“Retreat? Hell, we just got here!”

– Capt. Lloyd W. Williams, USMC 51st Company, 2nd Battalion 5th Marines Regiment, 4th Marine Brigade, American Expeditionary Force, WWI

United States #Marines hate to retreat. Here is the best example from World War One.

Captain Lloyd William Williams (June 5,1887 – June 12,1918) USMC

The Battle of Belleau Wood (1-26 June 1918) had no shortage of hardcore Marines making a name for the Corps (literally, the moniker ‘Devil Dog’ is attributed to this battle). Capt. Lloyd Williams set the tone from day one as he advanced from Paris with his 51st Company, of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. As the exhausted French were falling back from Chateau-Thierry in the face of a huge German offensive, they came across this advancing Marine officer of the 5th Marine Regiment headed to the front. Just north of Lucy-le-Bocage, a frantic French colonel advised the American that they must retreat in the face of the Germans. Not one to shy away from a fight, Capt. Williams responded “Retreat, Hell! We just got here!” A French major reported that when Williams was again ordered to retreat, he responded: “Go to hell.” After a tenacious defensive action followed by eventual USMC conquest of Belleau Wood, Capt. Williams (who was KIA in heavy fighting nine days later) is best remembered for his motivating response. Of the 260 Marines in his company, 243 were KIA or WIA in the intense fighting. When he was gassed and wounded by shrapnel on the battlefield, he directed approaching corpsmen “Don’t bother with me, take care of my good men.” He was later killed by a shell explosion while being evacuated. The battle of Belleau Wood stopped the German drive on Paris and turned the tide leading to eventual American victory. Lloyd Williams was the first Virginian killed in World War One. He earned three Silver Stars, and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Purple Heart and promotion to Major. His recommendation for the Congressional Medal of Honor (nomination by his commanding officer Colonel Wise) was not granted. He was later buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Berryville, Virginia (where he was born and attended Virginia Tech). Major Williams will forever be remembered by Marines as a fighting legend of the US Marine Corps. His 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, adopted the motto: “Retreat Hell” in honor of him. It is the most decorated battalion in USMC history.