United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch				War (1846–1848), the Marines made their famed
of the United States armed forces responsible for				assault on Chapultepec Palace in Mexico City, which
providing force projection from the sea,[2] using the				would be later celebrated by the phrase "From The
mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver				Halls of Montezuma" in Marines' hymn. In the 1850s, the
combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven				Marines would see further service in Panama and
uniformed services of the U.S.. Administratively, the				Asia, escorting Matthew Perry's East India Squadron
Marine Corps is a component of the Department of				on its historic trip to the Far East.
the Navy,[3][4] but it acts operationally as a separate				With their vast service in foreign engagements, the
branch of the military, often working closely with US				Marine Corps played a moderate role in the Civil War
Naval forces for training, transportation, and logistic				(1861–1865); their most prominent task was blockade
purposes.				duty. As more and more states seceded from the
Originally organized as the Continental Marines on				Union, about half of the Corps' officers also left the
November 10, 1775 as naval infantry, the Marine Corps				Union to join the Confederacy and form the
has evolved in its mission with changing military				Confederate States Marine Corps, which ultimately
doctrine and American foreign policy. The Marine				played little part in the war. The battalion of recruits
Corps has served in every American armed conflict				formed for the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas)
and attained prominence in the 20th century when its				performed poorly, retreating with the rest of the Union
theories and practice of amphibious warfare proved				forces.
prescient and ultimately formed the cornerstone of the				The remainder of the 19th century was marked by
Pacific campaign of World War II.[5] By the mid 20th				declining strength and introspection about the mission
century, the Marine Corps had become the dominant				of the Marine Corps. The U.S. Navy's transition from
theorist and practitioner of amphibious warfare.[6][7][8]				sail to steam put into question the need for Marines on
Its ability to respond rapidly to regional crises gives it a				naval ships. Meanwhile, Marines served as a
strong role in the implementation and execution of				convenient resource for interventions and landings to
American foreign policy.				protect American lives and interests overseas. The
Television"> SizeThe United States Marine Corps, with				Corps was involved in over 28 separate interventions
194,000 active duty and 40,000 reserve Marines,[10] is				in the 30 years from the end of the American Civil
the smallest of the United States' armed forces in the				War to the end of 19th century. They would also be
Department of Defense (the United States Coast				called upon to stem political and labor unrest within the
Guard is smaller, about one fifth the size of the Marine				United States.[26] Under Commandant Jacob Zeilin's
Corps, but serves under Homeland Security). The				tenure, Marine customs and traditions took shape: the
Corps is nonetheless larger than the entire armed				Corps adopted the Marine Corps emblem on
forces of many significant military powers; for				November 19, 1868. It was also during this time that
example, it is larger than the active duty Israel Defense				"The Marines' Hymn" was first heard. Around 1883, the
Forces or the whole of the British Army.				Marines adopted their current motto "Semper Fidelis"
The United States Marine Corps serves as an				(Latin: Always Faithful).
amphibious force-in-readiness. As outlined in 10 U.S.C.				John Philip Sousa, the musician and composer, enlisted
§ 5063, and originally introduced under the National				as a Marine apprentice at the age of 13, serving from
Security Act of 1947, it has three primary areas of				1867 until 1872, and again from 1880 to 1892 as the
responsibility:				leader of the Marine Band.
"The seizure or defense of advanced naval bases				During the Spanish–American War (1898), Marines
and other land operations to support naval campaigns;				led U.S. forces ashore in the Philippines, Cuba, and
The development of tactics, technique, and equipment				Puerto Rico, demonstrating their readiness for
used by amphibious landing forces; and				deployment. At Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, the Marines
Such other duties as the President may direct."				seized an advanced naval base that remains in use
This last clause, while seemingly redundant given the				today. Between 1899 and 1916, the Corps continued its
President's position as Commander-in-Chief, is a				record of participation in foreign expeditions, including
codification of the expeditionary duties of the Marine				the Philippine-American War, the Boxer Rebellion in
Corps. It derives from similar language in the				China (1899–1901), Panama, the Cuban Pacifications,
Congressional Acts "For the Better Organization of the				the Perdicaris Incident in Morocco, Veracruz, Santo
Marine Corps" of 1834, and "Establishing and				Domingo, and the Banana Wars in Haiti and Nicaragua;
Organizing a Marine Corps" of 1798. In 1951, the House				the experiences gained in counter-insurgency and
of Representatives' Armed Services Committee called				guerrilla operations during this period were consolidated
the clause "one of the most important				into the Small Wars Manual.
statutory—and traditional—functions of the Marine				During World War I veteran Marines served a central
Corps." It noted that the Corps has more often than				role in the late American entry into the conflict. Unlike
not performed actions of a non-naval nature, including				the U.S. Army, the Marine Corps had a deep pool of
its famous actions in the War of 1812, at Tripoli,				officers and NCOs with battle experience, and
Chapultepec, numerous counter-insurgency and				experienced a relatively smaller expansion. Here, the
occupational duties (such as those in Central America),				Marines fought their famed battle at Belleau Wood,
World War I, and the Korean War. While these actions				creating the Marines' reputation in modern history. While
are not accurately described as support of naval				its previous expeditionary experiences had not earned
campaigns nor as amphibious warfare, their common				it much acclaim in the Western world, the Marines'
thread is that they are of an expeditionary nature,				fierceness and toughness in France earned them the
using the mobility of the Navy to provide timely				respect of the Germans, who rated them of
intervention in foreign affairs on behalf of American				stormtrooper quality. Though Marines and American
interests.				media reported that Germans had nicknamed them
In addition to its primary duties, the Marine Corps has				Teufel Hunden as meaning "Devil Dogs," there is no
missions in direct support of the White House and the				evidence of this in German records (as Teufelshunde
State Department. The Marine Band, dubbed the				would be the proper German phrase), it was possibly
"President's Own" by Thomas Jefferson, provides				American propaganda. Nevertheless, the name
music for state functions at the White House. Marines				stuck.[28] The Corps had entered the war with 511
guard presidential retreats, including Camp David,[14]				officers and 13,214 enlisted personnel, and by
and the Marines of the Executive Flight Detachment of				November 11, 1918 had reached a strength of 2,400
HMX-1 provide helicopter transport to the President				officers and 70,000 men.[29]
and Vice President, using the call signs "Marine One"				Between the World Wars, the Marine Corps was
and "Marine Two" respectively. By authority of the				headed by Commandant John A. Lejeune, and under
1946 Foreign Service act, the Marine security guards				his leadership, the Corps presciently studied and
of the Marine Embassy Security Command provide				developed amphibious techniques that would be of
security for American embassies, legations, and				great use in World War II. Many officers, including Lt.
consulates at over 110 posts worldwide.				Col. Earl Hancock "Pete" Ellis, foresaw a war in the
At its founding, the Marine Corps was composed of				Pacific with Japan and took preparations for such a
infantry serving aboard naval vessels and was				conflict. Through 1941, as the prospect of war grew,
responsible for the security of the ship and her crew				the Corps pushed urgently for joint amphibious
by conducting offensive and defensive combat during				exercises and acquired amphibious equipment that
boarding actions, and defending the ship's officers from				would prove of great use in the upcoming conflict.
mutiny; to the latter end, their quarters on ship were				US Marines on Iwo Jima raise the American flag.
often strategically positioned between the officers'				In World War II, the Marines played a central role in the
quarters and the rest of the vessel. Continental				Pacific War. The battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa,
Marines were also responsible for manning raiding				Cape Gloucester, Saipan, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and
parties, both at sea and ashore. America's first				Okinawa saw fierce fighting between U.S. Marines and
amphibious assault landing occurred early in the				the Imperial Japanese Army.
Revolutionary War as the Marines gained control of a				Philip Johnston proposed the use of Navajo as a code
British ammunition depot and naval port in New				language to the Corps. The idea was accepted, and
Providence, Bahamas. The role of the Marine Corps				the Navajo code was formally developed and
has since expanded significantly; as the importance of				modeled on the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet.
its original naval mission declined with changing naval				During the battle of Iwo Jima, photographer Joe
warfare doctrine and the professionalization of the				Rosenthal took the famous photograph Raising the
Naval service, the Corps adapted by focusing on what				Flag on Iwo Jima of five Marines and one Navy
were formerly secondary missions ashore. The				Corpsman raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi.
Advanced Base doctrine of the early 20th century				Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, having come
codified their combat duties ashore, outlining the use of				ashore earlier that day, said of the flag raising, "...the
Marines in the seizure of bases and other duties on				raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps
land to support naval campaigns. The Marines would				for the next five hundred years." The acts of the
also develop tactics and techniques of amphibious				Marines during the war added to their already
assault on defended coastlines in time for use in World				significant popular reputation. By war's end, the Corps
War II.[16] Its original mission of providing shipboard				expanded from two brigades to six divisions, five air
security finally ended in the 1990s, when the last Marine				wings, and supporting troops, totaling about 485,000
security detachments were withdrawn from U.S. Navy				Marines. In addition, 20 defense battalions and a
ships.				parachute battalion were set raised.[31] Nearly 87,000
While the Marine Corps does not employ any unique				Marines were casualties during World War II (including
combat arms, as a force it has the unique ability to				nearly 20,000 killed), and 82 were awarded the Medal
rapidly deploy a combined-arms task force to almost				of Honor.[32]
anywhere in the world within days. The basic structure				Despite Secretary Forrestal's prediction, the Corps
for all deployed units is a Marine Air-Ground Task				faced an immediate institutional crisis following the war.
Force (MAGTF) that integrates a ground combat				Army generals pushing for a strengthened and
element, an aviation combat element, and a logistics				reorganized defense establishment also attempted to
combat element combat component under a common				fold the Marine mission and assets into the Navy and
command element. While the creation of joint				Army. Drawing on hastily assembled Congressional
commands under the Goldwater-Nichols Act has				support, the Marine Corps rebuffed such efforts to
improved inter-service coordination between the U.S.				dismantle the Corps, resulting in statutory protection of
military services, the Corps' ability to permanently				the Marine Corps in the National Security Act of
maintain integrated multi-element task forces under a				1947.[33] Shortly afterward, in 1952 the
single command provides a smoother implementation				Douglas-Mansfield Bill afforded the Commandant an
of combined-arms warfare principles.[5]				equal voice with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on matters
The close integration of disparate Marine units stems				relating to the Marines and established the structure of
from an organizational culture centered around the				three active divisions and air wings that remain today.
infantry. Every other Marine capability exists to support				The Korean War (1950–1953) saw the hastily
the infantry. Unlike some Western militaries, the Corps				formed Provisional Marine Brigade holding the
remained conservative against theories proclaiming the				defensive line at the Pusan Perimeter. To execute a
ability of new weapons to win wars independently. For				flanking maneuver, General Douglas MacArthur called
example, Marine Aviation has always been focused on				on Marine air and ground forces to make an
close air support and has remained largely uninfluenced				amphibious landing at Inchon. The successful landing
by air power theories proclaiming that strategic				resulted in the collapse of North Korean lines and the
bombing can single-handedly win wars.				pursuit of North Korean forces north near the Yalu
This focus on the infantry is matched with the doctrine				River until the entrance of the People's Republic of
that "Every Marine is a rifleman," a focus of				China into the war. Chinese troops surrounded,
Commandant Alfred M. Gray, Jr., emphasizing the				surprised and overwhelmed the overextended and
infantry combat abilities of every Marine. All enlisted				outnumbered American forces. X Corps, which
Marines, regardless of military specialization, receive				included the 1st Marine Division and the Army's 7th
training as a rifleman; all officers receive training as				Infantry Division, regrouped and inflicted heavy
infantry platoon commanders.[17] The value of this				casualties during their fighting withdrawal to the coast,
culture has been demonstrated many times throughout				now known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. Marines
history. For example, at Wake Island, when all of the				would continue a battle of attrition around the 38th
Marine aircraft were shot down, pilots continued the				Parallel until the 1953 armistice.[34] The Korean War
fight as ground officers, leading supply clerks and				saw the Corps expand from 75,000 regulars to a
cooks in a final defensive effort.[18] As a result, a large				force of 261,000 Marines, mostly reservists. 30,544
degree of initiative and autonomy is expected of junior				Marines were killed or wounded during the war and 42
Marines, particularly the NCOs, (corporals and				were awarded the Medal of Honor.[35]
sergeants), as compared with many other military				The Marine Corps served an important role in the
organizations. The Marine Corps emphasizes authority				Vietnam War taking part in such battles as Da Nang,
and responsibility downward to a greater degree than				Hue City, and Khe Sanh. Individuals from the USMC
the other military services. Flexibility of execution is				operated in the Northern I Corps Regions of South
implemented via an emphasis on "commander's intent"				Vietnam. While there, they were constantly engaged in
as a guiding principle for carrying out orders; specifying				a guerilla war against the National Front for the
the end state but leaving open the method of				Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF) and an intermittent
execution.[19]				conventional war against the North Vietnamese Army
The amphibious assault techniques developed for				(NVA). Portions of the Corps were responsible for the
World War II evolved, with the addition of air assault				less-known Combined Action Program (CAP) that
and maneuver warfare doctrine, into the current				implemented unconventional techniques for
"Operational Maneuver from the Sea" doctrine of				counter-insurgency and worked as military advisors to
power projection from the seas.[2] The Marines are				the Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps. Marines were
credited with the development of helicopter insertion				withdrawn in 1971, and returned briefly in 1975 to
doctrine and were the earliest in the American military				evacuate Saigon and attempt a rescue of the crew
to widely adopt maneuver-warfare principles, which				of the Mayagüez.
emphasize low-level initiative and flexible execution.				Vietnam was the longest war for Marines; by its end,
The U.S. Marine Corps relies on the U.S. Navy for				13,091[37][38] were killed in action, 51,392 were
sealift to provide its rapid deployment capabilities. In				wounded, and 57 Medals of Honor were
addition to basing a third of the Marine Corps				awarded.[39][40] Due to policies concerning rotation,
Operating Forces in Japan, Marine Expeditionary Units				more Marines were deployed for service during
(MEU) are typically stationed at sea. This allows the				Vietnam than World War II.
ability to function as first responders to international				While recovering from Vietnam, the Corps hit a
incidents. The U.S. Army now maintains light infantry				detrimental low point in its service history caused by
units capable of rapid worldwide deployment, but those				courts-martial and Non-Judicial Punishments related
units do not match the combined-arms integration of a				partially to increased Unauthorized Absences and
MAGTF, and lack the logistics that the Navy				Desertions during the war. Overhauling of the Corps
provides.[5] For this reason, the Marine Corps is often				began in the late 1970s, discharging the most delinquent,
assigned to non-combat missions such as the				and once quality of new recruits improved, the Corps
evacuation of Americans from unstable countries and				focused on reforming the NCO Corps, a vital
humanitarian relief of natural disasters. In larger				functioning part of its forces.[5]
conflicts, Marines act as a stopgap, to get into and hold				After Vietnam, the Marines resumed their
an area until larger units can be mobilized. The Corps				expeditionary role, participating in the 1980 Iran hostage
performed this role in World War I, and the Korean				rescue attempt Operation Eagle Claw, the invasion of
War, where Marines were the first significant combat				Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury) and the invasion of
units deployed from the United States and held the line				Panama (Operation Just Cause). On October 23, 1983,
until the country could mobilize for war.				the Marine headquarters building in Beirut, Lebanon,
The United States Marine Corps traces its institutional				was bombed, causing the highest peacetime losses to
roots to the Continental Marines of the American				the Corps in its history (220 Marines and 21 other
Revolutionary War, formed at Tun Tavern in				service members of the 24th Marine Expeditionary
Philadelphia, by a resolution of the Second Continental				Unit were killed) and leading to the American
Congress on November 10, 1775 to raise 2 battalions				withdrawal from the country. The year of 1990 saw
of Marines. That date is regarded and celebrated as				Marines of the Joint Task Force Sharp Edge save
the date of the Marine Corps' "birthday". At the end of				thousands of lives by evacuating the British, French
the American Revolution in 1783, both the Continental				and American Nationals from the violence of the
Navy and Continental Marines were disbanded, and				Liberian Civil War. During the Persian Gulf War
although individual Marines were enlisted for the few				(1990–1991), Marine task forces formed the initial
American naval vessels left, the institution itself would				core for Operation Desert Shield, while U.S. and
not be resurrected until 1798. In that year, in preparation				Coalition troops mobilized, and later liberated Kuwait in
for the Naval War with France, Congress created the				Operation Desert Storm.[23] U.S. Marines participated in
United States Navy and Marine Corps.				combat operations in Somalia (1992–1995) during
The Marines' most famous action of this period				Operations Restore Hope, Restore Hope II, and United
occurred during the First Barbary War (1801–1805)				Shield to provide humanitarian relief.
against the Barbary pirates,[22] when William Eaton				Following the September 11, 2001 attacks President
and First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon led seven				George W. Bush announced a War on Terrorism. The
Marines and 300 mercenaries in an effort to capture				stated objective of the Global War on Terror is "the
Tripoli. Though they only reached Derna, the action at				defeat of Al-Qaeda, other terrorist groups and any
Tripoli has been immortalized in the Marines' hymn and				nation that supports or harbors terrorists".[43] Since
the Mameluke Sword carried by Marine officers.				then, the Marine Corps, alongside other military and
During the War of 1812, Marine naval detachments				federal agencies, has engaged in global operations
took part in the great frigate duels that characterized				around the world in support of that mission.
the war, which were the first American victories in the				Marines and other U.S. forces began staging in
conflict. Their most significant contributions were				Pakistan and Uzbekistan on the border of Afghanistan
delaying the British march to Washington, D.C. at the				as early as October 2001 in preparation for Operation
Battle of Bladensburg and holding the center of Gen.				Enduring Freedom.[44] The 15th and 26th Marine
Andrew Jackson's defensive line at the defense of				Expeditionary Units were the first conventional forces
New Orleans. By the end of the war, the Marines had				into Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring
acquired a well-deserved reputation as expert				Freedom in November 2001, and in December, the
marksmen, especially in ship-to-ship actions.				Marines seized Kandahar International Airport.[45]
After the war, the Marine Corps fell into a depression				Since, then Marine battalions and squadrons have been
that ended with the appointment of Archibald				rotating through, engaging Taliban and Al-Qaeda
Henderson as its fifth commandant in 1820. Under his				forces.
tenure, the Corps took on expeditionary duties in the				In 2002, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa
Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Key West, West				(CJTF-HOA) was stood up at Camp Lemonier to
Africa, the Falkland Islands, and Sumatra. Commandant				provide regional security.[46] Despite transferring
Henderson is credited with thwarting President				overall command to the U.S. Navy in 2006, the Marines
Jackson's attempts to combine and integrate the				have continued to operate in the Horn of Africa into
Marine Corps with the Army.[23] Instead, Congress				2007.
passed the Act for the Better Organization of the				Most recently, the Marines have served prominently in
Marine Corps in 1834, stipulating that the Corps was				the Iraq War. The I Marine Expeditionary Force, along
part of the Department of the Navy as a sister				with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, spearheaded the
service to the U.S. Navy.[24] This would be the first of				2003 invasion of Iraq.[48] During the occupation of Iraq,
many times that the existance of the Corps was				Marines spearheaded both assaults on the city of
challenged.				Fallujah in April (Operation Vigilant Resolve) and
Commandant Henderson volunteered the Marines for				November 2004 (Operation Phantom Fury).[49] Their
service in the Seminole Wars of 1835, personally				time in Iraq has also courted controversy with the
leading nearly half of the entire Corps (two battalions)				Haditha incident and the Hamdania incident.[44][50]
to war. A decade later, in the Mexican–American				They currently continue to operate throughout Iraq.

Jalda Bolivia

United States Marine Corps

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