I am the son of a Marine and was born in Quantico, where the Marine Corps Base famously called the Crossroads of the Marine Corps sits. My family later called Camp Lejeune home for a stretch, too. Today I teach history at several colleges and universities, and over the years I’ve met countless students who wore the Eagle, Globe and Anchor in Iraq—both the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 invasion—and in Afghanistan. This piece is a tribute to those courageous individuals, and it showcases ten great us Marines whose deeds range from battlefield gallantry to humanitarian outreach, and even to pioneering spaceflight. Ranking such a distinguished group proved tricky, so expect healthy debate over the order I’ve chosen. Unlike my three Mysterious Islands lists, which march forward in chronological steps, here I’ve taken a different approach.
10 Great us Marine Legends
Captain Brian Michael Stann earned the Silver Star after orchestrating air and tank support that broke an ambush on his platoon in May 2005 in Iraq, allowing his men to be rescued. The heroic episode later landed him a spot on the History Channel’s series “Shootout!” beyond his military career. Transitioning to the cage, Stann captured the World Extreme Cagefighting Light Heavyweight title in 2008 and went on to fight for the UFC, where he snagged a Fight of the Night award in 2010. Rumors even linked him to a bout with former Pride Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva. A family man, he’s married with two daughters, embodying the modern Marine’s blend of ferocity and devotion.
9 Private First Class Robert Leckie
Private First Class Robert Leckie distinguished himself across three major World War II battles—Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, and Peleliu—where he was wounded in action. After the war he penned the bestselling memoir “Helmet for My Pillow” (1957), a cornerstone for the 2010 HBO miniseries “The Pacific.” Leckie continued to write numerous books, sharing his deep fascination with American military history and preserving the experiences of his generation for future scholars.
8 Corporal Eugene Bondurant Sledge
Corporal Eugene B. Sledge, a fellow educator, fought as a Marine on the brutal islands of Peleliu and Okinawa during World II. He chronicled his wartime experiences in the classic memoir “With the Old Breed,” and later reflected on post‑war life in “China Marine.” Both works are praised for their raw honesty and served as primary source material for HBO’s “The Pacific,” cementing Sledge’s legacy as a literary voice of the battlefield.
7 Colonel John Herschel Glenn Jr.
Colonel John Herschel Glenn Jr. first made his mark as a Marine fighter pilot during World II and later the Korean War—sharing a cockpit with baseball legend Ted Williams in the latter conflict. In 1962 he became the first American to orbit Earth, and in 1998 he reclaimed the record as the oldest person to travel to space. After his soaring exploits, Glenn served as a U.S. senator from Ohio from 1974 to 1999, marrying his college sweetheart Annie in 1943 and remaining together for decades.
6 Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly
Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly earned two Medals of Honor—first for heroism during the Boxer Rebellion in 1901 and again for valor in World I in 1915. His legacy endures on a destroyer bearing his name and on a set of four distinguished Marine postage stamps. Daly’s famous line, “Do you want to live forever?” has seeped into popular culture, and fellow Marine Major General John A. Lejeune once called him “the outstanding Marine of all time.”
5 Corporal Ira Hamilton Hayes
Corporal Ira Hamilton Hayes is forever linked to the iconic Iwo Jima flag‑raising, one of the six men captured in that historic photograph. After the war he trekked 1,300 miles from his Gila River Indian Community to a Texas farm to inform Harlon Block’s family that the fallen flag‑raiser had been misidentified as Hank Hansen. Hayes appears in the 2006 film “Flags of Our Fathers” and is immortalized in Johnny Cash’s ballad “The Ballad of Ira Hayes.” His story is also memorialized at the Marine Corps War Memorial, a site I visited as a junior high student in Washington, D.C.
4 Gunnery Sergeant Ronald Lee Ermey
Gunnery Sergeant Ronald Lee Ermey served in Vietnam, earning several commendations before becoming Hollywood’s definitive drill‑sergeant. He appeared in classics such as “Apocalypse Now” and “Full Metal Jacket,” and later hosted the TV series “Mail Call,” where he visited troops in Kuwait and Afghanistan. Ermey’s larger‑than‑life persona helped shape the public’s perception of Marines, blending entertainment with genuine respect for the Corps.
3 Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone
Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone earned the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism at Guadalcanal, becoming the only enlisted Marine to receive that award and later return to combat, where he was killed at Iwo Jima. His bravery was championed by fellow Marine Chesty Puller, who recommended him for the Medal of Honor. Basilone’s story was highlighted in HBO’s “The Pacific” and commemorated on a 2005 United States Postal Service stamp honoring distinguished Marines.
2 Lieutenant General John Archer Lejeune
Lieutenant General John Archer Lejeune, often called the “greatest of all Leathernecks” and the “Marine’s Marine,” earned a litany of honors—including the Legion of Honour and France’s Croix de Guerre—for service in the Spanish‑American War and World I. The North Carolina base where I spent nearly five childhood years, Camp Lejeune, bears his name, as does a Navy transport ship. He, too, appears on a distinguished Marine postage stamp.
1 Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell Puller
Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell Puller stands as the most decorated Marine in U.S. history, the sole Marine awarded five Navy Crosses for valor in World II and the Korean War. A frigate carries his name, and he is featured on a distinguished Marine stamp. His son, Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Burwell Puller Jr., earned high honors in Vietnam before a tragic IED blast left him maimed; the younger Puller later took his own life in 1994. Their family saga underscores the profound sacrifices Marines make, while their legacies continue to inspire generations of service members and civilians alike.