The Pacific, Guadalcanal

Robert Leckie

The uniform that you wear, the globe and anchor embolism you have earned will make the difference between the freedom of the world, and its enslavement.

December 7th was quiet a day. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On the same day, December 8th on the other side of the International Date Line places called Guam, Wake, Malay Peninsula, Hong Kong and the Philippines Island were also attacked by the army, air force and navy of the Empire of Japan. The Japanese are in the process of taking half of the world, and they mean to keep it, death from the land, air and sea. But here’s what the Japs aren’t expecting: The United States Marine Corps.

Now, never mind Europe - The Nazis, Mussolini. Hitler is not going to be our job, well, not until they can’t whip’em without us.  The Pacific will be our theater of war, the Marines will do battle with the Japs on tiny specs of turf that we have never heard of. You, non-commission officers, you are the cenu and the muscle of the corps. The orders come from the brass and you get it done. And whenever this war is over, when we have swept upon the main islands of Japan and have destroyed ever scrap of that empire, the strategy will have been that of others - but the victory will have been won by you. You, the NCOs, with the chevrons on your sleeves, the instincts in your guts and the blood on your boots.

To those of you who are lucky enough to get home for Christmas, hold your loved ones dearly and join with them in prays for peace on earth, and goodwill toward all men. And then report back here ready to sail across God’s vast ocean where we will meet our enemy and kill them all.

Merry Christmas, happy 1942.

The Pacific, Guadalcanal