During WWI, USMC Captain Lloyd Williams as a company commander of the 2nd battalion 5th marines, a French officer called for a general retreat to which the Captain replied "Retreat? Hell we just got here!". The result, while perhaps not directly linked to this quote, was an Allied victory. The battle of Chateau-Thierry, 1918.
Chat with our AI personalities
The quote "Retreat hell! We just got here!" is attributed to Captain Lloyd Williams during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I. The remark is said to have been made in response to a French officer suggesting retreat. Williams' defiant stance became emblematic of the fierce determination of the American forces in the battle.