December the seventh we heard about Pearl
We knew we'd be next on the list
The men of our Corps four fifty no more
All swore to the death to resist

Wake Island, Wake Island
It's not even marked on the map
Our Corps raised her name to honor and fame
When they stopped the advance of the Japs

Cut off from supplies with no hope of aid
We sighted the first Japanese
With thousands of troops and a task force of ships
They thought they could take us with ease

Wake Island, Wake Island
It's not even marked on the map
Our Corps raised her name to honor and fame
When they stopped the advance of the Japs

They sent in their subs, their ships and their planes
They shelled us by day and by night
Surrender they said, we laughed at their threats
We're only beginning to fight

Wake Island, Wake Island
It's not even marked on the map
Our Corps raised her name to honor and fame
When they stopped the advance of the Japs

Our four hundred fifty cost six thousand Japs
Our fighters downed twenty eight planes
We sank two destroyers and one submarine
Six others got shelled for their pains

Wake Island, Wake Island
It's not even marked on the map
Our Corps raised her name to honor and fame
When they stopped the advance of the Japs

Our plan was to fight to the very last man
But Deveraux gave this command
There's a thousand civilians I can't sacrifice
We'll have to surrender our band

Wake Island, Wake Island
It's not even marked on the map
Our Corps raised her name to honor and fame
When they stopped the advance of the Japs

As we lay down our arms on the twenty third day
The Japs cheered the news of defeat
But they could not believe a few crummy Marines
Had stopped the whole Japanese fleet

Wake Island, Wake Island
It's not even marked on the map
Our Corps raised her name to honor and fame
When they stopped the advance of the Japs