Matt Mitchell

“To the non-combatants and those on the periphery of action, the war meant only boredom or occasional excitement, but to those who entered the meat grinder itself the war was a netherworld of horror from which escape seemed less and less likely as casualties mounted and the fighting dragged on and on. Time had no meaning, life had no meaning. The fierce struggle for survival in the abyss of Peleliu had eroded the veneer of civilization and made savages of us all.”
― E.B. Sledge, With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa

“War is brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waste... The only redeeming factors were my comrades' incredible bravery and their devotion to each other. Marine Corps training taught us to kill efficiently and to try to survive. But it also taught us loyalty to each other - and love. That espirit de corps sustained us.”
― Eugene B. Sledge, With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa

“Your soul may belong to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the marines.”
― Eugene B. Sledge, With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa

“The other veteran said "Listen, mate, everybody gets scared, and anybody says he don't is a damn liar”
― Eugene B. Sledge, With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa