Semper Fi/Trivia

Trivia

 * Despite how it's both spelled and pronounced in game, Makin Atoll or Butaritari as it is known now, was actually pronounced as "Muckin" or "Muggin" by the British and Gilbertese. Americans at the time however referred to it as "Maken".
 * On the boat(s) leaving the shore at the start, there will be a person addressed as, PFC. Allen, which is the name of one of the playable characters in Modern Warfare 2.
 * When playing two player, once one is saved by Roebuck, player two will fly out of Miller's body and go to the sniper. However once into the body the player will not have a sniper rifle. The player will have a Nambu like player one.
 * Occasionally during this level, a shot from a PTRS-41 can be heard.
 * The Japanese soldier who tries to execute Miller says in Japanese "You will die tonight." before Roebuck kills him.
 * If the graphic and language content is restricted, the camera will look elsewhere at Pyle's execution scene. Also, at the MG part, at the left there is a Japanese officer executing a Marine in a hut, but with the content restricted, there is no one in the hut but the conversation can still be heard.
 * Occasionally, the truck Roebuck gets into will hit and run over a Japanese soldier.
 * If the player looks at the dead Marine on the left during the opening sequence the player can see his name (Pvt. Pyle) indicating he should still be alive. Despite that when the player helped up his name tag disappears meaning he died.
 * If the player runs into the first machine gun hut before the remaining enemies are eliminated and stand beside the active machine gunner, he will not notice the player and continue firing. If the player then waits for the Marines to proceed further up the river, the gunner will run all the way back to the starting section of the mission, oblivious to the player chasing him (unless the player ventures too close).
 * On the PC version, instead of the above, the gunner will simply keep shooting if the player stands near, but not right beside him even though there's nothing out there anymore. After a few seconds, he will stop shooting but continue looking out the hut window. After a few more seconds, he will simply die as though somebody shot him in the head.
 * In the opening sequence, after the Japanese soldier has been stabbed in the back, Roebuck will help the player up. If the player looks closely at his grenades they will sink straight through his arm when he bends over.
 * When the player see the team running to the MG nest if the player kills the solider manning the MG the team will survive but when the player goes into the woods they will die automatically.
 * Occasionally towards the end of the level the player will see a Pvt. Hacker.
 * This level partially inspired the zombie map "Shi No Numa" (zombie swamp) where the player fights Imperial Zombies in a swamp-like area with traps just like this level.
 * If the player shoots the "fake death" soldier that is supposed to kill Rooker, he doesn't die until after he kills Rooker.
 * Sometimes, after Rooker is stabbed by the "fake death" soldier, his body moves slightly, making it look as if the sword was stabbed into the ground beside Rooker.
 * The title of this mission, Semper Fi, is short for 'Semper Fidelis', which means 'Always Faithful' or 'Always with Faith'. This is the motto of the United States Marine Corps, and it is often shortened to 'Semper Fi'. Pvt. Pyle & Miller remain faithful by not giving into the demands of the Japanese interrogator.
 * It is possible in two player for one player to run in front of the truck after the other player knifes the barrel. The player in front of the truck will obviously get run over and killed while the truck is going.
 * The achievement 'Saved Private Ryan' is obviously a direct reference to the title of the famous war film, Saving Private Ryan. To earn the achievement/trophy the player must rescue the private aptly named "Pvt. Ryan" from a flaming banzai. Even after being saved, he can be killed after that.
 * Coincidentally, the playable characters last name is Miller and the player can save a Private Ryan. In the war film Saving Private Ryan the main character's name is John H. Miller and he must save a Private Ryan like in the game only Saving Private Ryan and Call of Duty: World at War take place at different times in the war, focus on different branches of the US military, and involve different Axis powers.
 * The player gets the achievement 'Carlson's Raiders' when the player completes this mission on any difficulty, and is a reference to Miller's battalion, the 2nd Battalion "Carlson's Raiders" and the player gets an achievement when you complete this level on Veteran difficulty.
 * The moment where the English-speaking Japanese soldier slits the player's fellow Marines throat is voted above the part of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare where the player shoots off Imran Zakhaev's arm, in terms of sheer brutality.
 * If the player looks closely at Pyle once he and the Japanese officers are dead, the player can see the slash mark on his neck, and the player can see that his eyes are fine, and that there is no trace of any burn from the cigarette.
 * When Cpl. Roebuck first rescues the player, the player can see that he runs straight past the Japanese soldier that the player was face-to-face with a couple seconds ago and the Japanese soldier does nothing. It could be that Sgt. Sullivan had already started choking the Japanese soldier before Roebuck arrives to save Miller.
 * This level gives a great view of how the fighting in the Pacific happened on land, booby traps, and many Banzai charges. The booby traps are similar to what the U.S. Army in Vietnam encountered.
 * When the player is being dragged to the boat the player can notice Marines still on the island shooting even when the bomb explodes.
 * When the player is in co-op, if one of the players are in last stand when the players are escaping the island, sometimes they will stay behind when the other player is getting on the boat and will still stay alive even when the bombs explodes. Also, Japanese soldiers would fall down automatically.
 * This is the only single player mission where a Japanese NPC speaks English; "You think because you say nothing... You are strong?"
 * Sometimes after the player is slashed by the Japanese soldier Sgt. Sullivan will shoot the soldier one handed with his sidearm, the M1911 pistol.
 * Sometimes, but not very often Sgt. Sullivan will shoot the soldier who slashed the player with his Trench Gun.
 * The name of the character of Private Pyle is likely to be a reference to Gomer Pyle of either Full Metal Jacket or Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. fame.
 * When Sullivan tells to people to "Take the left" the player can go left and the player will see a Marine fighting a soldier in a puddle. Normally, if the player took the right flank he will die, but if the player takes the left flank, the player can save him. His name is Cpl. Rivera.
 * On the Wii version, where the bright light shines at the dead soldier booby trap, the light does not blind the person briefly. All the enemies will be visible during the flash.
 * There was a real raid on Makin 1942 by 219 Marines, not the platoon sized element like in the game. In the real raid, nine Marines were unintentionally left behind and were later interrogated and then beheaded on another island. The eight people that are killed/rescued in the game could be based off these nine Marines.
 * In this level and Burn 'em Out, when the player has a bayonet and the player stabs a Japanese Soldier, they will not bleed at all.
 * If the player takes your time getting to the boats at the end of the level, the bomb that goes off kills the Marines that are normally fighting on the island after the player leaves with the rest of the squad.
 * K. Pyle's execution is significantly less gory on the Wii version, as there is no blood splatter.
 * When Cpl. Lozano comes out of the Hut killing the officer there is absolutely no explanation for how he got in there in the first place, as there aren't any other doors on the other side. It's also strange how he got so far ahead of the rest of the Marines. Relating back to the 9 Marines left behind, he could be the 9th Marine.
 * Another possible explanation is that he was being interrogated by that officer and the officer turned away after hearing gunshots and Lozano was able to shoot him.
 * If the player goes in the hut Cpl. Lozano just exited, there is a Thompson on a crate on the opposite side of the hut. Go past the table with the Arisaka and it should be to the player's left a little.There is also a Scoped Arisaka in the room.
 * According to several sound files of the mission, there was supposed to be another POW who would have been rescued with Miller.
 * It is the only level that the player gets put in Last Stand.
 * When the player reaches the stairs of the hut Cpl. Lozano exited, the player will see a little round hut by the stairs. Go around to the front and if the player's fast enough you will see a Marine in the hut tied up with two Japanese soldiers standing over him. He is executed with a shot to the head and is impossible to save him as the Japanese soldiers won't die until the marine is dead. This could have been the other POW who might have been rescued alongside Miller. In this hut there is an M1 Garand and a Thompson.
 * The sniper, Pvt. Denny, is impossible to kill, unless Cpl. Rivera and Cpl. Lozano survive the MG nest.
 * This is the only level in the Marines' Campaign where the player does not encounter banzai chargers in actual battle.
 * When the player meets up with the reinforcements, there is a person named Sgt. Pepper, a direct reference to the Beatles, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
 * Sometimes, even if the player saves Pvt. Ryan, Roebuck will still say, "Dammit! We're too late!"
 * In the end when Sullivan tells the player to fall back, it seems as if he gives that order to Japanese soldiers instead. They keep attacking and falling back all at the same time.
 * When the level first starts, Sullivan puts a helmet on the player, which would make the player the only Marine in the entire level wearing one. It is possible the helmet animation was for dramatic effect, or the Raiders originally were intended to be helmeted.
 * On the Wii version, sometimes the Katana-wielding Japanese soldier will drop an Arisaka while he is tumbling to the ground. If the player is quick enough, one can press and hold the reload button to get it, once the player regains control of Miller. However, note if the Arisaka is falling to the ground. If the player doesn't see it, don't try it.
 * Three of the Marines that rescue Miller don't actually come out of the woods; their character models are placed behind the Marines being tortured outside.
 * This is the only Pacific level set in the early war (August 17, 1942).
 * The player can find a scoped Arisaka by following the river where you rescue the second squad and you should come across a destroyed shack on the left. The weapon will be in the corner.
 * In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, at the end of the credits, a photo is shown with the words "Heart breakers and life takers. Thanks for playing! Semper Fi." . Also, at the end of the credits in Call of Duty: World at War, it will show the words, "SEMPER FI"
 * When the Japanese officer is executed by Cpl. Lozano, he will fall out of the balcony. But weirdly the player can't see his dead body once looking outside the balcony.
 * Sometimes if the player shoot at the playing dead soldier, he won't wake up, but Rooker automatically dies, and the player can shoot at the soldier's body many times to see him bleeding, indicated that he is the only man can show blood after lying down. After that, it may be another "funny thing" that Roebuck couldn't drive the truck and the player's squad is stuck outside the camp, which means the player has to start over the game because the last checkpoint is near the camp.
 * In the scene where the player sees the fake dead Imperial soldiers, if the player shoots at one of the "dead" bodies, all of them will automatically get up and the flare will still blind the player. Also, after the player shoots them early and are blinded by the flare, the player can see Pvt. Rooker still get stabbed by the katana wielding soldier, even though the soldiers weren't walking into the field of bodies in the beginning
 * Pvt. Pyle is the first scripted person in the game to die.
 * Occasionally, Sullivan's shotgun is invisible for the whole mission.
 * Online during a co-op mode, it is possible for some players to stay at the beginning of the level as long as one player goes forward. If they get through it, when the flare goes off it will effect every player regardless of their location, even if they are indoors.
 * During Online Co-op it is possible to trap a player in a hut if another stands at the entrance, and if another goes forward they can reach a checkpoint and if they fail it will go back to the player still being trapped, meaning if they kill themselves to escape they will respawn trapped. Eventually they will be kicked of a low score, so they have no way out except if the player lets them out.
 * There is a possible way to get a Thompson SMG at the end of the level when in Last Stand, throw a grenade where three marines stand, then throw one right in front of the boat where the player would be dragged. If it kills a marine there then the player can get it. This must be done after the player plants the satchel charge. The player has to do it before getting on.
 * In the Wii version, the Japanese officer at the start is wearing a hat.
 * In the Wii instruction booklet, the player can see a screenshot from the pause menu, and the objective is to secure the village. This might have been the original objective.
 * The scene of Miller slitting the truck's oil tanks, Roebuck driving the truck, and then Sullivan igniting the gas trail with his cigarette is exaggerated. A lit cigarette or cigar will not ignite a pool of oil, as the source of heat (ignition) is too weak. If it was hot enough to ignite the oil, it would be impossible to smoke. Also, if a trail of oil is ignited it takes a while to burn, not seconds as portrayed in-game.
 * In the beginning of the mission when the player is being interrogated by the Japanese Officer, do the "noclip" cheat and go outside the hut, Sullivan, Roebuck etc... will all be ashore already but not doing anything, along with all the Japanese Soldiers outside will not notice the Marines.
 * When Sullivan tells Roebuck to start the truck he gets in the right side where the wheel is but after having stabbed the barrel, the truck goes down the road before the barrier entrance Roebuck jumps out on the left side rolling and coming up into a crouch, this means Roebuck first must direct the truck and move to the left side to jump out at the same time.
 * Strangely on Co-op after the cutscene finishes, the second player will zoom into their player. The second player can easily be seen with an M1 Garand, but has a Nambu when the player is in control.
 * The Japanese Soldier that is shot repeatedly with a M1911 has the same model as Takeo From Nazi Zombies. However, the captain in the beginning of the level is who Takeo is based off of.
 * The Tower at the end of the level that gets blown down can be walked through (Confirmed on PS3).
 * Strangely, when being attacked by the Japanese soldier at the end of the level, the players weapon changes from whatever the player has to a Nambu. Also, any remaining enemies won't attempt to shoot at the player.
 * There is a rare glitch where Pvt. Roche saves Pvt. Rooker, but Rooker does not appear after that part.
 * Alex Mason's bio reveals that his father was a WWII Veteran a and recipient of the Purple Heart for wounds received during action at the Makin Atoll.
 * As stated above Mason's father was supposed to be at Makin Atoll but while playing the level no NPC with the name Mason is found (this is probably because the information stated above was revealed in Call of Duty Black Ops and not thought about while making World At War, or he could have been on another part of the island and not seen by the character).