can't get away from us now!

—A separate account of General Puller's quote during the Korean War

From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of Tripoli;
We will fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
of United States Marine

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in ev'ry clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job--
The United States Marines

Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded

By United States Marines

—The Marines' Hymn