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My
Rifle: The Creed of a U.S. Marine
by
Major General William H. Rupertus (USMC, Ret.)
(written
following the attack on Pearl Harbor)
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
weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel.
I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will
ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle 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!
Revised:
Sunday, May 12, 2002
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