Marine Corps History from 1740-1990

History 1740-1815

History and Traditions

During its many years of experience in peace and war, the Marine Corps has developed many traditions: traditions of devotion to duty, self sacrifice, versatility, dependability, traditions of loyalty to country and to the Corps; traditions of uniform, insignia, and equipment. Since the American Revolution, generations of Marines have maintained and perpetuated these traditions.

The Marine learns that his traditions are as much a part of his equipment as his or her pack, rifle, and ammunition. Pride of person is instilled in every Marine. But, the making of a Marine is not alone a matter of smart appearance, drill, and discipline. Of greater importance, he learns to know his equipment and how it uses it so that he is ready to meet any emergency that may arise and to report: “The Marines have landed and the situation is well in hand”.

Symbols of Tradition

The familiar emblem of globe and anchor, adopted in 1868, embodies the tradition of world wide service and sea traditions. The spread eagle, symbol of the Nation itself and freedom, holds in its beak a streamer upon which is inscribed the famous motto of the United States Marines: “Semper Fidelis” –a Latin verse meaning, in English, “Always Faithful”. The globe symbolizes world wide service and the anchor for sea service. Today, the eagle stands for air service, the globe for land service, and the anchor for sea service.

The term “Leatherneck” as applied to Marines is widely used but few people associate it with the uniform. The fact that United States Marines wore a black leather stock, or collar, from 1798 to 1880 may have given rise to the name. According to tradition, the stock was originally worn to protect the jugular vein from a slash of a saber or cutlass. However, official records fail to bear this out.

Tradition, but no proven fact, states that the sword with the Mameluke hilt was presented to Lieutenant Presley N. O’Bannon of the Marine Corps by the former Pasha of Tripoli. It has become the symbol of authority of Marine Corps Officers for more than 100 years. It symbolizes the exploits of O’Bannon and his Marines on the shores of Tripoli in 1805, an episode climaxed by the raising of the American flag for the first time in the old world.

Marine Origins

The use of fighting men as part of the regular complement of ships of war was common to the Phoenicians and to all the maritime states of Greece at least five centuries before the Common Era (CE). The Marines of that day had definite tactical missions: First, to fight in naval engagements defending the bulwarks of their own ships, and conducting boarding parties against the ships of the enemy; second, to capture and hold the land approaches of a harbor when necessary for the fleet to put into port in some strange country; and third, to enable the Fleet to strike a blow on land by means of a raiding party or small, compact offensive force.

The Colonial Marines.

The American Colonial Marines came into existence early in the year 1740, when three regiments of Marines were raised in the American colonies, concurrently with the re-establishment of the British Marines, for service in naval operations in the West Indies with the fleet under the command of Admiral Edward Vernon of the Royal Navy. Native Americans were supposedly better fitted for service in this climate than Europeans, and their uniforms of “Camelot coats, brown linen waistcoats, and canvas trousers” were considered well adapted for their duties. On April 2, 1740, the King commissioned Alexander Spotswood, former Governor of Virginia, and a colonel, to be commandant of the entire organization of American Marines. After the death of Colonel Spotswood on June 7, 1740, the force of Marines was formed into a single regiment of four battalion under the command of Colonel William Gooch of Virginia, generally referred to as Gooch’s Marines. It ranked in the British Army list as the 43rd Regiment. One of the Officers of the American Marines was Lawrence Washington, the half brother of our first President, George Washington. The re-establishment of the British Marines, the creation of the first American Marines and their joint Caribbean service more than 2 centuries ago is commemorated by both services in their mutual use of the colors crimson and gold. The official colors of the United States Marines are scarlet and gold.

An organization of Marines, as a regular branch of our country’s service, was formed by an act of the Continental Congress passed on November 10, 1775. According to Marine legend has it that the first commandant, Captain Samuel Nicholas, opened his recruiting station at Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He formed two battalions of Continental Marines. These Continental Marines, though few in number, performed notable service during the American Revolution. With the Naval Forces, they made several expeditions to the Bahamas, served with the Lake Fleets of the several States and with Washington’s Army in the Battle of Princeton and Assanpick Creek. Following the close of that war, they, like the Navy went out of existence.

The Marine Corps as it exists today, was formed by the Act of July 11, 1798, at the beginning of the Naval War with France. The Marines took part in that war from 1798 to 1801 and in the war with the Barbary corsairs from 1801 to 1805. They took an active part in the War of 1812, serving aboard practically all American warships which engaged the enemy; with the Army in the Battle of Bladensburg, August 1814; and with Jackson at New Orleans. This era is when Captain John M. Gamble became the first Marine to command a Navy ship. Captain Gamble was placed in command of the USS Greenwich in April of 1813.

History 1815-1900

In 1824, Marines formed part of a landing force which operated against a nest of pirates in Cuba. In 1892, Marines again saw action against pirates, this time as part of a combined landing force from the U.S. Frigate Potomac to punish the Malay pirates at Quallah Battoo, Island of Sumatra, for the capture and the plunder of the USS Friendship.

In 1833, Marines from the Boston Navy Yard suppressed a mutiny in the Massachusetts State Prison which was beyond the control of the civil authorities. During these riots, Marine Major Wainright said to the prisoners, “These men are Marines!” Then he said to the Marines, “Exactly three minutes from now I will raise my hand. You will commence firing and continue firing until you kill every prisoner who has not returned to his cell!” Needless to say, every prisoner returned to his cell and nobody was killed.

During 1836 and 1837, the Marines helped the Army fight the Creek and Seminole Indians in Georgia and Florida, where they served under their Commandant, Colonel Archibald Henderson. Colonel Henderson was to become known as the “Grand Old Man” of the Marine Corps because he served as Marine Corps Commandant for 39 years under 10 different Presidents. His term as the fifth Commandant lasted from 1820 to 1859.

During the War with Mexico and the conquest of California, the Marines took an important part both on the Atlantic and the Pacific Coasts, assisting in the capture of Monterey, Yerba Buena (San Francisco), Mazatlan, Vera Cruz, Tampico, and Tobasco. Their conduct at Los Angles, San Diego, San Gabriel, and Guaymas merited the commendation of Commodore Shubrick. One battalion of Marines marched with General Scott to Mexico City, participating in the final attack on the Castle of Chapultepec and the march to the National Palace, The Hall of Montezuma. This explains the words for many years inscribed on the colors of the Corps: “From Tripoli to the Hall of Montezuma”. The words are commemorated today in the first two lines of “The Marines Hymn”- although the author of the words of the first verse shifted the chronology when he wrote, “From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli”.

Marine Corps Motto

Shortly after the Mexican War, the Marines carried the so-called “Tripoli-Montezuma” flag, which had the motto, “by land by sea”. When the present Marine Corps emblem was adopted in 1868, the Navy Department authorized the use of the word on the flag of the United States Marine Corps. The present motto, “Semper Fidelis”, replaced “By Sea and Land” on streamers above the eagle soon after the Civil War and was officially adopted as the motto in 1880. The march, “Semper Fidelis” was composed by the late John Phillip Sousa in the year 1888 during the time he was leader of the U.S. Marine Corp Band. The U.S. Marine Band is known as “The President’s Own.” The U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps is known as “The Commandant’s Own”

The Uniform

Although no historical reason is assigned for the red stripe on the outer seam of the trousers worn by officers and noncommissioned officers of the Corps adopted shortly after the Mexican War – tradition has it that the red stripe commemorates the bloody battle of Chapultepec.

In the famous blue uniform of the Marine Corps, which was first authorized by the Secretary of War, James McHenry, August 24, 1797, just prior to the formal establishment of the Marine Corps on July 11, 1798, are incorporated many of the traditions of the Corps. Blue or “Navy Blue” an inconspicuous color at sea and employed generally by the naval forces of all countries was selected by the U.S. Marines for their uniforms, while the pattern and trimmings of red and gold served at the same time to make them distinctive. Although the red edging or piping on the blouse was used primarily for decorative effect, it will be remembered that John Paul Jones dressed his Marines in red uniforms and it is quite possible that sentiment played a part. In view of the fact that the early organization, duties and regulations of the American Marines were patterned somewhat after ways and customs of their forerunner, the British Marines, it is possible that the traditional red of the British uniform had its effect in the adoption of red for the uniform of the United States Marines.

During the Civil War, Marines served afloat and ashore. They took an active part in all of the more important naval operations; those in the Gulf and the Mississippi Valley, the operations leading to the capture of New Orleans, and also against the coastal defenses on the Atlantic seaboard, calumniating in the last big operation of the war – the capture of Fort Fisher. They also took part in a number of land engagements, including the fight on July 21, 1861, which was known in the north as “Bull Run” and in the south as “Manassas”. A noteworthy incident at the beginning of the Civil War period (1859) was the participation of Marines in the capture of John Brown and the suppression of the uprising and riot at Harpers Ferry. Out of 497,000 war dead from both the North and the South in the Civil War only 77 were Union Marines.

The Spanish-American War marked the emergence of the United States as a world power. This belief conflict took place between April and August 1898, the USS Maine was blown up in Havana Harbor during a mission to protect U.S. citizens in Havana.

In the War with Spain, the Marines were first to land in enemy territory, at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During this war, Sergeant John H. Quick was awarded the Medal of Honor for signaling an emergency cease fire as bullets whizzed by his head. The Marines served on the larger ships with Admiral Dewey and Sampson in the Battle of Manila Bay and the naval battle off Santiago de Cuba. Following the spectacular naval victory in Manila Bay, the Marines of the cruiser Baltimore, under command of First Lieutenant Dion Williams, USMC, landed to take the Spanish Naval Arsenal at Cavito, and from then on Marines garrisoned this station.

During the Boxer Rebellion in China, in the summer of 1900, Marines from ships on the Asiatic station took part in the defense of the Legation Quarter at Peking, and a regiment of Marines formed part of the Allied Relief expedition from Taku to Peking, as well as participating in the Battle of Tientsin. A very interesting and unique tradition of friendship between the 23rd British Foot (the Royal Welsh Fusiliers) and the United States Marine Corps has its inception in this campaign. During the course of the desperate fighting at the walls of Tientsin, each of these two famous organizations was supported by or came to the assistance of each other on a number of occasions. The conspicuous service rendered by each organization resulted in mutual admiration. Saint David’s Day (March 1) is marked annually by cabled greetings to each other, messages which contain only the ancient Welsh password, “And Saint David”.

History 1900-1950

From 1906 and 1908, the Marines participated in the Army of Occupation in the Cuban Pacification, a number of expeditions to Panama and Nicaragua from 1909 to 1912, and the 1914 expedition to Vera Cruz, Mexico.

In 1915, Parris Island, South Carolina, was established as the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. It is larger and older than MCRD San Diego; Parris Island is the only recruit Depot for Women Marines.

In World War I, the Marines did the hardest fighting in their history up to that time. The Fourth Brigade of Marines ( Composed of the famous 5th and 6th Regiments and the 6th Machine Gun Battalion) served as one of the infantry brigades of the Second American Division, participating with distinction in the important battles of Belleau Woods (Where Gunnery Sgt. Dan Daly reportly told his men, “ Come on you S.O.B.’s, do you want to live forever?” At Belleau Woods, Sgt. Major Ulrich single-handedly captured 40 German with only a .45 Cal. Pistol and reportedly said to his superiors, “They were willing to listen to reason!” It was during that battle in June 1918, that legend has it that the Marines of the 4th Brigade fought with such ferocity that the Germans in their official reports referred to them as “teufel hunde” (devil dogs) – a fighting name that has increased in popularity with the passing of time. It was also in WWI, that Captain Lloyd W. Williams was told by a French General that a withdrawal was in progress. Captain Williams replied, “Retreat Hell, We just got here!” Marine aviation units under the command of Major Alfred A. Cunningham (who became the Marine Corps’ first Aviator in 1912, and is recognized as the father of USMC aviation) rendered conspicuous service as the Day Wing of the Northern Bombing Group in Northern France and Belgium. The Marine pilots flew 57 bombing missions, dropped 52,000 pounds of bombs and shooting down at least a dozen German planes. The 1st Marine Aeronautic Company under command of Major Francis T. Evans served in the Azores from January, 1918 to January, 1919. (Major Evans, in February, 1917, was the first to loop a sea plane, a feat thought to be impossible.)

Between Two Wars

For more than a decade after the First World War, the Marines were continually engaged in efforts to restore peace in the countries of the Caribbean area: always acting as the strong arm for carrying out the Nation’s foreign policy. In three Caribbean countries, they carried on extensive campaigns against disorderly elements, assisting the governments of those countries to put down armed insurrection, to organize efficient native constabularies, to maintain order after they withdrew, and to restore peace. In Haiti from 1915 to 1934, they fought two wars with Cacos. In the Dominican Republic, it took them six years to suppress banditry. And, in Nicaragua they fought the bandit elements from 1927 to 1932. The fighting at Nicaragua was the first evidence of the development of the famous Marine “Air-ground team” concept. Cargo resupply by aircraft was also used for the first time.

In 1920, Lt. Colonel Earl “Pete” Ellis predicted that the United States would battle Japan in the Pacific and subsequently drew up battle plans that would actually be used in WWII. Lt. Colonel Ellis died on an intelligence mission in the Japanese Palaus in 1923. Major General John A. Lejeune served as the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1920-1929. General Lejeune was the first Marine officer ever to command an army division in combat (in France during WWI-1918). Lt. General Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller served in Nicaragua through several periods of political unrest and rebellious activity. Puller and a force of about 32 Marines became famous for their ability to engage rebel groups and bandits while scouring the jungles in a wide area of Nicaragua to the Honduran border. Puller became known as the “Tiger of the Mountains” – 1930. The Marine Corps mascot, an English bull dog named “Chesty” is named for this brave and fine Marine Corps officer. Fleet Marine Force.

In 1933, the Fleet Marine Force came into being as an integral part of the United States Fleet. The troops regularly assigned to this organization were mostly stationed at San Diego, California and Quantico, Virginia and were constantly trained for their specialized duties by participation in the annual maneuvers of the Fleet. At each of these stations, there was maintained a reinforced brigade of reduced strength consisting of an infantry regiment, a battalion of light field artillery (pack howitzers), a battalion of antiaircraft artillery and a small contingent of engineer and chemical troops. The aviation unit at each of these posts was composed of two fighter squadrons, two bombing squadrons, three observation squadrons, and two general utility squadrons.

In 1937, the “Alligator” was developed in Florida, which was used as the prototype (model) for modern amphibious assault craft.

Marines in WWII

In 1941 Marine units were stationed halfway around the world, and approximately 2000 Marines were serving in China and the Philippines under the command of the Commander-in Chief of the Asiatic Fleet. The 4th Regiment was station in Shanghai, with detachments in Peking and Tientsin, North China, and two detachments at Olongapo and Cavito in the Philippines. In addition, several thousand Marines were serving at naval stations in the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, Wake, Midway, American Samoa, the Panama Canal Zone, and Cuba. The 15th Provisional Marine Brigade, taken largely from the Second Marine Division at San Diego, was on duty in Iceland, and provisional Marine Companies were stationed on Various Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Area, leased from Great Britton in exchanged for 50 overage destroyers.

When the Japan struck in the Pacific, the Marines from stations in China had been successfully withdrawn to the Philippines with the exception of the Marine Detachments at Peking and Tientsin in North China. The 4th Marines and the two Marine garrisons regularly stationed at Cavito and Olongapo in the Philippines participated in the defense of Bataan and Corregidor until American forces were finally overpowered and captured by the Japanese. The hand full of Marines on Guam put up a heroic but futile defense. Marines on Wake Island made a gallant stand, the details of which are familiar to the American People. In Hawaii, an aviation group consisting of one fighter and two bomber squadrons was almost completely put out of action by the Japanese raid.

Marines to the Defense

Immediately after the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, battalion equipment was sent out from the United States to reinforce the Hawaiian Islands and the smaller islands (Midway, Johnston, and Palmyra) lying to the westward. At the same time, measures were taken to strengthen the chain of Islands across the South Pacific which protected the line of communication to Australia.

Guadalcanal

In the mean time, the United States Fleet and Army Air forces had repeatly turned back strong Japanese thrusts designed to secure a hold on the Australian continent. In order to secure a line of communication to the South Pacific, the 1st Marine Division was sent to New Zealand in June 1942. Even before the rear echelon arrived in New Zealand, Major General Alexander A. Vandergrift was notified that his division (reinforced by the 2nd Marines of the Second Marine Division, the 1st Raider Battalion, and the 3rd Defense Battalion) was to carry out a landing attack in the Tulagi-Guadalcanal Area. This was to be the Marines’ first offensive battle of WWII.

On August 7, 1942, the 1st Marine Division (reinforced) effected landings on the north coast of the Island of Guadalcanal and on several smaller islands about twenty miles to the north that surround important naval anchorage of Tulagi. This amphibious assault marked the beginning of the United States’ offensive operation against the Japanese Empire. By August 10, the Marines had destroyed the Japanese garrison at Tulagi, Gavutu, and Tanambogo, and had secured the airfield on Guadalcanal. For the next four months, the 1st Marine Division successfully repulsed numerous Japanese attacks by land, sea, and air. This bitterly fought and grueling campaign was highlighted by the Battles of the Tenaru River, Bloody Ridge, and Matanikau River. Pilots and enlisted men of Marine Aircraft Group 23 performed almost legendary feats in fighting off Japanese air attacks at Guadalcanal and carrying the fight to enemy ships and bases.

By March 1 of the following year, the Japanese were fleeing eastward towards Rabaul. On April 28, 1944, the Commanding General of the first Marine Division turned over command of the Cape Gloucester-Talasea Area to the Army. The 1st Marine Division’s operation in the western New Britain campaign breached the enemy’s defense arc from Java to Rabaul by cutting both northern and southern barge lines and creating a gap through which Allied Forces could drive northward. While these important breaches in Japanese island defenses were being made, Marines of the ship’s detachment had served with the Navy in support of the Allied landing in Normandy. On August 29, 1944, during the invasion of Southern France, Marine units from two United States cruisers landed on three small islands near Marseilles, captured Nazi installations, and disarmed the enemy troops.

The U.S. Marine Corps -World War II – Pacific

The Corps in the Pacific during World War Two was the “stopper”. At the outbreak of hostilities, they were the only trained amphibious force ready to fight an island - hopping war.

The Pacific campaign began with the Solomon’s campaign in 1942 – Fighting on Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Gavutu. This was the first defeat of the Japanese and they never again advanced.

Following in rather swift succession came New Georgia group of islands (the Russell’s, Vella Lavella, Choisel, and finally Bougainville). Then, Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island.

The drive in the Central Pacific began in February 1944 with names like Engebi, Roi-Namur, Kwajalien, and Eniwetok become part of our battle lexicon.

Names such as Vandergrift, Cates, Stoup, Holland Smith, Geiger, Schmidt, Rockey, Erskine, Del Valle, Edson, Carlson and Shepard have been incorporated in Marine Corps history…… these Marine Generals lead fighting units in the Pacific campaign.

The next stepping stones leading to the Japanese home islands were Marianas. Beginning in June 1944, the Marines first assaulted Saipan, then Tinian, and finally Guam. The task was not getting any easier as Japanese tactics changed in light of lessons learned in defeat after defeat. U.S. Marines also learned from the bloody lessons as well.

U.S. Marines entered the Caroline Islands in September 1944 with targets of Paulau, and Pleliu; fighting in these islands, if possible to imagine, even more bloody, ferocious and fanatic. The mettle of ever ground troop was fired, tried but not found wanting.

Finally, we came to the last giant battle for the Marine Corps in the Pacific campaign- Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In these two great struggles we see the finest character of the Corps. War fighters tried and proven, battled in two distinctly different but equally savagely fierce, deadly engagements.

The Battle for Iwo Jima began February 19, 1945 and ended March 26, 1945, but these are merely dates. It was the bitterest battle in the history of the Marine Corps to that date.

Iwo Jima.

In order to provide fighter protection for the B-29 bombers based in the Marianas and at the same time eliminate the enemy’s air base for attacks on the Superforts, it was necessary to secure Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands. The rugged, natural terrain of this bit of volcanic bleakness had been supplemented by extensive man-made fornications. On the morning of February 19, 1945, hundreds of landing boats roared through the pounding surf to spill thousand of the 4th and 5th Division Marines onto Iwo’s southeastern breaches. The 3rd Marine Division was held in Reserve.

During the second day, the 28th Marines moved forward to the slope of Mount Suribachi, while the remainder of the 5th Marines Division and the 4th Marine Division, wheeling to the north, captured Airfield No.1 and began the assault on heavily fortified position between airfield 1 and two.

The 21st Regiment of the 3rd Division landed the afternoon of February 21 and the 9th Marines landed the afternoon of February 24. Meanwhile, on February 23, units of the 28th Marines captured Mount Suribachi which eliminated enemy fire on the landing beaches and gave the Marine an excellent observation point.

On February 25, the three Marine Divisions, spearheaded by tanks and supported by heavy bombardment from Marine Corps artillery, gunfire from the 5th Fleet warships and carrier based planes, captured airfield No. 2, thereby breaching the main Japanese defensive position. On February 28, the 3rd Marine Division had captured Motoyama village, and was at the southern edge of Airfield No. 3. By nightfall on March 3, the three airfields and the Motoyama plateau had been seized by the Marines.

On March 10, after extremely bitter fighting, the 3rd and the 4th Divisions reached the eastern breaches at several points, which split the Japanese forces into small pockets.

Organized resistance ended on Iwo Jima at 1800 hours, March 16, 1945, when the 3rd and 5th Marine Divisions smashed through the enemy lines to reach Kitano Point at the extreme northern tip of the island. In all, 5000 Americans and 60,000 Japanese were killed in the battle of Iwo Jima.

Iwo Jima is the site of the most famous Marine Flag rising. The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia is a physical representation of the Iwo Jima flag rising and it is represented on the shoulder patch of Young Marines. A very famous quote arose out of the Battle for Iwo Jima.

The Nation will never know the number of bomber air crews this tiny island saved. Without Iwo Jima, bombing of the Japanese home islands would perhaps have extracted a prohibitive price.

Both the Marines and certainly the Japanese knew the value of this desolate, forbidding mound of volcanic sand and rock. Each fought intensely; one side to guard its Empire and the other to extinguish that Empire.

Good fighting men abounded on both sides. Admiral Nimitz said, with the fighting still raging, “Among the Americans who served on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.

Okinawa Shima – The Last Battle – “The Ax Falls on Japan”.

On April 1, 1945, the Marines landed on Okinawa. It was simultaneously L-Day (Landing Day), Easter Sunday and April Fools Day. All of these designations had or would have had relevance to the battle.

This landing meant that Japanese home soil had been invaded for the very first time in its 2000 year history. They would fight as never before in the history of the Pacific campaign. Probably at no time had the United States assembled such a force – U.S. Marines, Navy, and Army (men, ships and airpower).

The naval combat and support activates were exemplary – from the fight they put up, support their guns gave, the air power (both Navy and Marines) that they put up, the terrible Kamikaze attacks they bore and the lives lost – all the while “Standing Steady.”

New and novel Japanese tactics and excellent defenses were employed by innovative commanders and put into action by tough, determined, largely experienced troops willing to de to the last man.

For the first time, a sizable civilian population of about 400,000 was involved, four airfields, an excellent harbor and major city, Naha.

The invasion of Okinawa, the Marine Corps was represented by the 1st, 2nd, and 6th Divisions, which formed up the 3rd Amphibious Corps. Air support came from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and a Task Unit including Marine Aircraft Groups 1, 14, 22, 31, and 33. Carrier planes of the U.S. Navy also gave close air support early in the campaign. The 3rd Corps with the 1st and 6 rd Marine Divisions in assault and the 2nd in reserve, began landing on the western beaches of Okinawa on April 1, 1945, as the left Corps of the 10th Army. Enemy opposition was slight and by the end of the second day, the American forces had reached the opposite coast, cutting the island in two.

More than 14,000 close air support sorties were flown during the Okinawa campaign, over half of them in support of Army Troops. Marine night-fighters also recorded a highly increased effectiveness here as they held off desperate Japanese attacks on this island of the Japanese homeland. Meanwhile, other Marine aviators were fulfilling the U.S. Marine tradition of being ready for any emergency. Japanese Kamikaze planes threatened to overcome the air superiority of the U.S. aircraft carriers. During the first 6 months of 1945, ten Marine fighter squadrons moved from land bases in the southwest Pacific to aircraft carriers to increase defensive capabilities of the fleet.

On June 21, the announcement was made that organized resistance on Okinawa had ended and the first conquest of Japanese soil complete.

Okinawa was a massive battle which in the end saw 110,000 Japanese soldiers killed out of 117,000 overall battle casualties for the Japanese.

A total of 225,000 Japanese and Okinawan's perished in 90 odd days of continuous combat. The bloodiest battle of the Pacific was over.

The door of the Japanese home islands was now open for all - out invasion.

During the Pacific war, the Corps reached a peak of 485,000 men with a total of 669,000 men passing through its ranks. Six Marine Divisions made 15 landing, 98% of their officers and 89% of its enlisted men saw combat.

Japan Capitulates.

The successful conquest of Okinawa enabled our ships, planes, and submarines to fight the blockade around Japan’s home islands and sever her vital links to the Asiatic mainland and areas to the south. With the end of the Okinawa campaign, the bombing attacks upon Japan were stepped up, which together with our submarines and ships further weakened Japan’s ability to wage war.

In mid - July, 1945, while the U.S. 3rd Fleet was in the midst of its sustained assault on their homeland, the Japanese made a bid for peace, but they asked for terms more favorable than unconditional surrender. The Potsdam Declaration, however, killed any hope of compromise.

During the last days of July and the first days of August, Allied planes and warships increased their attacks in number and intensity, and troops in the rear areas rushed preparations for more and heavier blows to come.

On August 6, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and the Japanese apparently realized that their dream of conquest was nearing an end. At 1700, August 8 (Moscow time), foreign Commissar Molotov informed Japanese’s Ambassador Sato that a state of War with Japan would exist as of 0001. Nagasaki, industrial city and important port on the coast of Kyushu, was blasted at noon, August 9, by the second atomic bomb to be used against Japan.

The next day, the Japanese expressed their wellness to accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. Immediate cessation of offensive operations by Allied armed forces was ordered and the Japanese Government was instructed through the Swiss Government to order its troops on all fronts to lay down their arms. At about 0900, August 9, 1945 (Guam time), “Cease fire” orders were flashed to the United States Pacific Fleet and all other units.

On August 27 and 28, 1945, the Allied Fleet inaugurated the first step in the occupant program by moving into Sagami and Tokyo Bays. Major occupation forces began landing during the early morning hours of August 30, 19045, with U.S. Marines and Army Airborne Troops landing on Japanese soil almost simultaneously at about 0600. The first Marine Corps unit landed was the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines of the 6th Marine Division which went ashore at Futtsu Cape on the eastern shore of Tokyo to sec8re control of nearby coastal guns in the area. Several hours later, approximately 9000 U.S. Marines and 1200 picked naval landing personnel, plus 450 British Marines and Sailors, made the main seaborne landing in the vicinity of Yokosuka, site of one of Japan’s main naval bases.

On September 2, 1945, in a brief but solemn ceremony aboard the Battleship Missouri, representatives of Japan signed the surrender documents. Thereafter, Allied occupation of Japan and the territory under Japanese control went steadily ahead, with Marines playing an important role.

Demobilization and Peacetime Problems.

When the war with Japan ended in 1945, Marine Corps numbered six divisions and five air wings. The 1st and the 6th Marine Divisions were sent to help disarm and repatriate the Japanese occupation forces in China. The 2nd and 5th Marine Divisions were assigned to disarm garrison forces on the islands which had been by-passed during the war. The 3rd and 4th Divisions were deactivated. The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing supported the ground troops in China and the second Wing returned to Cherry Point, N.C. The 3rd, 4th and 9th Wings were deactivated. During the year following the end of the war, the Marine Corps accomplished a demobilization which cut its size from six to two almost 5000,000 men to about 100,000 by the end of 1946. At this time the 2nd Division and the 2nd Wing were based in North Carolina and the 1st Marine Division and 1st Wing in China. It was not until late in 1949 that the last Marine units left China and returned to the United States. The 1st Marine Division and the 1st Wing were based in southern California until the outbreak of the Korean War.

Amphibious Training.

During World War II the tactics and techniques of amphibious operations were greatly improved by the Navy and Marine Corps. A Troop Training Unit (TTU) under Marine command was established at San Diego, California, as part of the Navy’s Amphibious Training Command. After the war TTU was retained as TTU Pacific ad TTU Atlantic was organized at Nortfolk, Virginia. In addition to these training units, the operation forces continued to emphasize amphibious training in individual and unit exercises. Marine air-ground team tactics were further evaluated and developed. Annual maneuvers by combined ground and air units on each coast emphasized the coordinated combat-ready condition of the fighting forces of the Marine Corps eve in the atmosphere of the headlong demobilization which characterized the military picture in this country between 1945 and 1950.

National Security Act of 1947.

This act specified the functions to be carried out by the Marine Corps for the first time in history. Now the role of the Marine Corps as a force in readiness was more than just a matter of tradition.

Marines in Europe.

During 1948, the Marine Corps averaged about 80,000 men and 7,000 officers. Continuing the 177 year tradition of safe-guarding American rights in war and peace, Marine units were regularly assigned to the Sixth Task Fleet operating in the Mediterranean Area. Every four months, a reinforced infantry battalion and one of two fighter squadrons reported aboard naval vessels of our European fleet to keep them in a state of readiness for any emergency in the performance of their duties. The Marines on the four-month tour traveled throughout the Mediterranean, visiting such places as North Africa, Malta, Spain, France, and Italy.

Continued Development of Amphibious Techniques.

Intensive effort was made in the Marine Corps after World War II to develop and perfect the techniques and equipment associated with amphibious warfare. New concepts emerged in transport submarine operations; air transport, and especially helicopter transport of troops; cold weather operations; and improvements of amphibious vehicles and weapons. Marine personnel of the Troop Training Units on both coasts continued their heavy schedules of training troops of all services for amphibious operations. In support of this growing program, the Marine Corps Schools at Quantico were reorganized into two major subdivisions, the Marine Corps Education Center and the Landing Force Development Center.

History 1950-1975

Marines in Korea.

On June 25, 1950, the Communist North Korea Army invaded, without justifiable cause, the Republic of Korea. The move was immediately denounced by the Security Council of the United Nations, and supporting the decision of that body, the United States came to the defense of South Korea, sending in what had been Army occupation troops in Japan, and then calling on the only combat - ready troops in the United States, the U.S. Marines. On July 7, the fist Provisional Marine Brigade was activated consisting of the 5th Marines (reint) and supported by Marine Aircraft Group 33. Attacks against the enemy were made by MAG-33’s fighter-bombers on August 2, and the Brigade first clashed with the enemy on August 7, exactly one month after it had been alerted for the move.

The Pusan Perimeter.

The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade was attached to the Eighth U.S. Army in the Pusan Perimeter at the time when North Korea advanced had come within 35 miles of Pusan. The problem was one of holding against numerically superior enemy troops and the Marines were used as "riflemen" - a hard hitting mobile reserve to be shifted from one threaten area to another for counterattacks. Three times the Brigade helped stop the enemy cold in such operations. The famous Marine" air-ground team" immediately began to prove the soundness of the post-war developments in close air support.

The Inchon Landing.

September 15, 1950, was D-Day for the 1st Marine Division, less the 7th Marines, as the X Corps landing force at Inchon; a daring amphibious landing which led to the capture of Seoul, the seizure of Kimpo airfield as a base of operations for the 1st Marine Air

Wing units and the outflanking of the entire North Korean Army. On the morning of the 15th, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, supported by tanks, air naval gunfire, landed and seized the two harbor islands of Wolmi-do and Sowolmi-do. Late that afternoon, the 1st and 8th Marine regiments hit the beaches at Inchon. Within 24 hours, they had secured this west coast Korean seaport and sweep on, under the Corsairs of Marine Fighter Squadron 214 and 323, who alternately attacked, screened with smoke, observed, and kept the sky free of enemy aircraft. When the Inchon victory was over, the Marines withdrew to the Chosin Reservoir.

The Capture of Seoul.

The enemy resisted stubbornly along the approaches to Seoul and three days of street fighting were necessary to secure this city of a million and a half prewar population. The finish of the war seemed in sight as the 7th Marines, after landing on D plus 7, pushed north to Seoul to seize Uijonbu and the main road to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. On October 7, the 1st Marine Division was relieved by Eighth Army elements and sent around the Peninsula.

Chosin Reservoir.

After an administrative landing at Wonsan on the 25th of October, the 1st and 5th Marines were assigned by X Corps to patrolling and blocking missions while the 7th. Marines advanced from Hanhung towards Chosin Reservoir. On November 3, this regiment met and began battle with a Chinese Communist (CCF) division. It was the first large-scale battle between Americans and the CCF.

The 7th Marines, in a four day battle, crippled this CCF division so badly that it never again saw service on that front again. On November 24, an offensive was launched by the Eighth Army in Western Korea and by X Corps in the Northeast. The next day, massed CCF forces struck back in overwhelming number, sending

the Eighth Army into retreat and driving between it and X Corps. On the night of the 27th, the 5th Marines and the 7th Marines, who had advanced to Yudamni, west of the Chosin Reservoir, were attacked.

Other CCF divisions cut the main supply route November 28 to December 2. The 1st Marine Division held its own against eight CCF divisions, including two in reserve, in addition to fanatical enemy attacks which resulted in the temporary isolation of certain elements of the divisions. The Marines had to fight bitter subzero cold and howling snowstorms. They executed a fighting withdrawal over 70 miles of tortuous road through mountain passes and canyons dominated by CCF forces. The long, twisting convoy battled through to Hagaru-ri, with fighting units sweeping the foe from nearby slopes. The reverse slopes and ranks became the responsibility of the supporting aircraft of the Marine air ground team. New chapters of heroism were written as cooks and bakers fought with rifles and bayonets on the ground while fliers braved tremendous difficulties and dangers in the air to support the withdrawal.

At Hagaru-ri, the reunited division was supplied by air drop and casualties were evacuated by aircraft from an improvised strip. The column began its breakout on the 6th, cutting a path through enemy forces at Koto-ri where more casualties were evacuated by air. Bitter resistance had to be overcome along the main supply route to Chinhung-ri and Marine engineers installed a 24 ton Treadway Bridge, dropped by Air Force C119's to replace a vital span blown up by the enemy. Marine close air support was reinforced by Marine Air Group 12 at Yonpo and Navy planes from carriers. The 1st Marine Division reached Hamhung on December 11, having brought out its casualties, vehicles, and equipment. The main body was evacuated on the 15th to South Korea by Task Force-90, which pulled out the remaining units of X Corps and 91,000 civilian refugees to complete its "amphibious landing in reverse".

Truce Talks.

Marines ended their rust year in Korea in the "punch Bowl" area just south of the 38th parallel, former dividing line of North and South Korea. Early in July 1951, United Nations and Communist representatives met for the rust peace talks which created a lull in the activities of the front. At rust, action was limited on both sides to patrolling; after the first few months of unsuccessful negotiations, limited fighting broke out on many sections of the Front. The truce was signed on July 27, 1953, and the 1st Marine Division returned to the United States in the spring of 1955, after almost five years of outstanding service in Korea.

Marine Corps Expansion.

The year 1952 was highlighted by legislation approved by Congress and the President which gave the Marine Corps a minimum strength of three combat divisions and three air wings with supporting troops. The Commandant of the Marine Corps was also authorized coequal status with the members of the Joint Chiefs in matters directly concerning the Corps. The 3rd Marine Brigade was activated at Camp Pendleton, California, on June 20, 1951. On January 7, 1952, it became the 3rd Marine Division, composed of the 3rd, 4th, 9th and 12 Marine Regiments. The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing was activated at Miami, Florida on February 1, 1952, composed of MAG's 31, 32 and 45.

Forces In Readiness

In the decades following the Korean War, the Marine Corps resumed the role of the nation's force in readiness. To fulfill this mission, the reactivated 3rd Marine Division deployed to Okinawa in mid-19555, leaving one regiment, the 4th Marines at Hawaii, as the nucleus of the 1st Marine Brigade. The First Marine Division, which had already departed Korea, moved to Camp Pendleton, California.

Meanwhile, the 2nd Marine Division, at Camp Lejeune, N.C., continued to provide landing teams for the amphibious ships of the 6th Fleet on duty in the Mediterranean, and also stood ready to move an expeditionary force into the Caribbean should the need arise.

In the face of Communist expansion, a shore party from the 3rd Marine Division helped evacuate 26,000 Chinese Nationalist from the Tachen Island off main land China. During October 1955, Marine pilots flew rescue and re-supply missions in flood-ravaged Tampico, Mexico.

Lebanon Intervention.

The U.S. policy of maintaining forces for immediate deployment to potential trouble spots proved sound during the summer of 1958. Following the overthrow of a Western aligned government in Iraq on 14 July, President Camille Chamoun of Lebanon immediately requested U.S. Troops to bolster his army against a growing rebel threat.

The following day the first of four Marine Battalions, under the command of Brigadier General Sidney S. Wade landed in Beirut. In a highly sensitive situation, the discipline of the Marines was superb and there were no casualties. Later, additional American forces reinforced the Marines who, after the crisis had subsided , withdrew on 4 October.

Developments.

During the post-Korean years, the Marine Corps also developed concepts, tactics, and equipment to continually update its readiness. In 1953, Marine planners began work on the development of an integrated amphibious and hellebore force designed for rapid assault from the sea. Eventually, this concept gave birth to the Navy's Landing Platform Helicopter (LPG), a combat vessel capable of carrying a Marine battalion landing team (BL T) and a medium helicopter squadron (HMM). The early LPH's were converted aircraft carriers but the first ship built specifically designed to support such a force, the USS Iwo Jima, was commissioned in 1961. Before the end of the decade, the Iwo Jima and her sister ships participated in over 65 amphibious assaults which were conducted by Marine Special Landing Forces in Vietnam.

To provide close air support for an expeditionary force, the Marine Corps developed the Short Airfield for Tactical Support (SA TS). Rapidly installed at the beachhead, this land-based carrier deck consisted of 4,000 feet of aluminum matting, a catapult, and arresting cable and portable control units to keep Marine attack aircraft in proximity of the landing force.

In the field of aviation, the Marine Corps received such high performance aircraft as the A-4 Skyhawk, the F-8 Crusader, the F4B Phantom, and the highly sophisticated A-6 Intruder. Continually perfecting its vertical envelopment capability, the Corps accepted such helicopters as the UH-34 Sea Horse, the UH IE Huey Gunship, the CH-46 Sea Knight, and the heavyweight CH-53 Sea Stallion into its inventory.

The Marine on the ground was equipped with the M-14 and M-16 rifle; the M-60 machine gun; improved body armor, lightweight, long range communications gear; advanced amphibian vehicles; and newer, heavier artillery pieces.

The 1960's.

During the 1960’s, there were two main areas of conflict which most affected the Marine Corps- Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Following the Communist invasion of Laos in late 1960, BLTs on board the Seventh Fleet shipping from the South China Sea remained on alert for possible deployment and, the following year, Marine helicopters provided logistical support for the Laotian government. In May 1962, the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Unit, a BL with helicopter and fixed wing squadrons, was committed to Thailand because of Communist pressure.

Meanwhile, HMM-362 of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, deployed to Vietnam where helicopter squadron flew combat missions in support of the South Vietnamese armed forces. Under the code name SHUFL Y, these crews operated in the Mekong Delta and later deployed to DA Nang in I Corps. The initial Marine commitment to South Vietnam was approximately 600 men, including advisors to ground units.

In October 1962, there was a crisis in the Caribbean when U.S. intelligence reported the installation of Soviet-built offensive missiles at several bases in Communist controlled Cuba. President John F. Kennedy issued an ultimatum to the Russian and Cuban governments, demanding the removal of these weapons, and simultaneously mobilized the American Armed Forces.

In response to this alert, the Marine garrison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, received reinforcements, and combat elements of the 2d Marine Division and the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing deployed to forward positions for immediate reaction. An expeditionary brigade from the 1st Marine Division arrived shortly off the coast of Cuba. This show of American force led to delicate negotiations which eventually resulted in the removal of Russian missiles from Cuban soil.

Landing in South Vietnam.

Early in 1965, Marines conducted two important landings, one of which would commit the Corps to the longest war in its history. As the result of North Vietnamese torpedo boat attacks on U.S. ships in the Tonkin Gulf during August 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered air strikes against selected military targets in the north.

The following February, the Viet Cong attacked two U.S. installations in South Vietnam, killing several Americans, and again U.S. planes bombed North Vietnam. To guard against Communist retaliatory air strikes, the 1st Light Anti-Aircraft battalion deployed from Okinawa to Da Nang for air defense.

On 8 March 1955, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Frederick C. Karck, began landing at Da Nang, to provide additional security of the base. By 12 March, some 5,000 Marines were ashore. Two days later, additional battalions from the 1st Marine Brigade in Hawaii arrived at Phu Bai, seven miles south of Hue. The Marines took up defensive positions at both enclaves but conducted no major offensive operations against the insurgents. They did, however, bolster the South Vietnamese forces, which were losing an average of one battalion a week to the Viet Congo

Dominican Republic.

Halfway around the world, the 6th Marine Expeditionary Unit was moving into another trouble spot. On 24 April, 1965, the commander Caribbean Task Group 449, with BLT 3/6 and HMM264 embarked, was ordered to proceed to a position off the coast of the Dominican Republic, which was being rocked by internal disorder. The American Embassy in Santo Domingo reported that a coup was in process against the existing government of President

Donald Reid Cabral and the Marines were to stand by for possible evacuation of Americans and other foreign nationals.

With the rebels in control of the city, 500 Marines landed on 28 April, 1965 to protect the refugees since the local police could no longer handle the situation. As conditions continued to deteriorate, additional elements of the 6th MEU were committed to protect civilians and the u.s. Embassy. By the 29th, some 1,500 Marines were ashore. The next day, u.s. Army Airborne units arrived, and on 1 May, the 4thMarine Expeditionary Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General John G. Bouker, was activated. Marine and Army troops engaged rebel bands in sporadic fire fights and there were numerous sniping incidents.

On 6 May, the Organization of American States voted to send an Inter- American Peace Force to help restore peace and constitutional government in the Dominican Republic. The first contingent of Brazilian troops arrived on 25 May and the Marines began their withdrawal the next day.

Eventually, units from Paraguay, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rico reinforced the Brazilians and on 6 June, the last elements of the 4th MEB departed Santo Domingo. At this point, there were 8,000Marines either ashore or afloat off the coast of the Dominican Republic. Final USMC casualties were 9 killed and 30 wounded.

Establishment of III MEF.

While the 4th MEB departed Santo Domingo, the Marine Corps accelerated its commitment to the Republic of Vietnam (R VN). On 3 May 1965, Major General William R. Collins arrived in Da Nang with advanced party of the 3d Marine Division. The 9th MEB was deactivated and replaced by the III Marine Amphibian Force. At that time, ground elements consisting primarily of the 3d Marines and all aviation units were under the control of MAG - 16.

On May 11, Major General Paul J. Fontana brought the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (Advance) to Da Nang and assumed operational control of all Marine helicopter and fixed wing assets in - country.

The same day, the 3d MEB, commanded by Brigadier General Marion E. Carl, made an unopposed landing at Chu Lai, 55 miles south of Da Nang, and established the third Marine enclave in I Corps. Two days after this landing, Marine Engineers and u.s. Sea Bees began construction of a SA TS field at Chu Lai. Laboring under extremely adverse conditions, the working parties completed an operational strip by 1 June, when the first A-4 Skyhawks of MAG- 12 arrived from Japan.

Another important arrival was that of Major General Lewis W. Walt, who took command of III MAF and the 3d Marine Division on 5 June. General Walt assumed operational control of all U.S. forces in I Corps and, in turn, was under the overall control of all U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), commanded by General William C. Westmoreland. The Marines still a defensive posture with orders to conduct only those limited offensive operations necessary to ensure the security of their perimeters.

Large Unit Operations.

On 1 July 1965, Viet Cong demolition squads launched their first attack on the Da Nang airbase and it became apparent that the Marines would have to expand their areas of responsibility and conduct deep patrolling to prevent further attacks. In early August, General Westmoreland granted permission for General Walt to undertake major operations in I Corps. This decision coincided with the arrival of the 7th Marines at Chu Lai.

Within four days of landing, RLT -7 took part in the first major battle of the war - Operation Starlight. On 18 August, RLT-7 moved quickly against the 1st VC Regiment, which was massing on the Van Tuong peninsula, 15 miles south of Chu Lai. In a classic maneuver, one Marine force moved in from the north by amphibian tractor; a second conducted a helicopter assault to the west of the enemy regiment; and a third launched an amphibious landing along the southern flank. RL T -7 then compressed the 1st VC regiment against the sea and in six days of heavy fighting, killed over 600 enemy soldiers. On 7 September, the 7th Marines Attacked the remnants of the 1st VC Regiment in Operation Piranha and killed another 249 Communist troops.

By the end of 1965, there were 38,000 Marines in I Corps, with more on the way. In January 1966, the President authorized the deployment of the 1st Marine Division to Vietnam. One regiment, the 7th Marines, along with two battalions of the 1st Marines had joined its parent unit. The divisional headquarters, with Major General Lewis Fields in command, was established at Chu Lai on 29 March 1966 and was assigned responsibility for the two southern provinces.

Pacification.

The Marines learned early that the war in Vietnam was not entirely a military struggle. In a counterinsurgency environment, the people were the key to success and III MAF initiated several programs to win the support of the populaces. In late 1965, the 9th Marines initiated "Golden Fleece" operations whereby Marine units protected the villagers' rice crop from the guerrillas during harvest time. This effort was so successful in denying the VC logistical support that General Walt expanded the program throughout I Corps.

By late 1966, the various pacification and civil action programs, shielded by Allied operations, had extended government influence over 1,690 square miles and 1,000,000 people in I Corps.

War in the DMZ.

As a result of Allied military and Pacification successes along the coastal plain, the Communists were forced to open a new front along the northern border of I Corps. On July 1966, the 324th NV A Division moved south across the DMZ in its first major invasion attempt. Besides seizing Quang Tri Province, the enemy hoped to draw the Marines away from the populated areas, thin out their forces, and take pressure off the guerrillas in the south.

General Walt responded quickly with "Operation Hastings, which eventually pitted 8,000 Marines and 3,000 Vietnamese troops against the enemy division. Heavy fighting continued until 3 August, when the 324th retreated to the north, leaving over 1,000 dead behind.

The direct assault across the DMZ had resulted in heavy enemy losses. As a result, the NV A shifted to heavy artillery, rocket and mortar attacks along the northern border. The focal point for much of this fire was Con Thien and Khe Sanh and the Marines there endured heavy shelling throughout the late summer and fall of 1967. Meanwhile, the first Marine troops repeatly attacked the 2d NV A Division south of Da Nang and by year's end had rendered it ineffective as a fighting unit.

TET.

On 31 January 1968, the Communists unleashed their biggest offensive of the war. Taking advantage of the TET (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) holiday season and the poor weather associated with the northeast monsoons, the National Liberation Front infiltrated some 68,000 troops into the major population centers of South Vietnam. They struck with amazing speed and secrecy. The enemy hoped to seize the cities, cause mass defections in the South Vietnamese armed forces, and take control of the government.

War in the DMZ.

As a result of Allied military and Pacification successes along the coastal plain, the Communists were forced to open a new front. along the northern border of I Corps. On July 1966, the 324th NV A Division moved south across the DMZ in its first major invasion attempt. Besides seizing Quang Tri Province, the enemy hoped to draw the Marines away from the populated areas, thin out their forces, and take pressure off the guerrillas in the south.

General Walt responded quickly with "Operation Hastings, which eventually pitted 8,000 Marines and 3,000 Vietnamese troops against the enemy division. Heavy fighting continued until 3 August, when the 324th retreated to the north, leaving over 1,000 dead behind.

The direct assault across the DMZ had resulted in heavy enemy losses. As a result, the NV A shifted to heavy artillery, rocket and mortar attacks along the northern border. The focal point for much of this fire was Con Thien and Khe Sanh and the Marines there endured heavy shelling throughout the late summer and fall of 1967. Meanwhile, the first Marine troops repeatly attacked the 2d NV A Division south of Da Nang and by year's end had rendered it ineffective as a fighting unit.

TET.

On 31 January 1968, the Communists unleashed their biggest offensive of the war. Taking advantage of the TET (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) holiday season and the poor weather associated with the northeast monsoons, the National Liberation Front infiltrated some 68,000 troops into the major population centers of South Vietnam. They struck with amazing speed and secrecy. The enemy hoped to seize the cities, cause mass defections in the South Vietnamese armed forces, and take control of the government.

While the Communists met with initial success, the Allies responded quickly, drove the invaders from the cities, and in three weeks killed 32,000 enemy troops.

While the fighting raged in Hue, the men of the 26th Marines were engaged in a different type of struggle at Khe Sanh. Beginning in late 1967, two NV A divisions, the 325C and the 304th, had invested in that garrison and on 21 January 1968, unleashed their first attack. General Westmoreland and Lt. General Robert E. Cushman, who had relieved General Walt in May 1967, reinforced the three organic battalions of the 26th Marines with the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, and the 37th AR VN Ranger Battalion, setting the stage for one of the most dramatic battles of the war "Operation Scotland". For two and a half months, the Khe Sanh defenders fought off enemy ground attacks and weathered daily artillery, rocket and mortar attacks. During the siege, U.S. Aircraft dropped over 100,000 tons of bombs on the hills surrounding Khe Sanh, while Marines and' Army batteries fired in excess of 150,000 artillery rounds. Literally blown from their positions, the NV A withdrew in the face of a combined Marine, Army, and South Vietnamese Task Force (operation Pegasus), advancing towards Khe Sanh from the east. All told, the NV A lost about 3,000 killed during the two operations, although some estimates of enemy dead ran as high as 12,000.

Peace Talks.

On March 31 1968, President Johnson made a television address to the Nation, during which he announced that he was limiting the U.S. air strikes against North Vietnam. This action eventually led to peace talks in Paris, which began 13 May, 1968. Even with talks under way, the fighting continued in South Vietnam.

Withdrawal.

During early 1969, President Richard M. Nixon initiated efforts to end the war, achieve an honorable peace, and withdraw American fighting forces from Vietnam. In June, he met with President Thieu of South Vietnam on Midway Island and announced that 25,000 U.S. troops would depart South Vietnam beginning in July 1969.

In total 794,000 Marines served in Vietnam. Of that total, 13,079 were killed in battle, 1,750 died in non-battle related deaths, and 88,594 Marines received non - mortal wounds.

Post Vietnam.

On 23 October 1983, a Beirut terrorist attacked the Marine Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. The terrorist drove a truck filled with dynamite into the Barracks killing 241 Marines and Naval personnel.

On 25 October 1883, "Operation URGENT FURY" took place on the tiny Island of Grenada. Led by Marines; the operation freed Grenada after a coup by the pro- Castro Government. Eighteen Americans lost their lives.

On 2 October, 1987, the last of 669,000 WWII Marine Veterans, Chief Warrant Officer Charles B. Russel, retired at Camp Pendleton, California.

In August of 1990, the U.S. started deploying troops to the Middle East in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. When Iraq failed to heed President George W. Bush's warning to leave Kuwait a massive high-tech, air war was lunched. After this failed to dislodge Iraq troops a ground war was launched. The war was over in 48 hours after the ground invasion was launched. Many former Young Marines saw action in the Gulf War as Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen. Marine Corporal Jose Navarro, formerly of the Inland Young Marine Unit was involved in the battle for Kuwait International Airport. In his words, "the scene was very ugly, especially the destruction of Kuwait by Iraq forces.

Women Marines.

The first women ever to wear the eagle, globe and anchor enlisted in the Marine Corps in August 1918. The early women Marines totaled 305 women. In 1943, Lt. General Holcomb, 17th Commandant of the Marine Corps, signed an order establishing the Women's Reserve. The traditional WWII mission of the Women

Marines was expressed in the slogan "Free a Marine to Fight!" However, today, Women Marines perform whatever duties are assigned to them. The Women Marines who joined "new" women's reserve in 1943 believed that any "cute" nickname would only demean the traditions and symbols of the Marine Corps. There after, they accepted no nicknames and are simply known as Women Marines. They proudly wear the Marine Corps emblem.

Famous Women Marines.

The first Woman Marine was Opha Mae Johnson. The first director of the Women's Marine Reserve was Colonel Ruth Cheney Streeter. The first woman Marine Corps General, Margaret A. Brewer was appointed on 11 May 1978 at the age of 47. Pvt. Anita Lobo holds the women's record for high score of 246 out of 250 on the rifle range at Parris Island. Annie L. Grimes was the third black women to become a Marine and the first black woman Officer to retire after her "Full 20" years of service.

This page goes only to 1990. We will be updating this soon.