The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

MARINE CORPS

"BLEED NOW RATHER THAN IN WAR."
"THE BEST LIFE INSURANCE IN COMBAT IS TO KILL HIM BEFORE HE KILLS
YOU."
"THE QUICK AND THE DEAD" THE ONLY TWO KINDS OF MARINES.
THESE WERE USED IN BASIC TRAINING AND WERE PERSONALIZED IN THAT WE
WERE TRAINING FOR COMBAT IN VIET NAM. SO IT WAS BETTER TO "BLEED"
OR GET INJURED IN TRAINING THAN HAVE IT HAPPEN ON THE BATTLE FIELD;
IT WAS EITHER KILL OR BE KILLED; AND EITHER YOU WERE QUICK WITH
GOOD REFLEXES OR YOU WERE DEAD.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT TAUGHT BASIC TRAINING AT BOOT CAMP

Where learned: DETROIT

Date learned: 09-26-1972