Who Would You Choose?

[Super Dave]

If you could choose one person from Marine Corp history to sit down drink a few beers and swap stories/lies with who would it be?

[Toby M]

Easy answer: Chesty!!!! Two Corona's on me...

[stalkmaster]

Super Dave for me it would be Gysgt Carlos Hathcock a man of many talents..

RIP Gunny

[USMC-FO]

Gen Puller, Gen Raymond Davis, Lt. Puller--Chesty's son--Gunny Hathcock, Gen Peter Pace , Gen Hagee and my DI's from 1962

[ivalis]

it would be my pop, he's been gone near 20 years.

[Sgted]

It would be my Father, Former Marine, proud, hard working with the Marine Corps spirit to the end.
Theres alot we never got to talk about.

[cjwright90]

I think I would like to talk with Lee Marvin. Not a huge name in Marine Corp History, but he served, and I think it would be cool to hear his stories.

[snipowsky]

GySgt. Carlos Hathcock! Not only because he was one bad ass but because my uncle served in the Marines with him!

Semper Fi and God bless Gunny Hathcock and Sgt. Williamson!

[HardJedi]

Originally posted by stalkmaster
Super Dave for me it would be Gysgt Carlos Hathcock a man of many talents..

RIP Gunny

actually DID meet him once. VERY nice man.



As for me, probably "Pappy" Boyington ( did i spell that right?)
I read alot about him,(as well as others) plus, alway's did love those Corsairs!

you guy's and gals DO know who he was don't ya?:banana:

[Super Dave]

For me it would be....
Captain (later Major) Samuel Nicholas. Nicholas, the first commissioned officer in the Continental Marines.

Who wouldn't want to meet the first Marine.

[Tracker]

I would like to have the opportunity to sit down and drink a few cold ones with my three Drill Instructors:
Staff Sergeant P.E. Meek, Staff Sergeant T. Ellison and Sergent L.N. Enos, at least that was their ranks at the time. 43 years ago when I went through Boot Camp they instilled in me the spirit of the Marine Corps and it has served me well throughout my life. I will be eternally grateful to these fine Marines.

[fulmetaljackass]

I'm not sure about the rank, but I'd say Pete Ellis. Prior to WWII, he said something akin to "Japan's gonna be next," and that's what happened. He also, taking the lesson from Churchill's failed attempt, formulated the modern (at the time) amphibious doctrine that allowed things such as D-Day and the Marine Corps' island hopping campaign in the Pacific to take place.

[Super Dave]

Here you go...

Lieutenant Colonel Earl Hancock "Pete" Ellis was a brilliant planner and a principal staff officer to General John A. Lejeune in World War I, who forecast the amphibious struggle for the Pacific more than 20 years prior to World War II. Believing war with Japan was inevitable Ellis, traveled among the Japanese in the forbidden Carolines and died there under mysterious circumstances, on 12 May 1923.
Colonel Ellis was born on 19 December 1880 at Iuka, Kansas, and began his career in the United States Marine Corps in 1900 as a private. On 6 December 1901, he became a second lieutenant. Early in 1902, he left the United States, and arrived on 13 April at Cavite, Philippine Islands. In the years preceding World War I, Captain Ellis was sent out on special terrain study and intelligence service in the West Indies and at the Naval Station in Guam. Upon his return from Guam, he served as Aide-de-Camp to Major General Commandant George Barnett. On 16 March 1917, he was detached from Headquarters and ordered to Quantico, Virginia.

On 25 October 1917, Major Ellis left Quantico for temporary foreign shore expeditionary service in Europe for the purpose of obtaining information concerning the methods of training troops. He sailed via the USS Von Steuben from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 29 September and arrived at Brest, France on 12 November. Major Ellis returned to the United States on 9 January 1918. On 12 February 1918, he was detached to duty in the Office of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C., and on 22 May, was detached to foreign shore expeditionary service in France on the staff of General John A. Lejeune. He arrived at Brest, France, on 8 June 1918.

From 18 June to 4 July, Major Ellis was assigned to duty with the 35th Division in the Wesserling Sector as an observer, and from 5 to 25 July served as Adjutant of the 64th Brigade of that division. He was attached to the 32d Division for several days during the operations of that Division in the Aisne-Marne Offensive, and during the German retreat from the Marne. On 8 August, he was detailed as Brigade Adjutant of the Fourth Marine Brigade in the Pont-a-Mousson Sector, north of Nancy, France. On 28 August, he was promoted to temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel, the rank to be effective as a 1 July. He participated in the St. Mihiel (Champagne) Offensive (12-16 September 1918) and in the Meuse-Argonne (Champagne) Offensive 29 September - 10 October 1918) including the attack on and capture of Blanc Mont, and in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive 31 October to 11 November 1918).

On 17 November 1918, Ellis was among those who commenced the march to the Rhine River, crossed the Rhine on 13 December 1918, and into the Coblenz Bridgehead Area, Germany.

Lieutenant Colonel Ellis was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Gold Star, and was cited by the Marshall of France commanding French Armies of the East as follows:

"From the 2nd to the 10th of October, 1918, near Blanc Mont, Lieutenant Colonel Ellis has shown a high sense of duty. Thanks to his intelligence, his courage and hi energy, the operations that this Brigade (Fourth Brigade, Second Division) took part in, have always been successful."

He was awarded the decoration of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the President of the French Republic, and the U.S. Army Citation Certificate by the Commanding General of the American Expeditionary Forces.

On 25 July 1919, Colonel Ellis sailed from Brest, France, aboard the USS George Washington, arrived at Hoboken, New Jersey, on 3 August 1919, and joined the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia, on 9 August. In November, 1919, Colonel Ellis joined Headquarters Marine Corps, and shortly thereafter was sent to Santo Domingo as Brigade Intelligence Officer. Upon completion of his duty with the Second Marine Brigade, San Domingo (from April to 11 December 1920), Colonel Ellis again joined Headquarters Marine Corps. On 11 November 1920, he was awarded the Navy Cross by the President of the United States:

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service. As Adjutant, Fourth Brigade Marines, he displayed utter disregard of personal hardship and danger, energetic application and an unfailing devotion to the duties of his office. He has ever shown himself ready for any emergency, even when he has been without sleep or rest for several days and nights at a time. His keen analytical mind, quick grasp of intricate problems, resourcefulness, decision and readiness to take prompt action on important questions arising during the temporary absence of the Brigade Commander within the Brigade, have contributed largely to the success of the Brigade, rendered his services invaluable and won for him the high esteem and complete confidence of the Brigade Commander."

Colonel Ellis died at the age of 43 at Parao (Palau), Carolina Islands on 12 May 1923, and his remains were returned to the United States for burial. He had died at the moment when his last and greatest military-intelligence task was almost complete. For fifteen years he had studied the development of Japanese power in the Orient. He had come to certain conclusions and he had not been reticent about voicing them. Requesting to be sent out to Latin America and Japan on intelligence missions, Colonel Ellis was granted a leave of absence from Headquarters Marine Corps and in the next few years, he visited Australia, Philippine Islands, and Japan. He studied methods and formulated war plans for the Marine Corps in the event that the Japanese should strike.

In 1920 he foretold the course of the war in the Pacific and that Japan would strike the first blow with a great deal of success. He also reported what the success would be and planned the action necessary for Japan's defeat. Twenty-one years later, his prophecies became reality

[fulmetaljackass]

Thanx a mil, Super Dave :)

[DSchmitke]

Chesty Puller and Dan Daly

[cjwright90]

you guy's and gals DO know who he was don't ya?

Sure do. That was who Robert Conrad played on Black Sheep Squadron.

[Kurt Stover]

The Private that was killed doing his duty.

[HardJedi]

Originally posted by cjwright90


Sure do. That was who Robert Conrad played on Black Sheep Squadron.

LORD! yeah, there is THAT part of it. BEFORE forming the Black Sheep, he was also a member of the Flying Tigers, and fought against the Japanese BEFORE americas ofiicial involvement in WWII

[eddief]

I would drink with Smedley Butler who said that "war is a racket".

[WillManning]

"Clairvoyance in the Corps?"
Major Earl H. "Pete" Ellis
The following is an exerpt for "Blood Warriors" by Michael Lee Lanning
Chapter 13 "US Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance: History"

pages 210-213

"Major Earl H. "Pete" Ellis-who had gained his commission in 1900 and, after service in the Philippines, Japan, and the Mariana Islands, earned the Navy Cross, the service's second highest award for valor, on the Western Front during World War I- tried to prepare the navy for the future.

Despite health problems, which included kidney disease and lingering psychological disorders from his combat experiences- both compounded by alcohol abuse- Ellis sought new adventures and challenges after the armistice of 1918. On Sept 4, 1920, he wrote to the commandant of the corps, "In order that the Marine Corps may have the necessary information on which to base its plans for furture operations in South America and in the Pacific Ocean, I have to request that I be ordered to those areas for the purpose of making the necessary reconnaissance."

The commandant forwarded Ellis's letter to the director of naval intelligence, who approved the request. There is no evidence that Ellis investigated South America, but his accomplishments in the Pacific easily ranked among the most significant in the history of reconnaissance and intelligence.

Before departing for the Pacific, Ellis prepared and submitted a 30,000 word paper titled "Advance Base Operations in Micronesia" based on his observations of the region prir to the war. The department of the Navy approved Ellis's recommendations and redisignated the study Operations Plan 712 on January 28, 1921.

Ellis's reprot is one of the most amazing and insightful studies in American military history. Less than two years after the Great War, Ellis predicted that the US would be drawn into the Second World War a little more than 2 decades later. He wrote, "Japan is a world power, and her army and navy will doubtless be up to date as to training and material. Considering our consistent policy of nonaggression, she will probably initiate the war."

Ellis continued with a detailed analysis of Japan's military capabilities and a discussion of the sea, air, land, climate, and mative populations of the Pacific region. He concluded the paper with a strategy that the US could use to retake key islands so as to establish forward bases for an eventual invasion of the Japanese homeland. He included requirments for airplanes capable of delivering torpedoes against watercraft and the development of large, automatic guns for shipboard defense.

During the following years the navy made slight modifications of Operations Plan 712 and renamed is War Plan Orange. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, many of the American efforts against Japan-including mobilization requirements, timetables, and the island-hopping strategy- closely followed Ellis's outline of events.

Upon completion of his reprot Ellis sailed throughout the Pacificto validate his findings. Few of his observations, however, made their way back to the Department of the Navy. On May 21, 1923, the Japanese governor of the South Sea islands reported to the American authorities in Yokosuka, Japan, that Ellis was dead. When the Japanese provided no official cause of his demise, some fellow marines theorized that the Japanese had murdered him because he had discovered some aspect of their war plans. Others speculated that he had become so despondent because of his war experiences that he commited suicide, or that he died from his medical ailments. A somewhat dubious account from a German merchant, Mr. O. Herrman, also made the rounds. Herrman, who briefly traveled with Ellis, stated that the major had become seriously ill after consuming a meal of canned eels and beer.

Japanese involvement became more viable when the naval attache at Yokosuka dispatched Chief Pharmacist Lawrence Zembsch to recover Ellis's remains. When Zembsch returned to Japan form the south Sea islands on Aug 14, 1923, he was, accoring to the attache, "...incoherent, his walk was unsteady and he was in a highly nervous condition. He would burst into tears, apparently without reason, talked of taking his own life, etc."

Zembsch also cringed in fear when approached by any Japanese-even those who had been close friends before his mission. It is likely that the Japanese officials in the South Sea islands drugged and tortured Zembsch. Naval officials deffered further debriefing until Zembsch could regain his health. That never occurred; both Zembsch and his wife died in a fire following an earthquake on Sep 1.

The cause of Ellis's death remains as mysterious as his visions and recommendations for the preparation and execution of the war against Japan remain extraordinary. Most Americans, however, languished in the belief that WWI was truely "the war to end all wars", supporting defense budget cuts and military manpower reductions. Those who remained in uniform did their best to prepare for future conflicts. Planners within the Marine Corps developed doctrines for amphibious warfare, emphasizing the need for advanced reconnaissance operations."

End of excerpt

[WillManning]

Gen. Merritt "Red Mike" Edson

[Phantom Blooper]

Major Boyington, Gregory USMC
Medal of Honor

MAJOR GREGORY BOYINGTON

Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Squadron 214. Place and date: Central Solomons area, from 12 September 1943 to 3 January 1944. Entered service at: Washington. Born: 4 December 1912, Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. Other Navy award: Navy Cross.

Citation: For extraordinary heroism and valiant devotion to duty as commanding officer of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Central Solomons area from 12 September 1943 to 3 January 1944. Consistently outnumbered throughout successive hazardous flights over heavily defended hostile territory, Maj. Boyington struck at the enemy with daring and courageous persistence, leading his squadron into combat with devastating results to Japanese shipping, shore installations, and aerial forces. Resolute in his efforts to inflict crippling damage on the enemy, Maj. Boyington led a formation of 24 fighters over Kahili on 17 October and, persistently circling the airdrome where 60 hostile aircraft were grounded, boldly challenged the Japanese to send up planes. Under his brilliant command, our fighters shot down 20 enemy craft in the ensuing action without the loss of a single ship. A superb airman and determined fighter against overwhelming odds, Maj. Boyington personally destroyed 26 of the many Japanese planes shot down by his squadron and, by his forceful leadership, developed the combat readiness in his command which was a distinctive factor in the Allied aerial achievements in this vitally strategic area.

[HardJedi]

YAY! PAPPY! LOL

[snipowsky]

Semper Fidelis Major Boyington wherever you are!

[CPLRapoza]

Lee Harvey Oswald. I want to know what really happened.

[themuffinman]

Chesty Puller