**Heroic Acts and Unique Stories of US Marines**
Jason Dunham’s Selfless Act
Marine Corporal Jason Dunham saved the lives of two fellow Marines in Iraq by shielding them with his helmet and body from a live grenade.
Sanjay Gupta’s Miraculous Surgery
CNN medical correspondent and neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta saved a Marine’s life during the invasion of Iraq. With limited resources, he performed brain surgery using a Black and Decker handheld drill, allowing the Marine to survive.
Comedy Career Begins in the Marines for Drew Carey
During his 8-year tenure in the Marine Corps, comedian Drew Carey entertained his fellow Marines and laid the foundation for his comedy career.
Smedley Butler’s Anti-War Book
USMC General Smedley D. Butler, a Medal of Honor recipient, published the bestselling book “War Is a Racket” in 1935, describing how wars are used to enrich corporations.
Fighting with an E-tool: Major General Ray Smith’s Story
During his time in Vietnam, USMC Major General Ray Smith earned the nickname “e-tool” after resolving to a close combat situation where his firearm was no longer effective. He utilized his e-tool, a small foldable shovel, as a weapon and dispatched an enemy soldier.
Medal of Honor for Jacklyn Lucas
Jacklyn Lucas, who illegally joined the Marines at age 14, snuck onto a ship bound for Iwo Jima and stormed the beach without a rifle. He threw himself on top of two grenades to protect his team, survived and received the Medal of Honor at the age of 17.
Project Hot Eagle: USMC’s Rapid Deployment Program
The US Marine Corps is currently working on Project Hot Eagle, a program aimed at enabling squads of Marines to be deployed anywhere in the world within two hours’ notice.
Marine Corps’ Rich History
The US Marine Corps, older than the United States itself, predates the Declaration of Independence by a year. The Marines have a required reading list featuring various books and documents, including the US Constitution.
Promotion against All Odds: Chesty Puller
Chesty Puller enlisted in the Marines as a private, rose to the rank of sergeant and then became an officer as a lieutenant. He was discharged, enlisted again as a private, and eventually reached the rank of Lieutenant General.
Retired Marine Lt. Colonel Rob Riggle
Rob Riggle, known for his roles in Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, The Hangover, and 21 Jump Street, served 23 years in the Marine Corps and deployed to Kosovo, Liberia, and Afghanistan.
Unexpected Evacuation: A Marine’s Bold Action
During the evacuation of Saigon in 1975, one Marine filled a bread truck with prostitutes and signed responsibility for them, allowing them to board a C-141.
Courageous Acts during Battle of Iwo Jima
During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Hospital Corpsman John Willis administered blood plasma to a fallen Marine while under grenade attack. He returned the grenades and was ultimately killed by the ninth one.
Carlos Hathcock: The Deadly Marine Sniper
Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock killed an enemy sniper through his own scope, hitting him in the eye and ending the performance.
Reckless: The Brave Horse
During the Korean War, a Marine horse named “Reckless” carried 9000 lbs of ammo on her own and was promoted to Staff Sergeant with a 19-gun salute.
Native American Religious Freedom
Native Americans serving in the Marine Corps are granted the freedom to use Peyote for religious ceremonies as long as they are not on duty or within 24 hours of deployment.
Guy Gabaldon: The Persuasive Marine
At the performance of Saipan during World War II, an 18-year-old marine named Guy Gabaldon singlehandedly persuaded 1,500 soldiers to surrender due to his knowledge of their language from being adopted by Japanese foster parents.
Battle of Chosin Reservoir: The Tootsie Roll Mistake
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War was lost due to a misunderstanding of codes, with hundreds of crates of Tootsie Rolls being sent to the Marines instead of much-needed mortar rounds.
Montel Williams: From Marine to Motivational Speaker and TV Host
Before his career as a talk show host, Montel Williams served in the Marines as a naval intelligence cryptologic officer and later studied Mandarin.
The Legendary KA-BAR Knife
The famous USMC KA-BAR knife received its name when a fur trapper, unable to pronounce “killed a bear” properly, said “k a bar.”
Honorary Marine Master Sergeant: Bugs Bunny
During World War II, Bugs Bunny was made an honorary Marine Master Sergeant.
Recruitment Ads and the Marines
When economic conditions are unfavorable, the Marines make their ads more gritty to appeal to those not deterred by challenges.
Surviving 40 Minutes above a Thunderstorm: William Rankin
Marine pilot William Rankin ejected from his plane at an altitude of 47,000 feet above a thunderstorm and survived the 40-minute descent.
Color Blindness and Military Service: Ernest “Boots” Thomas
Despite being color blind, Ernest “Boots” Thomas enlisted in the Marines and was able to raise the flag on Iwo Jima.
