GySgt (Ret) Spencer

In 2010, Retired Lt Col Oliver North, USMC, gave this speech, talking about the young warriors fighting in foreign lands for our country. If you have not heard this, you should! All the personnel in the photos are US Marines, or US Navy Corpsman and US Navy Chaplins, serving with the US Marines.

Training Exercise Video: Amphibious Movement Exercise. (And yes, I saw the typo! Just too busy to go back and fix it.!) As always, watch in High Definition and "Like". Thanks Men. PS The second part of this is already done and uploaded. I'll publish it in a couple days.

Final Mission, Part 2 of Operation Hard Spear Please subscribe and "Like" our vids so we draw more viewers to our channel and videos. Watch in High Definition. (I know how to spell "Previously" It was a typo, OK?) Haaaaaaa Thanks Men.

Final Mission of Operation Hard Spear Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel if you haven't already and click "Like" as it helps the standing of our channel. Watch in High Definition, as always. Watch for part 2, the exciting conclusion of Op Hard Spear which I'll present in a couple days. Thanks Men.

Part 2 of mission, "Go Get Him". Kill or Capture mission for Col Al Khalifia. Watch in High Definition and click "Like" if you will support our YouTube Channel. Thanks Men.

Thanks Sellers. I spend a lot of time on editing these down and trying to make them more theatrical and entertaining than what most game videos are. I'm starting to wonder if spending all this time is worth it. I appreciate the comment.

Continuing with the BATTLE OF BELLEAU WOOD theme, another short story. The following is a story about a parade the Marines were in during WWI. In case you did not know, the 4th Marine Brigade was assigned to the U.S. Army’s 2nd Division, which would become the most decorated U.S. division in the Great War (because of the Marine Brigade). In 1918, following the fighting at Chateau Thierry & Belleau Wood, the French Parliament by unanimous vote determined to celebrate July 4th, the anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, as a French national holiday. The event was to include a massive parade through Paris with one provisional battalion from each American division participating. The 2nd Division was represented by a battalion composed of one provisional company from each regiment, to be made up of twenty men from each actual company. Lt. Clifton Cates ~ who only the previous day had been dug in in Belleau Wood under shellfire with his company ~ was among those chosen, along with thirty‑two of his Marines, to travel post‑haste to Paris to march in the parade. In a letter to his mother he described the experience: The morning of the 4th, we got up early and cleaned up and tried to look half way decent, but we still looked like a bunch of bums. At eight we left our camp and marched to where the parade formed. Mother, you cannot imagine the cheer that would go up as the French people would recognize the Marine flag ~ it was one continual shout ~ Vive la Marines ! ~ la Marines ! ~ etc. They literally covered us with roses ~ I would carry each bouquet a piece and then drop it ~ then another girl would load me down with more flowers. It was truly wonderful and it made us Marines feel very good, as they give us all the credit (for stopping the German drive on Paris). Even every little kid, to and from Paris, would yell, "Vive la Marines!" We have certainly made a name in France .... Most of all Paris witnessed the parade, and it was one grand sight and adventure for us ~ one that I will never forget. ~~ Quoted from the unpublished letters of Gen. Clifton B. Cates USMC [Ret], printed in Robert Asprey's At Belleau Wood. One of many artist paintings of this battle. Please note the epaulettes on the German shoulders accurately depict two of the real German Divisions who fought the Marines at Belleau Wood. It is hard to see here, but easy in the original painting.

As we recently celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Belleauwood, which started in June 1918, I thought it would be appropriate to post a few messages related to the famous 4th Marine Brigade! As the only Marine Brigade in Action in France in WWII, this short story is obviously about those Marines. "A wounded officer from among the gallant French lancers had just been carried into a Yankee field hospital to have his dressing changed. He was full of compliments and curiosity about the dashing contingent that fought at his regiment's left. “A lot of them are mounted troops by this time,' he explained, 'for when our men would be shot from their horses, these youngsters would give one running jump and gallop ahead as cavalry. I believe they are soldiers from Montezuma. At least, when they advanced this morning, they were all singing "From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli.”

Part 1 of two part video from Operation to try and capture Col Al Khalifa. We missed him again!! Watch in High Definition and please like to increase our YouTube rating. Thanks men. (Does anyone watch these?)

Part 2 of "Armor Hunt". Please like on YouTube to increase our channel rating. Please direct friends and other gamers to these videos as they are intended to develop interest in the unit and advertise what we do. Thanks men.

"Armor Hunt" mission. Part 1. This would've been up sooner, but my current losey internet service makes uploading videos take forever, when it works! Please "Like" on YouTube to increase our channel rating/score, and as always, watch in High Definition. Thanks men. Note: I temporarily pulled this down as YouTube took a long time to process it fully. It's seems to be working fine now.

Operation Hard Spear, "Going Back" pt 2 Watch in High Definition. "Like" to promote our YouTube channel.

Tuesday night mission, back to Village Tlidjen. Watch in High Definition and "Like" on YouTube to increase our rating. Enjoy men. Part 1 of 2

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY! DOWN WITH THE BRITISH! Part 2 of 06-18. Watch in High Definition and as always, "Like" to increase potential viewership of our YouTube Channel. Thanks men. From the movie, "THE GREAT ESCAPE"

Op Hard Spear, 06-18, Part 1 Night op to destroy enemy vehicles. Watch in High Definition. Like video in YouTube. Part 2 will be uploaded in a couple days.

Operation Hard Spear, Kalaat Patrol. Watch in High Definition. Like on YouTube. Encourage others to watch videos to increase our exposure to potential candidates.

Emery, This is Tuesday, 6/19. Please jump on TeamSpeak this evening between 1815 and 1830 hrs which is before our weekly training time. If that won't work, please jump on TS anytime after 2100 hrs and hang around until we finish up. We'll get you set up. If tonight won't work, please send me a message and I'll make other arrangements for you.

Hello. You are visiting the Recruitment Office of the Headquarters of the 4th MARINE RAIDER BATTALION. This is a Arma3 Realism Unit based on the Special Operators of the US Marine Corps. We attempt, as much as is possible, with the limitations of the game world of Arma3, to emulate the highly skilled Special Operators of the US Marine Corps, MARSOC, known as Marine Raiders, of the United States Special Operations Command, aka USSOCOM. If you are interested in being part of a team oriented, Arma3 realism unit, you may have come to the right place. You will need training, skills and a positive attitude. We will give you the training. If you join the 4th Marine Raider Battalion, you will become a Virtual Marine. We don't pretend we are real life Marines, but we do try, while in game to adopt the characteristics of the US Marines. Like real Marines, we try to be the elite of the Arma3 game world. If this sounds interesting to you, feel free to research our unit further and ask questions of me or any of our members. Then, fill out an application which can be located in this section of our website. The Movie, "We The Marines" can only be seen at the Medal of Honor Theater at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, in Quantico, VA. If you are in the area, visit the interactive Museum of the Marine Corps.

I didn't make this and it should not be a reflection on the great Brits who are part of the 4th MRB.

(Since North Korea is in the news lately, I thought I'd ask this question) When did the US Marines first fight in North Korea? If you answered in 1950 during the Korean War, you would be wrong! Here is the story. The “Hermit Kingdom” had been under domination by China for many centuries, however the people were widely believed in the West to be far superior to the Chinese in mental and physical resources. They were a barbaric and fierce people. In 1866, the American ship, General Sherman carrying foreign notions for trade to Korea, grounded off the Korean coast. Her entire crew was massacred. A French Schooner went to Korea to trade and the natives were said to have cut them up and pickled them. Around this time a French doctor was captured, skinned and crucified on a beach while the Frenchmen on board a ship off shore watched helplessly before being driven off. A French punitive expedition was sent a short time later revealed a strong anti-foreign sentiment and brutal treatment of foreigners. Korea was located along important trade routes in the far east. In 1870 the US dispatched the American Minister to China, Frederick Ferdinand Low, to Korea to secure a treaty for the protection of shipwrecked mariners, and if possible to obtain commercial advantages. Low sailed from Nagasaki Japan in May 1871 aboard the USS Colorado, the flagship of Rear Admiral John Rodgers, then the Commanding Officer of the Asiatic Squadron, along with two other US Naval ships. Anticipating the possibility of a hostile reception, they wisely took along a battalion of US Marines. (If they didn’t, I wouldn’t be telling this story!) They arrived at the end of May, 1871. Minister Low deputized his Acting Secretary, Edward Drew, to go ashore and interview Korean officials. The Koreans weren’t especially cooperative although he tried to assure them of the peaceful purpose of the visit. He told them the Naval ships off the coast were only taking soundings of their waters and making surveys of the shores to which the Koreans made no apparent objection. The US Ships, Colorado, Alaska, and Benecia moved along the coast until they reached the lower end of the Kangwha Island where a line of forts connected by a wall and facing the river, began. At that time a single shot from the forts initiated heavy fire from masked batteries and other forts along the face of the hill. The US Naval ships responded and soon silenced the Korean guns. The initial reaction was to go back and teach the Koreans a lesson. Admiral Rodgers and Minister Low decided to give the Korean government a reasonable time (ten days) to apologize. No apology came. Admiral Rodgers ordered the forts destroyed and held “long enough to demonstrate our ability to punish such offenses at pleasure.” 651 Marines, supplemented with sailors, and howitzers were put ashore to complete the objective. The point chosen seemed a good spot, but it turned out the shore area was most unfavorable due to a broad belt of soft mud and deep gullies. The Marines would encounter difficult terrain throughout the operation. Lt Commander Cassel reported, “by superhuman exertions on the part of my men…” in describing the difficulties moving into positions. The line of forts were assaulted one at a time. On June 11th, the Marines assaulted the last and main fort, Kwagsonshin, called the Citadel. They had to charge downslope, then up the opposite hill to the fort. In the final assault, 243 Koreans were killed. Three American’s were killed. Five batteries and 481 pieces of field artillery were destroyed in the operation. The Marines had to do much of the fighting hand to hand due to faulty rifle and pistol cartridges. As would be the case time and time again throughout our history, US Marines, landed on a foreign hostile shore, in some part of the world most of them never heard of, engaged a numerically superior force on their own territory, and successfully completed their mission. Painting depicts US Marines landing in Korea (10 miles from Inchon) in June 1871, struggling with their equipment in heavy mud flats.

Wow. Not surprised you know the basics of this battle. You are probably the only one who does. I'm looking for history stories I could share with everyone. I've read hundreds of stories of Marine history I'd love to share, but sometimes, it's hard to tell a great story in a very short format.

Bladensburg. Anyone heard of it?

From Operation Hard Spear 04-18. Simple video I wrapped up late last night. Watch in High Definition, and "Like" on our YouTube channel. Thanks

Couldn't decide if this should go in my History Thread or here. It's kinda funny and kinda historical! You decide. PS: That is obviously Camp Pendleton in the background. Any real Marine would know that.

Absolutely. The videos are the best promotional material we have other than word of mouth. Please get all your stuff up on our YouTube Channel. Thanks Green.