This Is My Rifle…
Well, to begin with, let me just say this. I’ve been to Iraq, my brother is heading there soon, and I know what kind of things he goin to go through while he’s there. Granted, I went well after the initial invasion, and he, thankfully, is goin well after me, so the threat is still continuing to degrade. However, the threat is always eminent.
So, that being said, I just awoke from a dream, you could call it, about the sandbox, and, I thought I should write this. I know what it is like to be over there for Christmas, so, I’m giving a shout out to all of my heroes and heroines over there, doin what they probably wish they weren’t but, have the fortitude to wake up and say, “Let’s do it.”
This is to them….
The Creed Of The U.S. Marine (The Creed Of Us All)
This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as
I must master my life. My rifle, without me, is useless. Without
my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot
straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot
him before he shoots me. I WILL… My rifle and myself know that
what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of
our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that
count. WE WILL HIT… My rifle is human, even as I, because it is
my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its
weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights
and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather
and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my
heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will
become part of each other. WE WILL… Before God, I swear this creed.
My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the
masters of our enemy. WE ARE THE SAVIORS OF MY LIFE. So be it, until
victory is America’s and there is no enemy, but peace!
by Major General William H. Rupertus (USMC, Ret.)
(written following the attack on Pearl Harbor)
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