onebadd73
Sr. Member
Just wanted to wish all my fellow Marines a Happy 232th Birthday. Semper Fi!
Frank Rivera - USMC 86-91, E-5
Also check out this site: www.togetherweserved.com
Brief History of the United States Marine Corps
Written by Will Donaldson (Webmaster)
Saturday, 02 September 2006
On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia passed a
resolution stating that "two Battalions of Marines be raised" for service as
landing forces
with the fleet. This resolution, established the Continental Marines and marked
the birth
date of the United States Marine Corps. Serving on land and at sea, these first
Marines
distinguished themselves in a number of important operations, including their
first
amphibious raid into the Bahamas in March 1776, under the command of Captain
(later
Major) Samuel Nicholas. Nicholas, the first commissioned officer in the
Continental
Marines, remained the senior Marine officer throughout the American Revolution
and is
considered to be the first Marine Commandant. The Treaty of Paris in April 1783
brought
an end to the Revolutionary War and as the last of the Navy's ships were sold,
the
Continental Navy and Marines went out of existence.
Following the Revolutionary War and the formal re-establishment of the Marine
Corps on
11 July 1798, Marines saw action in the quasi-war with France, landed in Santo
Domingo,
and took part in many operations against the Barbary pirates along the "Shores
of Tripoli".
Marines participated in numerous naval operations during the War of 1812, as
well as
participating in the defense of Washington at Bladensburg, Maryland, and fought
alongside
Andrew Jackson in the defeat of the British at New Orleans. The decades
following the War
of 1812 saw the Marines protecting American interests around the world, in the
Caribbean, at the Falkland Islands, Sumatra and off the coast of West Africa,
and also close
to home in the operations against the Seminole Indians in Florida.
During the Mexican War (1846-1848), Marines seized enemy seaports on both the
Gulf
and Pacific coasts. A battalion of Marines joined General Scott's army at Pueblo
and fought
all the way to the "Halls of Montezuma," Mexico City. Marines also served ashore
and
afloat in the Civil War (1861-1865). Although most service was with the Navy, a
battalion
fought at Bull Run and other units saw action with the blockading squadrons and
at Cape
Hatteras, New Orleans, Charleston, and Fort Fisher. The last third of the 19th
century saw
Marines making numerous landings throughout the world, especially in the Orient
and in
the Caribbean area.
Following the Spanish-American War (1898), in which Marines performed with valor
in
Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, the Corps entered an era of
expansion and
professional development. It saw active service in the Philippine Insurrection
(1899-1902),
the Boxer Rebellion in China (1900). and in numerous other nations, including
Nicaragua,
Panama, Cuba, Mexico, and Haiti.
In World War I the Marine Corps distinguished itself on the battlefields of
France as the 4th
Marine Brigade earned the title of "Devil Dogs" for heroic action during 1918 at
Belleau
Wood, Soissons, St. Michiel, Blanc Mont, and in the final Meuse-Argonne
offensive. Marine
aviation, which dates from 1912, also played a part in the war effort, as Marine
pilots flew
day bomber missions over France and Belgium. More than 30,000 Marines had served
in
France and more than a third were killed or wounded in six months of intense
fighting.
During the two decades before World War II, the Marine Corps began to develop in
earnest
the doctrine, equipment, and organization needed for amphibious warfare. The
success of
this effort was proven first on Guadalcanal, then on Bougainville, Tarawa, New
Britain,
Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. By
the end of
the war in 1945, the Marine Corps had grown to include six divisions, five air
wings, and
supporting troops. Its strength in World War II peaked at 485,113. The war cost
the
Marines nearly 87,000 dead and wounded and 82 Marines had earned the Medal of
Honor.
While Marine units took part in the post-war occupation of Japan and North
China, studies
were undertaken at Quantico, Virginia, which concentrated on attaining a
"vertical
envelopment" capability for the Corps through the use of helicopters. Landing at
Inchon,
Korea in September 1950, Marines proved that the doctrine of amphibious assault
was still
viable and necessary. After the recapture of Seoul, the Marines advanced to the
Chosin
Reservoir only to see the Chinese Communists enter the war. After years of
offensives,
counter-offensives, seemingly endless trench warfare, and occupation duty, the
last
Marine ground troops were withdrawn in March 1955. More than 25,000 Marines were
killed or wounded during the Korean War.
In July 1958, a brigade-size force landed in Lebanon to restore order. During
the Cuban
Missile Crisis in October 1962, a large amphibious force was marshaled but not
landed. In
April 1965, a brigade of Marines landed in the Dominican Republic to protect
Americans
and evacuate those who wished to leave.
The landing of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Da Nang in 1965 marked
the
beginning of large-scale Marine involvement in Vietnam. By summer 1968, after
the
enemy's Tet Offensive, Marine Corps strength in Vietnam rose to a peak of
approximately
85,000. The Marine withdrawal began in 1969 as the South Vietnamese began to
assume a
larger role in the fighting; the last ground forces were out of Vietnam by June
1971. The
Vietnam War, longest in the history of the Marine Corps, exacted a high cost as
well with
over 13,000 Marines killed and more than 88,000 wounded. In the spring of 1975,
Marines evacuated embassy staffs, American citizens, and refugees in Phnom Penh,
Cambodia, and Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. Later, in May 1975, Marines played an
integral role in the rescue of the crew of the SS Mayaguez captured off the
coast of
Cambodia.
The mid-1970s saw the Marine Corps assume an increasingly significant role in
defending
NATO's northern flank as amphibious units of the 2d Marine Division participated
in
exercises throughout northern Europe. The Marine Corps also played a key role in
the
development of the Rapid Deployment Force, a multi-service organization created
to
insure a flexible, timely military response around the world when needed. The
Maritime
Prepositioning Ships (MPS) concept was developed to enhance this capability by
prestaging
equipment needed for combat in the vicinity of the designated area of
operations, and
reduce response time as Marines travel by air to link up with MPS assets.
The 1980s brought an increasing number of terrorist attacks on U.S. embassies
around
the world. Marine Security Guards, under the direction of the State Department,
continued
to serve with distinction in the face of this challenge. In August 1982, Marine
units landed
at Beirut, Lebanon, as part of the multi-national peace-keeping force. For the
next 19
months these units faced the hazards of their mission with courage and
professionalism.
In October 1983, Marines took part in the highly successful, short-notice
intervention in
Grenada. As the decade of the 1980s came to a close, Marines were summoned to
respond
to instability in Central America. Operation Just Cause was launched in Panama
in
December 1989 to protect American lives and restore the democratic process in
that
nation.
Less than a year later, in August 1990, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait set in
motion events
that would lead to the largest movement of Marine Corps forces since World War
II.
Between August 1990 and January 1991, some 24 infantry battalions, 40 squadrons,
and
more than 92,000 Marines deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation
Desert Shield.
Operation Desert Storm was launched 16 January 1991, the day the air campaign
began.
The main attack came overland beginning 24 February when the 1st and 2d Marine
Divisions breached the Iraqi defense lines and stormed into occupied Kuwait. By
the
morning of February 28, 100 hours after the ground war began, almost the entire
Iraqi
Army in the Kuwaiti theater of operations had been encircled with 4,000 tanks
destroyed
and 42 divisions destroyed or rendered ineffective.
Overshadowed by the events in the Persian Gulf during 1990-91, were a number of
other
significant Marine deployments demonstrating the Corps' flexible and rapid
response.
Included among these were non-combatant evacuation operations in Liberia and
Somalia
and humanitarian lifesaving operations in Bangladesh, the Philippines, and
northern Iraq.
In December 1992, Marines landed in Somalia marking the beginning of a two-year
humanitarian relief operation in that famine-stricken and strife-torn nation. In
another
part of the world, Marine Corps aircraft supported Operation Deny Flight in the
no-fly
zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina. During April 1994, Marines once again demonstrated
their
ability to protect American citizens in remote parts of the world when a Marine
task force
evacuated U.S. citizens from Rwanda in response to civil unrest in that country.
Closer to
home, Marines went ashore in September 1994 in Haiti as part of the U.S. force
participating in the restoration of democracy in that country. During this same
period
Marines were actively engaged in providing assistance to the Nation's
counter-drug effort,
assisting in battling wild fires in the western United States, and aiding in
flood and
hurricane relief operations.
During the late 1990's, Marine Corps units deployed to several African nations,
including
Liberia, the Central African Republic, Zaire, and Eritrea, in order to provide
security and
assist in the evacuation of American citizens, during periods of political and
civil instability
in those nations. Humanitarian and disaster relief operations were also
conducted by
Marines during 1998 on Kenya, and in the Central American nations of Honduras,
Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala. In 1999, Marine units deployed to Kosovo
in
support of Operation Allied Force. Soon after the September 2001 terrorist
attacks on New
York City and Washington, D.C., Marine units deployed to the Arabian Sea and in
November set up a forward operating base in southern Afghanistan as part of
Operation
Enduring Freedom.
The Marine Corps has continued its tradition of innovation to meet the
challenges of a new
century. The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory was created in 1995 to evaluate
change,
assess the impact of new technologies on warfighting, and expedite the
introduction of
new capabilities into the operating forces of the Marine Corps. Exercises such
as "Hunter
Warrior," and "Urban Warrior" were designed to explore future tactical concepts,
and to
examine facets of military operations in urban environments.
Today's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the proud tradition of those
who so
valiantly fought and died at Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, and
Khe Sanh.
Combining a long and proud heritage of faithful service to the nation, with the
resolve to
face tomorrow's challenges will continue to keep the Marine Corps the "best of
the best."
Frank Rivera - USMC 86-91, E-5
Also check out this site: www.togetherweserved.com
Brief History of the United States Marine Corps
Written by Will Donaldson (Webmaster)
Saturday, 02 September 2006
On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia passed a
resolution stating that "two Battalions of Marines be raised" for service as
landing forces
with the fleet. This resolution, established the Continental Marines and marked
the birth
date of the United States Marine Corps. Serving on land and at sea, these first
Marines
distinguished themselves in a number of important operations, including their
first
amphibious raid into the Bahamas in March 1776, under the command of Captain
(later
Major) Samuel Nicholas. Nicholas, the first commissioned officer in the
Continental
Marines, remained the senior Marine officer throughout the American Revolution
and is
considered to be the first Marine Commandant. The Treaty of Paris in April 1783
brought
an end to the Revolutionary War and as the last of the Navy's ships were sold,
the
Continental Navy and Marines went out of existence.
Following the Revolutionary War and the formal re-establishment of the Marine
Corps on
11 July 1798, Marines saw action in the quasi-war with France, landed in Santo
Domingo,
and took part in many operations against the Barbary pirates along the "Shores
of Tripoli".
Marines participated in numerous naval operations during the War of 1812, as
well as
participating in the defense of Washington at Bladensburg, Maryland, and fought
alongside
Andrew Jackson in the defeat of the British at New Orleans. The decades
following the War
of 1812 saw the Marines protecting American interests around the world, in the
Caribbean, at the Falkland Islands, Sumatra and off the coast of West Africa,
and also close
to home in the operations against the Seminole Indians in Florida.
During the Mexican War (1846-1848), Marines seized enemy seaports on both the
Gulf
and Pacific coasts. A battalion of Marines joined General Scott's army at Pueblo
and fought
all the way to the "Halls of Montezuma," Mexico City. Marines also served ashore
and
afloat in the Civil War (1861-1865). Although most service was with the Navy, a
battalion
fought at Bull Run and other units saw action with the blockading squadrons and
at Cape
Hatteras, New Orleans, Charleston, and Fort Fisher. The last third of the 19th
century saw
Marines making numerous landings throughout the world, especially in the Orient
and in
the Caribbean area.
Following the Spanish-American War (1898), in which Marines performed with valor
in
Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, the Corps entered an era of
expansion and
professional development. It saw active service in the Philippine Insurrection
(1899-1902),
the Boxer Rebellion in China (1900). and in numerous other nations, including
Nicaragua,
Panama, Cuba, Mexico, and Haiti.
In World War I the Marine Corps distinguished itself on the battlefields of
France as the 4th
Marine Brigade earned the title of "Devil Dogs" for heroic action during 1918 at
Belleau
Wood, Soissons, St. Michiel, Blanc Mont, and in the final Meuse-Argonne
offensive. Marine
aviation, which dates from 1912, also played a part in the war effort, as Marine
pilots flew
day bomber missions over France and Belgium. More than 30,000 Marines had served
in
France and more than a third were killed or wounded in six months of intense
fighting.
During the two decades before World War II, the Marine Corps began to develop in
earnest
the doctrine, equipment, and organization needed for amphibious warfare. The
success of
this effort was proven first on Guadalcanal, then on Bougainville, Tarawa, New
Britain,
Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. By
the end of
the war in 1945, the Marine Corps had grown to include six divisions, five air
wings, and
supporting troops. Its strength in World War II peaked at 485,113. The war cost
the
Marines nearly 87,000 dead and wounded and 82 Marines had earned the Medal of
Honor.
While Marine units took part in the post-war occupation of Japan and North
China, studies
were undertaken at Quantico, Virginia, which concentrated on attaining a
"vertical
envelopment" capability for the Corps through the use of helicopters. Landing at
Inchon,
Korea in September 1950, Marines proved that the doctrine of amphibious assault
was still
viable and necessary. After the recapture of Seoul, the Marines advanced to the
Chosin
Reservoir only to see the Chinese Communists enter the war. After years of
offensives,
counter-offensives, seemingly endless trench warfare, and occupation duty, the
last
Marine ground troops were withdrawn in March 1955. More than 25,000 Marines were
killed or wounded during the Korean War.
In July 1958, a brigade-size force landed in Lebanon to restore order. During
the Cuban
Missile Crisis in October 1962, a large amphibious force was marshaled but not
landed. In
April 1965, a brigade of Marines landed in the Dominican Republic to protect
Americans
and evacuate those who wished to leave.
The landing of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Da Nang in 1965 marked
the
beginning of large-scale Marine involvement in Vietnam. By summer 1968, after
the
enemy's Tet Offensive, Marine Corps strength in Vietnam rose to a peak of
approximately
85,000. The Marine withdrawal began in 1969 as the South Vietnamese began to
assume a
larger role in the fighting; the last ground forces were out of Vietnam by June
1971. The
Vietnam War, longest in the history of the Marine Corps, exacted a high cost as
well with
over 13,000 Marines killed and more than 88,000 wounded. In the spring of 1975,
Marines evacuated embassy staffs, American citizens, and refugees in Phnom Penh,
Cambodia, and Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. Later, in May 1975, Marines played an
integral role in the rescue of the crew of the SS Mayaguez captured off the
coast of
Cambodia.
The mid-1970s saw the Marine Corps assume an increasingly significant role in
defending
NATO's northern flank as amphibious units of the 2d Marine Division participated
in
exercises throughout northern Europe. The Marine Corps also played a key role in
the
development of the Rapid Deployment Force, a multi-service organization created
to
insure a flexible, timely military response around the world when needed. The
Maritime
Prepositioning Ships (MPS) concept was developed to enhance this capability by
prestaging
equipment needed for combat in the vicinity of the designated area of
operations, and
reduce response time as Marines travel by air to link up with MPS assets.
The 1980s brought an increasing number of terrorist attacks on U.S. embassies
around
the world. Marine Security Guards, under the direction of the State Department,
continued
to serve with distinction in the face of this challenge. In August 1982, Marine
units landed
at Beirut, Lebanon, as part of the multi-national peace-keeping force. For the
next 19
months these units faced the hazards of their mission with courage and
professionalism.
In October 1983, Marines took part in the highly successful, short-notice
intervention in
Grenada. As the decade of the 1980s came to a close, Marines were summoned to
respond
to instability in Central America. Operation Just Cause was launched in Panama
in
December 1989 to protect American lives and restore the democratic process in
that
nation.
Less than a year later, in August 1990, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait set in
motion events
that would lead to the largest movement of Marine Corps forces since World War
II.
Between August 1990 and January 1991, some 24 infantry battalions, 40 squadrons,
and
more than 92,000 Marines deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation
Desert Shield.
Operation Desert Storm was launched 16 January 1991, the day the air campaign
began.
The main attack came overland beginning 24 February when the 1st and 2d Marine
Divisions breached the Iraqi defense lines and stormed into occupied Kuwait. By
the
morning of February 28, 100 hours after the ground war began, almost the entire
Iraqi
Army in the Kuwaiti theater of operations had been encircled with 4,000 tanks
destroyed
and 42 divisions destroyed or rendered ineffective.
Overshadowed by the events in the Persian Gulf during 1990-91, were a number of
other
significant Marine deployments demonstrating the Corps' flexible and rapid
response.
Included among these were non-combatant evacuation operations in Liberia and
Somalia
and humanitarian lifesaving operations in Bangladesh, the Philippines, and
northern Iraq.
In December 1992, Marines landed in Somalia marking the beginning of a two-year
humanitarian relief operation in that famine-stricken and strife-torn nation. In
another
part of the world, Marine Corps aircraft supported Operation Deny Flight in the
no-fly
zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina. During April 1994, Marines once again demonstrated
their
ability to protect American citizens in remote parts of the world when a Marine
task force
evacuated U.S. citizens from Rwanda in response to civil unrest in that country.
Closer to
home, Marines went ashore in September 1994 in Haiti as part of the U.S. force
participating in the restoration of democracy in that country. During this same
period
Marines were actively engaged in providing assistance to the Nation's
counter-drug effort,
assisting in battling wild fires in the western United States, and aiding in
flood and
hurricane relief operations.
During the late 1990's, Marine Corps units deployed to several African nations,
including
Liberia, the Central African Republic, Zaire, and Eritrea, in order to provide
security and
assist in the evacuation of American citizens, during periods of political and
civil instability
in those nations. Humanitarian and disaster relief operations were also
conducted by
Marines during 1998 on Kenya, and in the Central American nations of Honduras,
Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala. In 1999, Marine units deployed to Kosovo
in
support of Operation Allied Force. Soon after the September 2001 terrorist
attacks on New
York City and Washington, D.C., Marine units deployed to the Arabian Sea and in
November set up a forward operating base in southern Afghanistan as part of
Operation
Enduring Freedom.
The Marine Corps has continued its tradition of innovation to meet the
challenges of a new
century. The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory was created in 1995 to evaluate
change,
assess the impact of new technologies on warfighting, and expedite the
introduction of
new capabilities into the operating forces of the Marine Corps. Exercises such
as "Hunter
Warrior," and "Urban Warrior" were designed to explore future tactical concepts,
and to
examine facets of military operations in urban environments.
Today's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the proud tradition of those
who so
valiantly fought and died at Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, and
Khe Sanh.
Combining a long and proud heritage of faithful service to the nation, with the
resolve to
face tomorrow's challenges will continue to keep the Marine Corps the "best of
the best."
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