Take yourself back almost three years to February of 2010. What were you doing then? Were you in school, or at your last job? For the Marines of 1/3, 1/6, 3/6, and 3/10, they were about to begin what was dubbed as the most dangerous combat operation since Fallujah with the commencement of Operation Moshtarak. Their mission: clear the Taliban-infested city of Marjah, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. While I have never set foot in Marjah, I did deploy just next door in Nawa district, having gone on many a patrol just outside of Marjah in the “friendly” area of Trek Nawa. Before you watch this legendary speech by Gunnery Sergeant Walgren of 1/6 (1st Battalion, 6th Marines), try and imagine yourself as one of these young Marines that’s about to climb into a CH-53 helicopter and begin the assault. Can you imagine the mental preparation you have to do to really prepare yourself for a mission like that, especially with all of the intel/news reports on how heavy the enemy activity was? That’s where good leadership comes into play, and the video speech you’re about to witness is spine-tingling good. You don’t have to be a good public speaker to be a good leader, but it is a good quality to have, and Gunny Walgren possesses it in spades.
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BEST SPEECH ever heard by ANY MARINE. Touched my heart, inspired me, brought tears to my eyes & makes me prouder to be able to say, am also a MARINE who fought in Vietnam. Semper un Bastarum ( Don’t let the BASTARDS ” get you down ) & SEMPER FIDELIS to all my Brothers & Sisters.
As a former company radio operator of Bravo Company 1/6 I see not much has changed in the last 41 years.Still got that old corp fighting spirit. Get Some!! God bless the Marine corp ! Semper Fidelis for ever.
As a Marine you will never find a Better Made Men oorah
His oorah speech brings back memories of two different occasions for me.First was going to Vietnam and the Gunny gave basically the same speech your there for the Marine on your right and left. I was a crazy 18 year old soon to turn ninteen and twenty in a far off land away from home and family. His speech gave me pride and self confidence in the ability of my fellow Marines.The second was; I was the Gunny and I had to give an oorah speech to a bunch of young Marines that have never been in combat. In Desert Storm I was the only combat veteran out of 220 men in my company. I remembered that speech from Vietnam and I added my little extra to it. We didn’t lose a single man and my Marines did a surperb job at killing the enemy. Two different wars two different home comings. 20 years apart. One lasted 14 months for me the other only 12 months. I’m not a very good orator but my Marines lived to fight another day. SEMPER FI.
Semper Fi to all my brothers and sisters that came before my time in the Corps and after my discharge. I have and will always be proud of the Marine Corps. We all have stepped in crapola in one time or another and it was nice to have that leader that lead the way with honor. Samolia was no pick nick. Thanks Gunny for the motivation.
My only combat experience was during Desert Storm as the Flight Line OIC for a CH-53 Helicopter Squadron. Flight Line Personnel consist of Mechanics and Crew Chiefs. Our Line Chief was also a Gunnery Sergeant. The day Desert Shield became Desert Storm we began flying combat missions and the Gunny gave a motivational talk to our Marines. It was more low key than Gunny Walgren’s pregame speech but just as meaningful, intense and humorous in its own way. He concluded his talk by telling our door gunners “Do not flinch at that moment of truth and when you draw a bead on that bad guy YOU BETTER NOT HESITATE TO SHOOT LIGHTENING UP HIS ASS!!!” It was his tone, demeanor and style that were all so impressive. I have never forgotten it. The worst part was that I had to follow the Gunny’s talk with a talk of my own which of course fell short of the high bar he set and did not resonate nearly as well with our Marines. Bottom line, there is NO substitute for SNCO Leadership. It is definitely unique and I know of nothing else quite like it. It does my heart good to know it is obviously still alive, well and thriving in the Corps. SF.
Back in ’68, I got the feeling that the Marine Corps did not consider my being a Marine as being gainfully employed. When I was TAD to Gitmo, I was the projectionist at the E-Club at Marine Barracks making minimum wage (about $3 an hr. back then) for a few hours each night. Two days after returning to Lejeune, I got my Nam orders. About two months later, in Nam doing my “job”, I received forms to apply for Unemployment because I was no longer the projectionist at the E-Club. It pissed me off and I threw it away.