Marines are some of the toughest people on this earth. And while part of that toughness comes from their skills on the battlefield, it’s their mentality that makes them the badasses that we all admire.
Because it’s easy to talk about sacrificing yourself for the greater good, but it’s much harder to convince your brain to act on those intentions.
That commitment to bravery is something that we can all learn from. So without further ado, here’s a list of badass marine quotes that will motivate you to push the limits of your potential.
Inspiring Badass Marine Quotes
Let’s kick off this list with some badass quotes that will provide some insight into the warrior mindset that marines possess.
- “Be strong when you are weak. Be brave when you are scared. Be humble when you are victorious. Be badass everyday.” ~ Unknown
- “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don’t have that problem.” ~ Ronald Reagan
- “Being in the marines was the best thing that ever happened to me. It can do a lot for a young guy. I owe a lot to the Marine Corps. If I had a son, I’d want him to be a marine.” ~ Tom Monaghan
- “In the simple moral maxim the marine corps teaches – do the right thing, for the right reason – no exception exists that says; unless there’s criticism or risk. Damn the consequences.” ~ Josh Rushing
- “Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” ~ Joshua J. Marine
- “In my experience, marines are gung ho no matter what. They will all fight to the death…they’re badass, hard-charging motherf**kers.” ~ Chris Kyle
- “You may hate the war, but never hate the ones that fight. For they do not choose when or where to fight. All they chose was to protect who they love and even the people they don’t know.” ~ Millie
- “For over 221 years, our corps has done two things for this great nation. We make Marines, and we win battles.” ~ Charles C. Krulak
- “I became amazed at how much my men would tolerate if someone just took the time to explain the why of it to all of them.” ~ Donovan Campbell
- “There’s a mindset of flexibility and adaptability that comes with us. We don’t mind hardship. We don’t mind somebody saying, ‘Go in and do this nasty job.’ Whatever the job is, we can do it. That’s why the nation has a Marine Corps.” ~ James F. Amos
- “I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the front, and there is not a finer fighting organization in the world.” ~ Douglas Macarthur
- “It was the Marines who taught me how to act. After that, pretending to be rough wasn’t so hard.” ~ Lee Marvin
- “There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.” ~ Gen. William Thornson
- “Everyday US Marines make possible the impossible and then go about their business like it’s just the way things are supposed to be.” ~ Mark W. Boyer
Short Badass Marine Quotes
Let’s keep things rolling with some short badass marine quotes!
- “Only our individual faith in freedom can keep us free.” ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower
- “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” ~ Chesty Puller
- “The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears.” ~ General James Mattis
- “Freedom is not free, but the U.S. Marine Corps will pay most of your share.” ~ Ned Dolan
- “Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.” ~ Omar N. Bradley
- “Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.” ~ Chester Nimitz
- “Being ready is not what matters. What matters is winning after you get there.” ~ Victor Krulak
- “Old breed? New breed? There’s not a damn bit of difference so long as it’s a Marine breed.” ~ Chesty Puller
- “Once a marine, always a marine!” ~ Paul Woyshner
- “Without discipline, there is no Marine Corp.” ~ R. Lee Ermey
- “Marines are built through the ethos of struggle and sacrifice.” ~ General James Jones
- “The safest place in Korea was right behind a platoon of Marines. Lord, how they could fight!” ~ Frank E. Lowe
- “This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” ~ Elmer Davis
Badass Marine Quotes About Death
One of the reasons why we admire the men and women who serve is that they’re willing to face death in order to protect our country.
It’s a tremendous act of heroism that proves just how strong the human spirit is when we’re connected to a purpose that’s larger than ourselves.
Here’s a list of badass marine quotes about death and putting your life on the line.
- “We were the marines that other marines avoided. The pariahs, the bad-luck charms. The ones no one wanted to risk being near. As if we didn’t just process death. As if we brought it.” ~ Barbara Nickless
- “It was my duty to shoot the enemy, and I don’t regret it. My regrets are for the people I couldn’t save; Marines, soldiers, buddies.” ~ Chris Kyle
- “You always hear all these statements like “Freedom isn’t free.” You hear the President talking about all these people making sacrifices. But you never really know until you carry one of them in a casket. When you feel their bodyweight. When you feel them. That’s when you know. That’s when you understand.” ~ Jim Sheeler
- “Great marine commanders, like all great warriors, are able to kill that which they love most — their men.” ~ Nathaniel Flick
- “If I charge, follow me. If I retreat, kill me. If I die, avenge me.” ~ Unknown
- “Marines die, that’s what we’re here for. But the Marine Corps lives forever. And that means YOU will live forever.” ~ Sergeant Hartman (Full Metal Jacket)
- “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die.” ~ Unknown
- “And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier’s tomb, and beauty weeps the brave.” ~ Joseph Rodman Drake
- “Thousands of Marine combat veterans earned medals for bravery every day. A few were even awarded.” ~ Unknown
- “To Marines, love of liberty is not an empty phrase… Rather, it’s displayed by blood, sweat, and tears for the fallen.” ~ Jim Mattis
Marine Quotes From General James Mattis
General James Mattis is a name that all marines are familiar with. Over four decades of service in the marine corps, he’s earned the reputation of a brilliant military strategist and a no-bullshit type of person.
Here’s some of the best badass marine quotes from General James Mattis.
- “I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes; If you f**k with me, I’ll kill you all.”
- “You are the most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon.”
- “Marines don’t know how to spell the word defeat.”
- “There are hunters, and there are victims. By your discipline, you will decide if you are a hunter or a victim.”
- “Carry your mission and keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world there is no better friend, and no worse enemy, than a U.S. Marine.”
- “History lights the often dark path ahead; even if it’s a dim light, it’s better than none.”
- “No Marine is ever alone.”
- “I don’t lose any sleep at night over the potential for failure. I cannot even spell the word.”
- “There are some people who think that you have to hate them in order to shoot them. I don’t think you do. It’s just business.”
- “Bloom where you are planted.”
- “When you’re in Iraq…be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill anybody you meet.”
- “If you haven’t read hundreds of books, learning from others who went before you, you are functionally illiterate — you can’t coach and you can’t lead.”
Funny Quotes From Marines
Here’s a list of funny marine quotes so that we can conclude this article on a lighter note.
- “If you’re looking for perfection, I’m not it. But if you’re looking for honesty, loyalty, and a whole bunch of crazy, that’s all me.” ~ Unknown
- “They say “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” In the Marine Corps, you can make that horse wish to hell he had.” ~ Fred Larson
- “Marines I see as two breeds, Rottweilers or Dobermans, because Marines come in two varieties, big and mean, or skinny and mean. They’re aggressive on the attack and tenacious on defence. They’ve got really short hair and they always go for the throat.” ~ James Stark
- “A ship without Marines is like a garment without buttons.” ~ Admiral David Porter
- “Your soul may belong to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the Marines.” ~ Eugene B. Sledge
- “You don’t hurt ’em if you don’t hit ’em.” ~ Lewis Puller
- “Retreat Hell! We’ve just got here!” ~ attributed to several WWI officers
- “There is only one ‘retirement plan’ for terrorists.” ~ James Mattis
- “Death once had a near marine experience.” ~ Unknown
What Is The Marines Favorite Saying?
In 1883, the Marines adopted the motto “Semper Fidelis,” which is Latin for the words “Always Faithful.”
Of all of the badass marine quotes on this list, this motto represents the core standard for all Marines — to fight for the men and women beside them, and to protect the communities they’ve sworn to serve.
These two words are what unites all Marines, past or present, to answer the call and fight together as a unit.
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Final Thoughts On These Badass Marine Quotes
Well that wraps up this list of badass marine quotes!
We all need a purpose in life. Some people find that purpose by answering the call to serve, but that’s not the only way to show courage.
We can’t all be marines, but we can certainly learn from the tremendous bravery that these men and women show every day.
Because at the end of the day, daily courage is what bridges the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
Of all the great lessons that we can take away from the Marines, it’s their commitment to courage and bravery that should inspire us the most.
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