Marines Attack #1
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeThis anthology issue contains two war stories. "The Loner" follows a lone Marine soldier who fights against enemy forces, saying "This is for my three brothers" as motivation. "Shape Up or Ship Out" depicts Marine training and indoctrination at a 1942 training camp, where a tough sergeant disciplines recruits with the motto "Shape Up or Ship Out," and later the unit sees combat in the Pacific against Japanese forces, engaging in a firefight where they are surrounded on three sides and must execute a tactical retreat.
When Sergeant Gil Davis visits Mrs. Bennett on Christmas 1945, he shares the story of the battle that cost his best friend Jeff his life—a harrowing mission behind enemy lines at Iwo where the two Marines were sent to scout enemy positions for the mortar crews. As Gil recounts the firefight, the desperate escape, and the moment Jeff refused to leave his wounded buddy behind, the weight of that sacrifice becomes clear. In war, Gil tells her, every man becomes a hero in his own way.
Corpsman Mike Chase answers the desperate calls of wounded soldiers on the battlefield, racing through enemy fire to reach those in need and guide them to safety. Hour after hour, he and his fellow medics work tirelessly to save lives under constant bombardment, proving that the most crucial weapon in war isn't a gun—it's the courage to care for the fallen.
Hal Edwards joins the Marines in 1942 seeking glory and a sharp uniform, only to discover that the Corps demands something far harder—discipline, sacrifice, and the steel to survive. Through grueling training and his first brutal combat mission at Guadalcanal, Edwards learns what it truly means to be a Marine, under the watchful eye of Sgt. Blake and the relentless guidance of his drill instructors. By the time his outfit accomplishes a dangerous objective in the Pacific, Edwards has finally earned the pride that comes with the uniform.
A tough sergeant pushes raw recruits through the grueling drills of training camp, demanding they treat every exercise like real combat. When the soldiers finally face actual enemy fire weeks later, they discover exactly why their drill instructor refused to let up—their lives depend on what they've learned.
On Saipan in June 1944, Marine corporal Martin struggles against his instinct to fight alone—a dangerous trait born from the loss of his brothers earlier that year. When the unit comes under heavy enemy fire and must execute a fighting retreat, Martin and two fellow Marines are ordered to cover the withdrawal, but a surprise enemy tank threatens to turn the tide of battle. Martin must decide whether to finally embrace the teamwork his sergeant demands, or risk everything on a lone gambit that could cost his entire unit.
A young Marine confronts his fear as combat looms just seconds away, but a seasoned veteran reminds him that courage isn't the absence of fear—it's doing your duty despite it. As the signal comes and the battle erupts, the kid transforms his terror into resolve, chanting his identity like a lifeline through the chaos of war.
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Reprints
Reprinted in Fightin' Marines #170 (1983), Fightin' Marines #176 (1984)
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