Memorable Quotes from Richard McGonagle
1 quoteCombat Reality vs. Training Memory
Maj. Mark Biggs
Let me get this straight. You evacuate the Ambassador. You go back to the roof. Two of your Marines are K.I.A. A third, Sergeant Krasevitch, dies. You give your captain an order which he doesn't follow; in fact, he questions. And then you said what?
Col. Terry L. Childers
I don't remember.
Maj. Mark Biggs
You don't remember what you said next?
Col. Terry L. Childers
It was combat, not some training exercise.
Maj. Mark Biggs
A moment later, your men were shooting. What did you say to make that happen?
Col. Terry L. Childers
I don't know.
Maj. Mark Biggs
You must have said something. Captain Lee reversed himself. What did you say?
Col. Terry L. Childers
I don't know the exact words.
Maj. Mark Biggs
Let me help you.
Col. Hayes Hodges
Your Honor.
Maj. Mark Biggs
You said "Waste the motherfuckers," didn't you?
Col. Terry L. Childers
No, no, no...
Maj. Mark Biggs
You didn't say it?
Col. Terry L. Childers
It all happened so fast-
Maj. Mark Biggs
You're under oath, Colonel! Let me refresh your memory. This is Exhibit Q, a tape recording made aboard the U.S.S. Wake lsland of all radio communications received that day, including your exact words. Your Honor, with your permission, I would like to play this tape.
[Childers hesitates and doesn't reply.]
Col. Terry L. Childers
If you got it on tape, then that's what I said! They were killing my Marines, so, yeah, I said it! "Waste the motherfuckers!
Maj. Mark Biggs
Are these "the motherfuckers"?
Col. Hayes Hodges
Objection.
Judge
Overruled.
Col. Terry L. Childers
Yes!
Maj. Mark Biggs
These?
Col. Hayes Hodges
Objection!
Col. Terry L. Childers
Yes!
Maj. Mark Biggs
These?
Col. Hayes Hodges
Objection!
Judge
Overruled.
Col. Terry L. Childers
Yes!
Maj. Mark Biggs
Are these "the motherfuckers" that you ordered to be wasted?
Judge
Major.
Col. Terry Childers
YES!
Col. Hayes Hodges
Your Honor...
Major Mark Biggs
The crowd in front of the embassy had no weapons, did they, Colonel?
Col. Hayes Hodges
Objection! We found no snipers weapons, either!
Col. Terry L. Childers
Yes, they had weapons! You think there's a script for fighting a war without pissing somebody off?! Follow the rules and no one gets hurt?! Yes, innocent people probably died. Innocent people always die! But I did not exceed my orders!
Maj. Mark Biggs
There are rules and Marines are sworn to uphold them!
Col. Terry L. Childers
I was NOT going to stand by and see another Marine die just to live by those fucking rules!
Judge
Colonel!
[Bangs his gavel]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.