A
poem by
Major General William H. Rupertus,
USMC....
"MY RIFLE"
Creed of a United States Marine
This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must
master my life.
My rifle, without me is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must
fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying
to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will...
My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds
we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it
is the hits that count. We will hit...
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn
it as a brother. I will learn its weakness, its strength, its parts, its
accessories, its sights , and its barrel. I will ever guard it against
the ravages of weather and damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready,
even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...
Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of
my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my
life.
So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but Peace!
General Rupertus isn't Longfellow but he was writing in different times
and under different circumstances; not bad stuff IMHO, not bad at all.
IMO it's worth
repeating, it is part of the history of the United States of America.