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1. Stan Wawrzyniak
A genuine tough guy. A lot of people think they're tough when all they are is just plain mean...More -
2. Ernie DeFazio
An Iwo veteran and three-war Marine cut from the same bolt of material as Wawrzyniak... More. -
3. George W. Hamilton
Rated by no less a Marine than John A. Lejeune as the Marine Brigade's best combat officer in France...More. -
4. Mike Wodarczyk
The Polish Warhorse. One of only a handful of Marines decorated for bravery in both ground and aerial combat. ...More. -
5. Christian "Frank" Schilt
Fearless. Always considered his first duty was to support fellow Marines on the ground...More. -
6. John Ripley
No bluster, no brag, no bluff, no chest beating, just implacable and unswerving determination...More. -
7. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller
Five Navy Crosses speak for themselves.More. -
8. William A. "Bill" Lee
The “Ironman.” Three Navy Crosses before WW II and spent the war as a POW...More. -
9. John J. Nagazyna
A born fighting man who was in his element on the battlefield. One of the rare breed who was truly born for war... More. -
10. Robert H. Barrow
Surprising? Nothing flamboyant, colorful, or outwardly combative about this Marine...More.
See What Others Are Saying About Top-10 Badass Marines
A genuine tough guy. A lot of people think they're tough when all they are is just plain mean. Stan was the real article, absolutely without fear, a man who was a living example of the old Texas Ranger saying "Nothing can stop a good man who's in the right and keeps on coming." The veterans of 2/5 who fought with him on Hill 812 and OP2 venerate him.
READ ARTICLES ON WAWRZYNIAK:
"The Life and Times of Stan Wawrzyniak" by Tom Bartlett - Leatherneck; April 1992
"One Damn Hill After Another" by Allan C. Bevilacqua - Leatherneck; November 2001
"Welcome To The Western Front" by Allan C. Bevilacqua - Leatherneck; April 2002
An Iwo veteran and three-war Marine cut from the same bolt of material as Wawrzyniak. No posing, no posturing, no BS. Absolutely unafraid of anything on Earth. Iron determination. A complete pro, deadly as a lightning strike in combat. An enraged bull gorilla would turn and run like hell from Ernie DeFazio.
READ ARTICLES ON DEFAZIO:
"The Recapture Of Seoul, Korea: September 1950" by Joseph H. Alexander - Leatherneck; October 2000
Rated by no less a Marine than John A. Lejeune as the Marine Brigade's best combat officer in France as a company and battalion commander. Led from the front. Never asked anything of anyone he wasn't prepared to do himself ... and do it better. Personally wiped out a German machinegun crew with rifle and bayonet at Belleau Wood. Navy Cross. His Marines loved him and trusted him without reservation.
READ ARTICLES ON HAMILTON:
The Polish Warhorse. One of only a handful of Marines decorated for bravery in both ground and aerial combat. Navy Cross in France, Distinguished Flying Cross in Nicaragua. Would fly anything with wings. A two-fisted battler who would not accept anything less than success, and woe to the enemy who got in the way.
READ ARTICLES ON WODARCZYK:
"The Polish Warhorse: Michael Wodarczyk" by Allan C. Bevilacqua - Leatherneck; January 2000
"Soissons, France 1918" by Allan C. Bevilacqua - Leatherneck; November 2001
Fearless. Always considered his first duty was to support fellow Marines on the ground, and would let nothing prevent him from doing that. Medal of Honor at Ocotal, Nicaragua, for an incredible display of bravery and flying skill in the face of ferocious opposition and impossible conditions. Always wore the ribbon of the Medal of Honor above his naval aviator's wings, regulations or no regulations, because, "Nothing is worthy of being worn above the Medal of Honor.
READ ARTICLES ON SCHILT:
"The Natural" by Allan C. Bevilacqua - Leatherneck; May 1999
No bluster, no brag, no bluff, no chest beating, just implacable and unswerving determination. A "stand-up guy" in every respect. Always guided by duty, selflessness and devotion to the Marine Corps. Always heard the call of duty and never shirked from it. A Marine to be relied upon under any and all circumstances. Wouldn't back off from a charging rhinoceros. Utmost courage and determination.
READ ARTICLES ON RIPLEY:
"Marine Inducted Into Ranger Hall Of Fame" by Art Powell - Leatherneck; September 2008
Five Navy Crosses speak for themselves.
READ ARTICLES ON PULLER:
The “Ironman.” Three Navy Crosses before WW II and spent the war as a POW. Heavyweight boxing champion of the Fleet as a gunnery sergeant. Distinguished shooter with both rifle and pistol and fought alongside Puller in the “Banana Wars,” of the 20s and 30s. He became a “China Marine,” captured by the Japanese, and as a POW, had his teeth kicked out by his captors. Served 22 years overseas. Puller said, “In the days of wooden ships, Lee would have been an iron man.”
READ ARTICLES ON LEE:
"The Ironman" by Tom Bartlett - Leatherneck; September 1984
A born fighting man who was in his element on the battlefield. One of the rare breed who was truly born for war. One of only two Marines to be awarded the Navy Cross in each of the World Wars. A one-man war. Germans and Japanese both learned better than to get in his way. Unafraid to assault hell itself with a bucket of water. A ticked-off John Nagazyna was a man any enemy with an ounce of sense would run and hide from.
READ ARTICLES ON NAGAZYNA:
"John J. Nagazyna: Hero or Liberty Risk?" by Allan C. Bevilacqua - Leatherneck; June 2005
"Old Nagy" by Lindley S Allen; Paul Hicks - Leatherneck; December 1948
Surprising? Nothing flamboyant, colorful, or outwardly combative about this Marine. A consumate and courtly gentlemen. Absolutely guided by honor, duty and love of Country and Corps. But make no mistake, he was a bare-knuckle battler when it was time to put up or shut up. Japanese, Koreans, Chinese and Vietnamese all learned that if it was a fight you were looking for you'd get one helluva lot more than you bargained on, and you'd come away a whole lot worse off for the experience. Always, always looked after his Marines.
READ ARTICLES ON BARROW:
"General Robert H. Barrow" by Cyril J. O'Brien; John Senette - Leatherneck; January 2009
"Robert Hilliard Barrow 1922-2008" by Edwin H. Simmons - Marine Corps Gazette; January 2009
