Favorite Military Quotes

[raiderrescuer]

As told to me in Air Force Boot Camp.
Shortly after the Flight was asked if anyone wanted to volunteer to go to a "G.I. Party", the few "Volunteers" ended up on Cleaning Detail.

"Never Volunteer for Anything in the Military"

 

[Peaceful John]

Written by the unfortunate Heather Alexander, in the splendid Celtic martial song, March of Cambreadth:

"How many of them can we make die?"

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Famous Milinary Quotations

I have a hat. It is graceful and
feminine and gives me a certain
dignity, as if I were attending a
state funeral or something.
Someday I may get up enough
courage to wear it,
instead of carrying it

... Erma Bombeck

 

[Martinis at 8]

FUBAR, BOHICA, STRAC, SNAFU.

Well, I did learn these in the US Army lol

 

[Story]

http://www.wearepatriots.us/images/WAP-SmedleyButler.gif

I'll see your counterpoise to all these hard core quotes and raise you one:

“The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on.” - CPT Yossarian

 

[Diamondback]

Classic, Paddy. I'll add:
"Holy @#@@, what the %^&^ did I just do?"--me, after taking down a hoax "suicide-bomber" in my HS senior-year homeroom class; it's a long story, but luckily the kid was able to use me as an unplanned visual aid for "that's how the pros deal with suiciders", and we couldn't figure out who was more scared between him "during" and me "postgame"...

----------------
Now playing: John Williams - Belly Of The Steel Beast
via FoxyTunes

 

[alden405]

fave quote is from my Grandfather

"so many a$$holes,so few bullets"

 

[amador]

For what it's worth since this thread has not had a contribution since 13APR09 my favorite by Faramir:

"War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend: the city of the Men of Númenor, and I would have her loved for her memory, her ancientry, her beauty, and her present wisdom. Not feared, save as men may fear the dignity of a man, old and wise" —(The Two Towers, "The Window on the West").

 

[cuthbert]

"Do you want to live forever?"

Frederick the Great.

 

[Terry292]

Do your duty in all things; you cannot do more; you should never wish to do less. Robert Edward Lee, General, CSA

 

[scooter]

A Marine fighter pilot was informed by Iranians on the ground that he had entered their airspace. He disagreed and after a couple testy exchanges, the Iranians threatened to scramble their fighters to intercept. The Marine replied, "Send 'em up, I'll wait.". Nothing more was heard from the Iranians.

 

[Renault]

"Do you want to live forever?"

Frederick the Great.

L'audace, l'audace, toujour l'audace!

 

[DNO]

Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce: "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."

Charles Harrison, former soldier in the CEF in WWI: "Generals die in bed."

 

[Kirk H.]

Chesty Puller in the Korean War at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir

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

 

[Edward]

Towards the end of his long life, Harry Patch, last surviving Brit from the trenches, said:

"War is organised murder, nothing else."

 

[Two Types]

Field Marshal Montgomery came out with a number of splendid quotes:

He once wrote:
"Rule one, page one, of the book of war: Never march on Moscow."

In Sicily he drove past a lorry driven by a British soldier dressed in nothing but shorts and a top hat. As their vehicles passed, the soldier doffed his 'toffer' in an extravagent gesture. As a result, Monty issued his one and only order on uniforms: "Top hats shall not be worn in the 8th Army."

On news that the Allied armies had captured 100,000 Germans soldiers, he simply said: "Good egg."

 

[Renault]

Chesty Puller in the Korean War at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir

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

"Where do you put the bayonet?"

Once again pure Chesty!

Chesty Puller after seeing a flame thrower demonstration.......

 

[Saint-Just]

During my childhood my parents had a lifetime friend who had been at Bastogne. He claimed McAuliffe did not reply with the single word: Nuts.

The single word was: Shit.

I have no way to confirm the man's veracity. Considering the Bastogne resistance story became nearly immediate folklore, I think it's possible that the general's defiance was cleaned up for dissemination.

There is allegedly a precedent, at Waterloo, by General Cambronne

Other favourites are:
"C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre" (It's magnificient, but that's not war) General Bosquet, upon witnessing the Charge of the Light Brigade in Crimea

"I see no ships" allegedly said by Admiral Nelson at the battle of Copenhagen, after holding the telescope to his blind eye (he had been ordered to retreat when he would see the Danish ships

The same Nelson, this time properly quoted:

Stalin: The Pope, how many divisions?

 

[cco23i]

"A vital part of the Army Air Force team is the aviation maintenance man. Important members, although you seldom see him in the headlines. The maintenance men are guardian angels of this flying business - they are the hidden air heroes"

H. H. Arnold

I always liked this one.

Scott

 

[Renault]

Wasn't it Gen. Sedgewick during the Wilderness campaign that said, after being warned of Confederate sharpshooters in the area;

"They couldn't hit and elephant at this ran........."