This last clause derives from similar language in thecongressional acts"For the Better Organization of the Marine Corps" of 1834 and"Establishing and Organizing a Marine Corps" of 1798. In 1951, theHouse of Representatives'Armed Services Committee called the clause "one of the most important statutory – and traditional – functions of the Marine Corps". It noted that the Corps has more often than not performed actions of a non-naval nature, including its famous actions inTripoli, theWar of 1812,Chapultepec, and numerouscounterinsurgency and occupational duties (such as those in Central America,World War I, and theKorean War). While these actions are not accurately described as support of naval campaigns nor as amphibious warfare, their common thread is that they are of an expeditionary nature, using the mobility of the Navy to provide timely intervention in foreign affairs on behalf of American interests.[20]
TheMarine Band, dubbed the "President's Own" byJohn Adams, provides music for state functions at theWhite House.[21] Marines from Ceremonial Companies A & B, quartered inMarine Barracks, Washington, D.C., guard presidential retreats, includingCamp David, and the marines of the Executive Flight Detachment ofHMX-1 provide helicopter transport to the president and vice president, with the radio call signs "Marine One" and "Marine Two", respectively.[22] The Executive Flight Detachment also provides helicopter transport toCabinet members and otherVIPs. By authority of the 1946 Foreign Service Act, theMarine Security Guard of the Marine Embassy Security Command provide security for Americanembassies,legations, andconsulates at more than 140 posts worldwide.[23]
The relationship between theDepartment of State and the U.S. Marine Corps is nearly as old as the Corps itself. For over 200 years, Marines have served at the request of varioussecretaries of state. AfterWorld War II, an alert, disciplined force was needed to protect American embassies, consulates, and legations throughout the world. In 1947, a proposal was made that the Department of Defense furnish Marine Corps personnel for Foreign Service guard duty under the provisions of the Foreign Service Act of 1946. A formal Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the Department of State and thesecretary of the Navy on 15 December 1948, and 83 Marines were deployed to overseas missions. During the first year of the program, 36 detachments were deployed worldwide.[24]
The Marine Corps was founded to serve as an infantry unit aboard naval vessels and was responsible for the security of the ship and its crew by conducting offensive and defensive combat duringboarding actions and defending the ship's officers frommutiny; to the latter end, their quarters on the ship were often strategically positioned between the officers' quarters and the rest of the vessel. Continental Marines manned raiding parties, both at sea and ashore. America's first amphibious assault landing occurred early in theRevolutionary War, on 3 March 1776, as the Marines gained control ofFort Montagu andFort Nassau, aBritish ammunition depot and naval port inNew Providence, the Bahamas. The role of the Marine Corps has expanded significantly since then; as the importance of its original naval mission declined with changing naval warfare doctrine and the professionalization of the naval service, the Corps adapted by focusing on formerly secondary missions ashore. The Advanced Base Doctrine of the early 20th century codified their combat duties ashore, outlining the use of Marines in the seizure of bases and other duties on land to support naval campaigns. In 1987, the USMC Sea School was closed; in 1998, all Marine Detachments on board ships were disbanded.
Throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries, Marine detachments served aboard Navy cruisers, battleships, and aircraft carriers. Marine detachments served in their traditional duties as a ship's landing force, manning the ship's weapons and providing shipboard security. Marine detachments were augmented by members of the ship's company for landing parties, such as in theFirst Sumatran expedition of 1832 and continuing in the Caribbean andMexican campaigns of the early 20th centuries. Marines developed tactics and techniques of amphibious assault on defended coastlines in time for use in World War II.[25] During World War II, Marines continued to serve on capital ships, and some were assigned to man anti-aircraft batteries.[26]
In 1950,[27] PresidentHarry Truman responded to a message from U.S. representativeGordon L. McDonough. McDonough had urged President Truman to add Marine representation on theJoint Chiefs of Staff. President Truman, writing in a letter addressed to McDonough, stated, "The Marine Corps is the Navy's police force and as long as I am President that is what it will remain. They have a propaganda machine that is almost equal toStalin's." McDonough then inserted President Truman's letter, dated 29 August 1950, into theCongressional Record. Congressmen and Marine organizations reacted, calling President Truman's remarks an insult, and demanded an apology. Truman apologized to the Marine commandant at the time, writing, "I sincerely regret the unfortunate choice of language which I used in my letter of August 29 to Congressman McDonough concerning the Marine Corps." While Truman had apologized for his metaphor, he did not alter his position that the Marine Corps should continue to report to the Navy secretary. He made amends only by making a surprise visit to theMarine Corps League a few days later, when he reiterated, "When I make a mistake, I try to correct it. I try to make as few as possible." He received a standing ovation.[28]
When gun cruisers were retired by the end of the 1970s, the remaining Marine detachments were only seen on battleships and carriers. Its original mission of providing shipboard security ended in the 1990s.[29]
The Marine Corps fulfills a critical military role as an amphibious warfare force. It is capable ofasymmetric warfare withconventional,irregular, andhybrid forces. While the Marine Corps does not employ any unique capabilities, as a force, it can rapidly deploy a combined-arms task force to almost anywhere in the world within days. The basic structure for all deployed units is aMarine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) that integrates aground combat element, anaviation combat element, and alogistics combat element under a commoncommand element. While the creation of joint commands under theGoldwater–Nichols Act has improved interservice coordination between each branch, the Corps's ability to permanently maintain integrated multielement task forces under a single command provides a smoother implementation of combined-arms warfare principles.[30]
The close integration of disparate Marine units stems from an organizational culture centered on the infantry. Every other Marine capability exists to support the infantry. Unlike some Western militaries, the Corps remained conservative against theories proclaiming the ability of new weapons to win wars independently. For example,Marine aviation has always been focused onclose air support and has remained largely uninfluenced by air power theories proclaiming thatstrategic bombing can single-handedly win wars.[25]
This focus on the infantry is matched with the doctrine of "Every Marine [is] a rifleman", a precept of CommandantAlfred M. Gray, Jr., emphasizing the infantry combat abilities of every Marine. All Marines, regardless ofmilitary specialization, receive training as arifleman, and all officers receive additional training as infantry platoon commanders.[31] During World War II at theBattle of Wake Island, when all the Marine aircraft were destroyed, pilots continued the fight as ground officers, leading supply clerks and cooks in a final defensive effort.[32] Flexibility of execution is implemented via an emphasis on "commander's intent" as a guiding principle for carrying out orders, specifying the end state but leaving open the method of execution.[33]
The amphibious assault techniques developed for World War II evolved, with the addition ofair assault andmaneuver warfare doctrine, into the current "Operational Maneuver from the Sea" doctrine ofpower projection from the seas.[11] The Marines are credited with developing helicopter insertion doctrine and were the earliest in the American military to widely adopt maneuver-warfare principles, which emphasize low-level initiative and flexible execution. In light of recent warfare that has strayed from the Corps's traditional missions,[34] the Marines have renewed an emphasis on amphibious capabilities.[35]
Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit departUSS Tarawa (LHA-1), using both a Landing Craft Utility and CH-53E "Super Stallion" helicopters, during amphibious operations in Kuwait, 2003.
Two small manuals published during the 1930s established USMC doctrine in two areas. TheSmall Wars Manual laid the framework for Marinecounterinsurgency operations fromVietnam toIraq andAfghanistan while theTentative Landing Operations Manual established the doctrine for theamphibious operations of World War II. "Operational Maneuver from the Sea" was the doctrine of power projection in 2006.[11]
In January 1776, the Marines went to sea under the command of CommodoreEsek Hopkins and in March undertook their first amphibious landing, theBattle of Nassau in the Bahamas, occupying the British port of Nassau for two weeks.[40] On 3 January 1777, the Marines arrived at theBattle of Princeton attached to GeneralJohn Cadwalader's brigade, where they had been assigned by GeneralGeorge Washington; by December 1776, Washington was retreating through New Jersey and, needing veteran soldiers, ordered Nicholas and the Marines to attach themselves to theContinental Army. The Battle of Princeton, where the Marines along with Cadwalader's brigade were personally rallied by Washington, was the first land combat engagement of the Marines; an estimated 130 marines were present at the battle.[40]
At the end of the American Revolution, both theContinental Navy and Continental Marines were disbanded in April 1783. The institution was resurrected on 11 July 1798; in preparation for theQuasi-War withFrance, Congress created the United States Marine Corps.[1] Marines had been enlisted by theWar Department as early as August 1797[41] for service in the newly-builtfrigates authorized by the Congressional "Act to provide a Naval Armament" of 18 March 1794,[42] which specified the numbers of marines to recruit for each frigate.[43]
British and U.S. troops garrisoned aboardHornet andPenguin exchangingsmall arms musket fire with Tristan da Cuna in the background during thefinal engagement between British and U.S. forces in theWar of 1812
During theWar of 1812, Marine detachments on Navy ships took part in some of the great frigate duels that characterized the war, which were the first and last engagements of the conflict. Their most significant contribution was holding the center of GeneralAndrew Jackson's defensive line at the 1815Battle of New Orleans, the final major battle and one of the most one-sided engagements of the war. With widespread news of the battle and thecapture of HMSCyane, HMSLevant andHMSPenguin, the final engagements between British and U.S. forces, the Marines had gained a reputation as expertmarksmen, especially in defensive and ship-to-ship actions.[45] They played a large role in the 1813defense of Sacket's Harbor, New York andNorfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia,[46] also taking part in the 1814defense of Plattsburgh in theChamplain Valley during one of the final British offensives along the Canadian–U.S. border. TheBattle of Bladensburg, fought 24 August 1814, was one of the worst days for American arms, though a few units and individuals performed heroic service. Notable among them were Commodore Joshua Barney's 500 sailors and the 120 marines under Captain Samuel Miller USMC, who inflicted the bulk of British casualties and were the only effective American resistance during the battle. A final desperate Marine counter attack, with the fighting at close quarters, however was not enough; Barney and Miller's forces were overrun. In all of 114 marines, 11 were killed and 16 wounded. During the battle Captain Miller's arm was badly wounded, for his gallant service in action, Miller was brevetted to the rank of Major USMC.[47]
After the war, the Marine Corps fell into a malaise that ended with the appointment ofArchibald Henderson as its fifth commandant in 1820. Under his tenure, the Corps took on expeditionary duties in the Caribbean, theGulf of Mexico,Key West, West Africa, theFalkland Islands, andSumatra. Commandant Henderson is credited with thwarting President Jackson's attempts to combine and integrate the Marine Corps with the Army.[45] Instead, Congress passed theAct for the Better Organization of the Marine Corps in 1834, stipulating that the Corps was part of the Department of the Navy as a sister service to the Navy.[48]
Commandant Henderson volunteered the Marines for service in theSeminole Wars of 1835, personally leading nearly half of the entire Corps (two battalions) to war. A decade later, in theMexican–American War (1846–1848), the Marines made their famedassault on Chapultepec Palace in Mexico City, which would be later celebrated as the "Halls of Montezuma" in the Marines' Hymn. In fairness to the U.S. Army, most of the troops who made the final assault at the Halls of Montezuma were soldiers and not Marines.[49] The Americans forces were led by Army GeneralWinfield Scott. Scott organized two storming parties of about 250 men each for 500 men total including 40 marines.[citation needed]
In the 1850s, the Marines engaged in service in Panama and Asia and were attached to CommodoreMatthew Perry'sEast India Squadron on its historic trip to the Far East.[50]
The Marine Corps played a small role in theCivil War (1861–1865); their most prominent task wasblockade duty. As more and more statesseceded from theUnion, about a third of the Corps's officers left the United States to join theConfederacy and form theConfederate States Marine Corps, which ultimately played little part in the war. The battalion of recruits formed for theFirst Battle of Bull Run performed poorly, retreating with the rest of the Union forces.[36] Blockade duty included sea-based amphibious operations to secure forward bases. In early November 1861, a group of sailors and Marines landed in the towns of Port Royal and Beaufort, South Carolina. A few days later that task force captured nearby Hilton Head Island. A couple of weeks later a reconnaissance in force group captured Tybee Island. This is where the Union set up the artillery barrage to bombard Fort Pulaski.[51] In April and May 1862, Marines participated inthe capture and occupation of New Orleans and the occupation of Baton Rouge, Louisiana,[52] key events in the war that helped secure Union control of the lowerMississippi River basin and denied the Confederacy a major port and naval base on theGulf Coast.[citation needed]
The remainder of the 19th century was marked by declining strength and introspection about the mission of the Marine Corps. The Navy's transition fromsail tosteam put into question the need for Marines on naval ships. Meanwhile, Marines served as a convenient resource for interventions and landings to protect American interests overseas. The Corps was involved in over 28 separate interventions in the 30 years from the end of the American Civil War to the end of the 19th century.[53] They were called upon to stem political and labor unrest within the United States.[54] Under CommandantJacob Zeilin's tenure, Marine customs and traditions took shape: the Corps adopted theMarine Corps emblem on 19 November 1868. It was during this time that "The Marines' Hymn" was first heard. Around 1883, the Marines adopted their current motto "Semper fidelis" (Always Faithful).[45]John Philip Sousa, the musician and composer, enlisted as a Marine apprentice at age 13, serving from 1867 until 1872, and again from 1880 to 1892 as the leader of theMarine Band.[55]
DuringWorld War I, Marines served as a part of theAmerican Expeditionary Force under GeneralJohn J. Pershing whenAmerica entered into the war on 6 April 1917. The Marine Corps had a deep pool of officers andnon-commissioned officers with battle experience and thus experienced a large expansion. The U.S. Marine Corps entered the war with 511 officers and 13,214 enlisted personnel and by 11 November 1918 had reached a strength of 2,400 officers and 70,000 enlisted.[57] African-Americans were entirely excluded from the Marine Corps during this conflict.[58]Opha May Johnson was the first woman to enlist in the Marines; she joined theMarine Corps Reserve in 1918 during World War I, officially becoming the first female Marine.[59] From then until the end the war, 305 women enlisted in the Corps.[60]
During theBattle of Belleau Wood in 1918, Marine Corps lore states that Germans had nicknamed the MarinesTeufel Hunden, meaning "Devil Dogs", for their reputation asshock troops and marksmen at ranges up to 900 meters.[61] However, this nickname—first used by the Marines themselves, according to theUnited States Marine Corps History Division—predated Belleau Wood in print by six weeks,[62] and was likely an invention of an American war correspondent.[63] Nevertheless, the nickname has endured.[62]
Between the World Wars, the Marine Corps was headed by CommandantJohn A. Lejeune, and under his leadership, the Corps studied and developed amphibious techniques that would be of great use in World War II. Many officers, including Lieutenant ColonelEarl Hancock "Pete" Ellis, foresaw a war in the Pacific withJapan and undertook preparations for such a conflict. Through 1941, as the prospect of war grew, the Corps pushed urgently for joint amphibious exercises with the Army and acquired amphibious equipment that would prove of great use in the upcoming conflict.[64]
The Battle of Iwo Jima, which began on 19 February 1945, was arguably the most famous Marine engagement of the war. The Japanese had learned from their defeats in theMarianas Campaign and prepared many fortified positions on the island includingpillboxes and network of tunnels. The Japanese put up fierce resistance, but American forcesreached the summit ofMount Suribachi on 23 February. The mission was accomplished with high losses of 26,000 American casualties and 22,000 Japanese.[66]
The Marines played a comparatively minor role in theEuropean theater. Nonetheless, they did continue to provide security detachments to U.S. embassies and ships, contributed personnel to smallspecial ops teams dropped intoNazi-occupied Europe as part ofOffice of Strategic Services (OSS, the precursor to theCIA) missions, and acted as staff planners and trainers for U.S. Army amphibious operations, including theNormandy landings.[67][68]
By the end of the war, the Corps had expanded from two brigades to sixdivisions, fiveair wings, and supporting troops, totaling about 485,000 marines. In addition, 20defense battalions and aparachute battalion were raised.[69] Nearly 87,000 marines were casualties during World War II (including nearly 20,000 killed), and 82 were awarded theMedal of Honor.[70]
In 1942, the NavySeabees were created with the Marine Corps providing their organization and military training. Many Seabee units were issued the USMC standard issue and were re-designated "Marine". Despite the Corps giving them their military organization and military training, issuing them uniforms, and redesignating their units, the Seabees remained Navy.[c][71][72] USMC historian Gordon L. Rottmann writes that one of the "Navy's biggest contributions to the Marine Corps during WWII was the creation of the Seabees."[73]
DespiteSecretary of the NavyJames Forrestal's prediction that the Marine flag raising at Iwo Jima meant "a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years",[74][75] the Corps faced an immediate institutional crisis following the war because of a suddenly shrunken budget. Army generals pushing for a strengthened and reorganized defense establishment attempted to fold the Marine mission and assets into the Navy and Army. Drawing on hastily assembled Congressional support, and with the assistance of the so-called "Revolt of the Admirals", the Marine Corps rebuffed such efforts to dismantle the Corps, resulting in statutory protection of the Marine Corps in theNational Security Act of 1947.[76] Shortly afterward, in 1952 the Douglas–Mansfield Act afforded the commandant an equal voice with theJoint Chiefs of Staff on matters relating to the Marines and established the structure ofthree active divisions andair wings that remain today.[citation needed]
F4U Corsairs providing close air support to marines of the1st Marine Division fighting Chinese forces in North Korea, December 1950
The beginning of theKorean War (1950–1953) saw the hastily formedProvisional Marine Brigade holding the defensive line at thePusan Perimeter. To execute aflanking maneuver, GeneralDouglas MacArthur called on United Nations forces, spearheaded by U.S. Marines, to make an amphibious landing atInchon. The successful landing resulted in the collapse of North Korean lines and the pursuit of North Korean forces north near theYalu River until the surprise entrance of the People's Republic of China into the war which overwhelmed the overextended and outnumbered the United Nations forces.1st Marine Division, which was attached to the U.S. Army's X Corps, regrouped and inflicted heavy casualties during its fighting withdrawal to the coast of Hungnam, known as theBattle of Chosin Reservoir.
After their evacuation from Hungnam, 1st Marine Division would go on to participate in some of the most important battles of the war until the signing of thearmistice in 1953. These included the First and second battles of Wonju, Operation Ripper, Chinese spring offensive and UN May–June 1951 counteroffensive. 1st Marine Division played a central role in repelling the Chinese assault at the Battle of the Samichon River, the final battle of the war.
During the war, the Corps expanded from 75,000 regulars to a force of 261,000 marines, mostly reservists; 30,544 marines were killed or wounded during the war, and 42 were awarded theMedal of Honor.[77][78]
The Marine Corps served in theVietnam War, taking part in such battles as theBattle of Hue and theBattle of Khe Sanh in 1968. Individuals from the USMC generally operated in the Northern I Corps Regions ofSouth Vietnam. While there, they were constantly engaged in a guerrilla war against theViet Cong, along with an intermittent conventional war against theNorth Vietnamese Army, this made the Marine Corps known throughout Vietnam and gained a frightening reputation from the Viet Cong. Portions of the Corps were responsible for the less-knownCombined Action Program that implemented unconventional techniques for counterinsurgency and worked as military advisors to theRepublic of Vietnam Marine Corps. Marines were withdrawn in 1971 and returned briefly in 1975 to evacuateSaigon and attempt a rescue of the crew of theSSMayaguez.[79] Vietnam was the longest war up to that time for the Marines; by its end, 13,091 had been killed in action,[80][81] 51,392 had been wounded, and 57 Medals of Honor had been awarded.[82][83] Because of policies concerning rotation, more marines were deployed for service during Vietnam than World War II.[84]
While recovering from Vietnam, the Corps hit a detrimental low point in its service history caused bycourts-martial and non-judicial punishments related partially to increasedunauthorized absences and desertions during the war. Overhaul of the Corps began in the late 1970s, discharging the most delinquent, and once the quality of new recruits improved, the Corps focused on reforming the non-commissioned officer Corps, a vital functioning part of its forces.[30]
After the Vietnam War, the U.S. Marines resumed their expeditionary role, participating in the failed 1980Iran hostage rescue attemptOperation Eagle Claw, theOperation Urgent Fury and theOperation Just Cause. On 23 October 1983, the Marine barracksin Beirut was bombed, causing the highest peacetime losses to the Corps in its history (220 marines and 21 other service members were killed) and leading to the American withdrawal from Lebanon. In 1990, Marines of theJoint Task Force Sharp Edge saved thousands of lives by evacuating British, French and American nationals from the violence of theLiberian Civil War.
During thePersian Gulf War of 1990 to 1991, Marine task forces formed for Operation Desert Shield and later liberated Kuwait, along with Coalition forces, in Operation Desert Storm.[45] Marines participated in combat operations in Somalia (1992–1995) during OperationsRestore Hope, Restore Hope II, andUnited Shield to provide humanitarian relief.[85] In 1997, Marines took part inOperation Silver Wake, the evacuation of American citizens from the U.S. embassy inTirana, Albania.[citation needed]
Following theattacks on 11 September 2001, PresidentGeorge W. Bush announced theGlobal War on Terrorism. The stated objective of the Global War on Terror is "the defeat ofAl-Qaeda, other terrorist groups and any nation that supports or harbors terrorists".[86] Since then, the Marine Corps, alongside the other military services, has engaged in global operations around the world in support of that mission.[87]
In spring 2009, PresidentBarack Obama's goal of reducing spending in the Defense Department was led by SecretaryRobert Gates in a series of budget cuts that did not significantly change the Corps's budget and programs, cutting only theVH-71 Kestrel and resetting theVXX program.[88][89][90] However, theNational Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform singled the Corps out for the brunt of a series of recommended cuts in late 2010.[91] In light ofbudget sequestration in 2013, GeneralJames Amos set a goal of a force of 174,000 Marines.[92] He testified that this was the minimum number that would allow for an effective response to even a single contingency operation, but it would reduce the peacetime ratio of time at home bases to time deployed down to a historical low level.[93]
Marines and other American forces began staging in Pakistan and Uzbekistan on the border of Afghanistan as early as October 2001 in preparation forOperation Enduring Freedom.[94] The15th and26th Marine Expeditionary Units were some of the first conventional forces into Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in November 2001.[95]
After that, Marine battalions and squadrons rotated through, engaging theTaliban and Al-Qaeda forces. Marines of the24th Marine Expeditionary Unit flooded into the Taliban-held town ofGarmsir inHelmand Province on 29 April 2008, in the first major American operation in the region in years.[96] In June 2009, 7,000 marines with the2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (2nd MEB) deployed to Afghanistan in an effort to improve security[97] and beganOperation Strike of the Sword the next month. In February 2010, the 2nd MEB launched the largest offensive of the Afghan Campaign since 2001, theBattle of Marjah, to clear the Taliban from their key stronghold in Helmand Province.[98] After Marjah, marines progressed north up theHelmand River and cleared the towns of Kajahki and Sangin. Marines remained in Helmand Province until 2014.[99]
In the 2020s, as the U.S. national strategy shifted from the war on terrorism tocompetition with China, the Marine Corps abandoned its previous plan to focus on land operations and strengthened its firepower configuration in theIndo-Pacific region to defeat theChinese People's Liberation Army in possible island operations.[108] As part of this shift the USMC has established ajoint deployment with the Australian military in Darwin starting with 200 Marines in 2011.[109]
The Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) consists of thecommandant of the Marine Corps, theassistant commandant of the Marine Corps, the director of the Marine Corps Staff, several deputy commandants, thesergeant major of the Marine Corps, and various special staff officers and Marine Corps agency heads that report directly to either the commandant or assistant commandant. HQMC is supported by the Headquarters and Service Battalion, USMC providing administrative, supply, logistics, training, and services support to the Commandant and his staff.[citation needed] Additionally, Marine Corps' aircraft arm and intelligence arm are both organized under HQMC; those being theMarine Corps Aviation andMarine Corps Intelligence respectively.
The Operating Forces are divided into three categories: Marine Corps Forces (MARFOR) assigned to unified combatant commands, namely, theFleet Marine Forces (FMF);Security Forces guarding high-risk naval installations; andSecurity Guard detachments atAmerican embassies. Under the "Forces for Unified Commands" memo, in accordance with theUnified Command Plan, Marine Corps Forces are assigned to each of the combatant commands at the discretion of the secretary of defense. Since 1991, the Marine Corps has maintained component headquarters at each of the regional unified combatant commands.[113]
The Marine Corps operates many major bases, 14 of which host operating forces, seven support and training installations, as well as satellite facilities.[114] Marine Corps bases are concentrated around the locations of the Marine Expeditionary Forces, though reserve units are scattered throughout the U.S. The principal bases areCamp Pendleton on the West Coast, home to I Marine Expeditionary Force,[115]Camp Lejeune on the East Coast, home to II Marine Expeditionary Force,[116] andCamp Butler inOkinawa, Japan, home to III Marine Expeditionary Force.[117]
The Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) includes theMarine Raider Regiment, the Marine Raider Support Group, and the Marine Raider Training Center (MRTC).[120][121] Both the Raider Regiment and the Raider Support Group consist of three battalions with a headquarters company.[122] The MRTC conducts screening, assessment, selection, training and development functions for MARSOC units.[123][121][124]
Although the notion of a Marine special operations forces contribution to theUnited States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) was considered as early as the founding of USSOCOM in the 1980s, it was resisted by the Marine Corps. CommandantPaul X. Kelley expressed the belief that marines should only support marines and that the Corps should not fund a special operations capability that would not directly support Marine Corps operations.[125] However, much of the resistance from within the Corps dissipated when Marine leaders watched the Corps' 15th and 26th MEU(SOC)s "sit on the sidelines" during the very early stages ofOperation Enduring Freedom while other conventional units and special operations units from the Army, Navy, and Air Force actively engaged in operations in Afghanistan.[126] After a three-year development period, the Corps agreed in 2006 to supply a 2,500-strong unit, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, which would answer directly to USSOCOM.[127]
Although the Marine Corps ground reconnaissance units, theForce Reconnaissance Companies and theReconnaissance Battalions, are conventional forces and not special operations forces, they do share many of the same tactics, techniques, procedures, terms, and equipment.[130][131][132]
Thecommandant of the Marine Corps is the highest-ranking officer of the Marine Corps, unless a Marine is either the chairman or vice chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff. The commandant has theU.S. Code Title 10 responsibility to staff, train, and equip the Marine Corps and has no command authority. The commandant is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and reports to thesecretary of the Navy.[133]
Theassistant commandant of the Marine Corps acts as the chief deputy to the commandant. Thesergeant major of the Marine Corps is the senior enlisted Marine and acts as an adviser to the commandant. Headquarters Marine Corps comprises the rest of the commandant's counsel andstaff, with deputy commandants that oversee various aspects of the Corps assets and capabilities. The 39th and current commandant isEric M. Smith, while the 20th and current sergeant major isCarlos A. Ruiz.[134]
SergeantOpha Johnson (far right) in 1946, with ColonelKatherine Towle (far left). They are looking at Opha Johnson's uniform being worn by PFC Muriel Albert.Two of the first female graduates of the School of Infantry-East's Infantry Training Battalion course, 2013
Women have served in the United States Marine Corps since 1918.[135] The first woman to have enlisted wasOpha May Johnson (1878–1955).[136][137] In January 2017, three women joined an infantry battalion at Camp Lejeune. Women had not served as infantry marines prior to this.[138] In 2017, the Marines released a recruitment advertisement that focused on women for the first time.[139] As of October 2019[update], female Marines make up 7.8% of the personnel.[citation needed]
In December 2020, the Marine Corps began a trial program to have females integrated into the training companies at theirrecruit depot in San Diego as Congress has mandated an end to the male-only program there. For the 60 female recruits, scheduled to begin training in San Diego in February 2021, the Corps will transfer female drill instructors from theirrecruit depot in Parris Island, which already has acoed program.[140] Fifty-three of these recruits successfully graduated from boot camp in April 2021 and became marines.[141][142]
Howard P. Perry, the first black recruit in the U.S. Marine Corps, 1942.
In 1776 and 1777, a dozen African American marines served in theAmerican Revolutionary War, but from 1798 to 1942, the Marine Corps followed a racially discriminatory policy of denying African Americans the opportunity to serve.[143] The Marine Corps was the last of the services to recruit African Americans, and its own history page acknowledges that it was a presidential order that "forced the Corps, despite objections from its leadership, to begin recruiting African American Marines in 1942.[144] It accepted them as recruits into segregated all-black units.[143] For the next few decades, the incorporation of black troops was not widely accepted within the Corps, nor wasdesegregation smoothly or quickly achieved. The integration of African American Marines proceeded in stages from segregated battalions in 1942, to unified training in 1949, and finally full integration in 1960.[145]
While racial segregation was in place, African American Marines were trained at a separate training base than their white counter part. The location that facilitated the training of African American Marines was calledMontford Point. Black recruits were trained here from 1942 to 1949; 20,000 African Americans were trained during this period.[146] In 1974, Montford Point was renamed Camp Gilbert H. Johnson. Camp Johnson was renamed to honor one of the first Black Marines, Sgt. Maj. Gilbert “Hashmark” Johnson.[147]
The Marine Corps today is a fully integrated force, with Marines of all racial and ethnic backgrounds serving together.
As in the rest of the United States Armed Forces (excluding the U.S. Space Force, which does not currently appoint warrant officers), Marine Corpsranks fall into one of three categories:commissioned officer,warrant officer, and enlisted, in decreasing order of authority. To standardize compensation, each rank is assigned apay grade.[148]
Commissioned officers are distinguished from other officers by theircommission, which is the formal written authority, issued in the name of the president of the United States, that confers the rank and authority of a Marine officer. Commissioned officers carry the "special trust and confidence" of the president of the United States.[20] Marine Corps commissioned officers are promoted based on an "up or out" system in accordance with theDefense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980.[149]
Enlisted marines in the pay grades E-1 to E-3 make up the bulk of the Corps's ranks. Although they do not technically hold leadership ranks, the Corps's ethos stresses leadership among all marines, and junior marines are often assigned responsibilities normally reserved for superiors. Those in the pay grades of E-4 and E-5 are non-commissioned officers (NCOs).[150] They primarily supervise junior marines and act as a vital link with the higher command structure, ensuring that orders are carried out correctly. Marines E-6 and higher are staff non-commissioned officers (SNCOs), charged with supervising NCOs and acting as enlisted advisers to the command.[151]
The E-8 and E-9 levels have two and three ranks per pay grade, respectively, each with different responsibilities. The first sergeant and sergeant major ranks are command-oriented, serving as the senior enlisted marines in a unit, charged to assist the commanding officer in matters of discipline, administration, and the morale and welfare of the unit. Master sergeants and master gunnery sergeants provide technical leadership as occupational specialists in their specific MOS. Thesergeant major of the Marine Corps is a billet conferred on the senior enlisted marine of the entire Marine Corps, personally selected by the commandant, and is given a special pay grade above E-9. It is possible for an enlisted marine to hold a position senior to the sergeant major of the Marine Corps which was the case when Sergeant MajorBryan B. Battaglia was appointed to the position ofsenior enlisted advisor to the chairman, who is the most senior enlisted member of the United States military, serving in theJoint Chiefs of Staff.[152]
The Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) is a system of job classification. Using a four digit code, it designates what field and specific occupation a Marine performs. Segregated between officer and enlisted, the MOS determines the staffing of a unit. Some MOSs change with rank to reflect supervisory positions; others are secondary and represent a temporary assignment outside of a Marine's normal duties or special skill.[citation needed]
Marine recruits at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
Every year, over 2,000 new Marine officers are commissioned, and 38,000 recruits are accepted and trained.[36] All new marines, enlisted or officer, arerecruited by theMarine Corps Recruiting Command.[153]
Commissioned officers are commissioned mainly through one of three sources:Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps,Officer Candidates School, or theUnited States Naval Academy. Following commissioning, all Marine commissioned officers, regardless of accession route or further training requirements, attendThe Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico. At The Basic School, second lieutenants, warrant officers, and selected foreign officers learn the art of infantry andcombined arms warfare.[20]
Enlisted marines attendrecruit training, known asboot camp, at either Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego or Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. Historically, theMississippi River served as a dividing line that delineated who would be trained where, while more recently, adistrict system has ensured a more even distribution of male recruits between the two facilities. All recruits must pass a fitness test to start training; those who fail will receive individualized attention and training until the minimum standards are reached.[154] Marine recruit training is the longest among the American military services; it is 13 weeks long including processing and out-processing.[155]
Following recruit training, enlisted marines then attendthe School of Infantry atCamp Geiger orCamp Pendleton. Infantry marines begin their combat training, which varies in length, immediately with the Infantry Training Battalion. Marines in all other MOSs train for 29 days in Marine Combat Training, learning common infantry skills, before continuing on to their MOS schools, which vary in length.[156]
The Marine Corps has the most stable and most recognizable uniforms in the American military; the Dress Blues dates back to the early 19th century[36] and the service uniform to the early 20th century. Only a handful of skills (parachutist, air crew, explosive ordnance disposal, etc.) warrantdistinguishing badges, and rank insignia is not worn on uniform headgear (with the exception of an officer's garrison service cover).
Marines have four main uniforms: dress, service, utility, and physical training. These uniforms have a few minor but very distinct variations from enlisted personnel to commissioned and non-commissioned officers. The Marine Corpsdress uniform is the most elaborate, worn for formal or ceremonial occasions. There are four different forms of the dress uniform. The variations of the dress uniforms are known as "Alphas", "Bravos", "Charlies", or "Deltas". The most common being the "Blue Dress Alphas or Bravos", called "Dress Blues" or simply "Blues". It is most often seen in recruiting advertisements and is equivalent toblack tie. There is a "Blue-White" Dress for summer, and Evening Dress for formal (white tie) occasions, which are reserved for SNCO's and officers. Versions with a khaki shirt in lieu of the coat (Blue Dress Charlie/Delta) are worn as a daily working uniform by Marine recruiters and NROTC staff.[157]
Theservice uniform was once the prescribed daily work attire in garrison; however, it has been largely superseded in this role by the utility uniform. Consisting of olive green and khaki colors. It is roughly equivalent in function and composition to abusiness suit.[157][failed verification]
Theutility uniform, currently theMarine Corps Combat Utility Uniform, is a camouflage uniform intended for wear in the field or for dirty work in garrison, though it has been standardized for regular duty. It is rendered inMARPAT pixelatedcamouflage that breaks up the wearer's shape. In garrison, the woodland and desert uniforms are worn depending on the marine's duty station.[158][better source needed] Marines consider the utilities a working uniform and do not permit their wear off-base, except in transit to and from their place of duty and in the event of an emergency.[157]
As in any military organization, the official and unofficial traditions of the Marine Corps serve to reinforce camaraderie and set the service apart from others. The Corps's embrace of its rich culture and history is cited as a reason for its highesprit de corps.[20] An important part of the Marine Corps culture is the traditional seafaring naval terminology derived from its history with the Navy. "Marines" are not "soldiers" or "sailors".[159]
The Eagle, Globe and Anchor along with the U.S. flag, the Marine Corps flag and the Commandant's flag
TheMarine Corps emblem is theEagle, Globe, and Anchor, sometimes abbreviated "EGA", adopted in 1868.[160] The Marine Corps seal includes the emblem, also is found on theflag of the United States Marine Corps, and establishes scarlet and gold as the official colors.[161] The Marine mottoSemper Fidelis meansAlways Faithful inLatin, often appearing asSemper Fi. TheMarines' Hymn dates back to the 19th century and is the oldest official song in the United States armed forces.Semper Fi is also the name of theofficial march of the Corps, composed byJohn Philip Sousa. The mottos"Fortitudine" (With Fortitude);By Sea and by Land, a translation of theRoyal Marines'Per Mare, Per Terram; andTo the Shores of Tripoli were used until 1868.[162]
Two styles of swords are worn by marines: the officers'Mameluke Sword, similar to the Persianshamshir presented to Lt.Presley O'Bannon after theBattle of Derna, and theMarine NCO sword.[36] TheMarine Corps Birthday is celebrated every year on 10 November in a cake-cutting ceremony where the first slice of cake is given to the oldest marine present, who in turn hands it off to the youngest marine present. The celebration includes a reading of CommandantLejeune's Birthday Message.[163] Close Order Drill is heavily emphasized early on in a marine's initial training, incorporated into most formal events, and is used to teach discipline by instilling habits of precision and automatic response to orders, increase the confidence of junior officers and noncommissioned officers through the exercise of command and give marines an opportunity to handle individual weapons.[164]
A recruiting poster making use of the "Teufel Hunden" [sic] nickname
Marines have several generic nicknames:
Devil Dog: Marine Corps lore holds that German soldiers nicknamed U.S. Marines "Teufelshunde" (Devil Dogs) atBelleau Wood.[165][166][167] Although there is no evidence of German use or origin of the term, "Devil Dog" has remained a part of the culture of the Marine Corps.[62]
Gyrene: commonly used between fellow marines.[168]
Leatherneck: refers to a leather collar formerly part of the Marine uniform during the Revolutionary War period.[169]
Jarhead has several oft-disputed explanations.[170]
Crayon-eater: A self-deprecating term originating in the 2010s, playing off of a stereotype of Marines as unintelligent.[171][172]
Some other unofficial traditions include mottos and exclamations:
Oorah is common among marines, being similar in function and purpose to the Army, Air Force, and Space Force'shooah and the Navy'shooyah cries. Many possibleetymologies have been offered for the term.[173]
Semper Fi is a common greeting among serving and veteran marines.
Improvise, Adapt and Overcome has become an adopted mantra in many units.[174]
In 1976 the Camp Pendleton Chapter of theKu Klux Klan, which had over 100 members, was headed by an active duty marine. In 1986, a number of Marines were implicated in the theft of weapons for theWhite Patriot Party. While the sale of the weapons was to a supremacist organization it was never verified that the Marines were actual members of the organization. The USMC, along with the rest of the military, has since made an effort to address extremism in the ranks.[175]
The Corps encourages the idea that "Marine" is an earned title, and most Marine Corps personnel take to heart the phrase "Once a Marine, always a Marine". They reject the term "ex-Marine" in most circumstances. There are no regulations concerning the address of persons who have left active service, so a number of customary terms have come into common use.[76]
In 2001, the Marine Corps initiated an internally designed martial arts program, called Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP). Because of an expectation that urban and police-typepeacekeeping missions would become more common in the 21st century, placing marines in even closer contact with unarmed civilians, MCMAP was implemented to provide marines with a larger and more versatile set of less-than-lethal options for controlling hostile, unarmed individuals. It is a stated aim of the program to instill and maintain the "Warrior Ethos" within marines.[176]
The MCMAP is an eclectic mix of different styles of martial arts melded together. MCMAP consists of punches and kicks fromTaekwondo and Karate, opponent weight transfer fromJujitsu, ground grappling involvingjoint locking techniques andchokes fromBrazilian jiu-jitsu, and a mix of knife and baton/stick fighting derived fromEskrima, and elbow strikes and kick boxing fromMuay Thai. Marines begin MCMAP training in boot camp, where they will earn the first of five availablebelts. The belts begin at tan and progress to black and are worn with standard utility uniforms.[177]
As of 2013, the typical infantry rifleman carries $14,000 worth of gear (excludingnight-vision goggles), compared to $2,500 a decade earlier. The number of pieces of equipment (everything from radios to trucks) in a typical infantry battalion has also increased, from 3,400 pieces of gear in 2001 to 8,500 in 2013.[178]
The infantry weapon of the Marine Corps is theM27 IAR service rifle.[179] Most non-infantry marines have been equipped with theM4 carbine[180] orColt 9mm SMG as of 2006.[181] The standardside arm is theSIG Sauer M17/M18[182] The M18 will replace all other pistols in the Marine Corps inventory, including theM9, M9A1,M45A1 and M007, as the M45A1 Close Quarter Battle Pistol (CQBP) in small numbers.Suppressive fire is provided by the,M249 SAW, andM240 machine guns, at the squad and company levels respectively. In 2018, the M27 IAR was selected to be the standard-issue rifle for all infantry squads.[183] In 2021, the Marine Corps committed to fieldingsuppressors to all its infantry units, making it the first branch of the U.S. military to adopt them for widespread use.[184]
The Marine Corps uses a variety of direct-fire rockets and missiles to provide infantry with an offensive and defensive anti-armor capability. TheMk 153 SMAW andAT4 are unguided rockets that can destroy armor and fixed defenses (e.g., bunkers) at ranges up to 500 meters. The smaller and lighterM72 LAW can destroy targets at ranges up to 200 meters.[188][189] TheFGM-172 SRAW,FGM-148 Javelin andBGM-71 TOW areanti-tank guided missiles. The Javelin can use top-attack profiles to avoid heavy frontal armor. The SRAW is a close range missile system that uses aPredicted Line of Sight (PLOS) guidance system. The Javelin and TOW are heavier missiles effective past 2,000 meters that give infantry an offensive capability against armor.[190]
The Marines also operate theM777 155 mm howitzer and theHigh Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a truck-mounted rocket artillery system. Both are capable of firing guided munitions.[194] In 2020, the Marine Corps retired itsM1A1 Abrams tanks and eliminated all of its tank units. General David Berger explained the decision describing the long-serving Marine weapons system as "operationally unsuitable for our highest-priority challenges." The move leaves the Army as the sole American operator of tanks.[195]
The Corps operates its own organicaerial refueling assets in the form of theKC-130 Hercules; however, it also receives a large amount of support from the U.S. Air Force. The Hercules doubles as a ground refueler and tactical-airlift transport aircraft. The USMC electronic warfare plane, theEA-6B, was retired in 2019. The Marines operateunmanned aerial vehicles: theRQ-7 Shadow andScan Eagle for tactical reconnaissance.[202]
In general, the Marine Corps shares many resources with the other branches of theUnited States Armed Forces. However, the Corps has consistently sought to maintain its own identity with regard to mission, funding, and assets, while using support available from the larger branches. While the Marine Corps has far fewer installations both in the U.S. and worldwide than the other branches, manyArmy posts,Naval stations, andAir Force bases have a Marine presence. They also cross-train with other countries.[citation needed]
The Marine Corps's counterpart under the Department of the Navy is the United States Navy. As a result, the Navy and Marine Corps have a close relationship, more so than with other branches of the military.White papers and promotional literature have commonly used the phrase "Navy-Marine Corps Team",[205][206] or refer to "the Naval Service". Both thechief of naval operations (CNO) and commandant of the Marine Corps report directly to the secretary of the Navy.[207][208]
Operationally, the Marine Corps provides theFleet Marine Forces for service with the Navy's fleets, including the forward-deployed Marine Expeditionary Units embarked aboard Navy amphibious warships. The Corps also contributes some Marine Aviation fixed-wing fighter/attack assets (aircraft squadrons and related aircraft maintenance augmentation units) as part of the Carrier Air Wings deployed aboard aircraft carriers. TheMarine Corps Security Force Regiment provides infantry-based security battalions and Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team companies to guard and defend high-priority and overseas Navy bases. Security for the Presidential Retreat located atCamp David is provided by the Marine infantry battalion stationed as part of the garrison aboard Marine Barracks Washington.
Cooperation between the two services includes the training and instruction of some future Marine Corps officers (most are trained and commissioned through Marine Corps OCS), all Marine Corps Naval Aviators (aircraft pilots) and Naval Flight Officers (airborne weapons and sensor system officers), and some Navy and Marine Corps enlisted personnel. The Corps receives a significant portion of its officers from theUnited States Naval Academy (USNA) andNaval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC). USNA and NROTC staff and faculty includes Marine Corps instructors.Marine Corps aviators and flight officers are trained in theNaval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) and are designated, orwinged asNaval Aviators orNaval Flight Officers. The Marine Corps provides flight instructors to the Naval Air Training Command as well asdrill instructors to theNavy's Officer Candidate School. Many enlisted marines, particularly those in the aviation maintenance specialties, are trained at Navy technical training centers. The Marine Corps also provides ground combat training support to various Navy field medical (Hospital Corpsmen), Naval Construction Force (Seabee), and Navy Expeditionary Warfare personnel, units, and commands.
Training alongside each other is viewed as critical, as the Navy provides transport, logistical, and combat support to put Marine units into the fight, such asmaritime prepositioning ships andnaval gunfire support. Most Marine aviation assets ultimately derive from the Navy, with regard to acquisition, funding, and testing, and Navy aircraft carriers typically deploy with a Marine squadron alongside Navy squadrons. Marines do not recruit or train noncombatants such as chaplains or medical/dental personnel; naval personnel fill these roles. Some of these sailors, particularlyHospital corpsmen andReligious program specialists, generally wear Marine uniforms emblazoned with Navy insignia. Conversely, the Marine Corps is responsible for conducting land operations to support naval campaigns, including the seizure of naval bases. Both services operate a network security team in conjunction.
Marines and sailors share many naval traditions, especially terminology and customs. Marine CorpsMedal of Honor recipients wear the Navy variant of this and other awards;[25] and with few exceptions, the awards and badges of the Navy and Marine Corps are identical. Much of testing for new Marine Corps aircraft is done atNaval Air Station Patuxent River. The Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team is staffed by both Navy and Marine officers and enlisted personnel.[25]
In 2007, the Marine Corps joined with the Navy and Coast Guard to adopt a new maritime strategy calledA Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower that raises the notion of prevention of war to the samephilosophical level as the conduct of war.[209] This new strategy charts a course for the Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps to work collectively with each other and international partners to prevent regional crises, human-made or natural, from occurring or reacting quickly should one occur to avoid negative impacts to the United States.
The Marine Corps capabilities overlap with those of the United States Army, historically creating competition for funding and missions. The competition dates back to the founding of the Continental Marines, when General George Washington refused to allow the initial Marine battalions to be drawn from among his Continental Army. In the aftermath of World War II, Army leadership made efforts to restructure the American defense establishment including the dissolution of the Marine Corps and the folding of its capabilities into the other services. Leading this movement were such prominent Army officers as GeneralDwight D. Eisenhower andArmy chief of staffGeorge C. Marshall.[76]
TheGoldwater-Nichols Act significantly reshaped the services roles and relationships with each other, enforcing more joint decision making.[210] Department of Defense Directive 5100.01 tasks both the Army and Marine Corps with expeditionary and amphibious operations.[211] With most of the 2000s spent in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, Secretary of DefenseRobert Gates voiced concerns that the Marine Corps are becoming a "second Army".[34] Since these comments, the Marine Corps has shed its main battle tanks, reduced its size, and focused more on operations in littoral areas where the Army is not explicitly tasked to operate.[212]
The Army maintains much larger and diverse combat arms, special operations, and logistics forces. The Army has much lighter and expeditionary forces in its infantry and airborne infantry brigade combat teams. The Army also maintains heavier and more logistically taxing armored brigade combat teams.[213] The Marine Corps, in comparison, maintains forces between these two extremes of mobility and protection. The Marine Corps organizes much smaller deployable units with integrated aviation support. The Marine Corps was historically hesitant to provide forces to U.S. Special Operations Command, instead making specialty units available to its division commanders. The Army has maintained Special Forces, Rangers, civil affairs, psychological operations, special operations aviation, and special missions units for decades. In 2003, the Marine Corps[214] created the present-day successors to theMarine Raiders and provided them toSpecial Operations Command starting with the establishment ofMCSOCOM Detachment One. The modern Marine Raider training pipeline was based on input from U.S. Army Ranger and Special Forces units.[126]
Culturally, marines and soldiers share most of the common U.S. military slang and terminology, but the Corps uses a large number of naval terms and traditions incompatible with Army lifestyle, as well as its ownunique vernacular. As the Army Reserve and Army National Guard is much larger than the Marine Corps's Reserve, many more former active duty marines continue their service in the Army's reserve components.[215] The Army does not require transfers from the Marines,Air Force Security Forces, or special operations of any branch to attend Army Basic Combat Training.[216] Due to the requirement that all inter-service transfers attend Marine Corps Recruit Training, very few former soldiers serve in the Marine Corps.
While some ofMarine Corps Aviation assets ultimately derive from the Navy, a large amount of support is drawn from the United States Air Force. The Marine Corps makes extensive use of the USAFAir Mobility Command toairlift marines and equipment, along with using close air support from the Air Force. The Air Force may also attachTactical Air Control Party units to conventional Marine ground forces to provide coordination for close air support.[217]
The Air Force traditionally provides theJoint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) who controls "sorties for air defense, and long range interdiction and reconnaissance" while the MAGTF commander retains control of the Marines' organic aviation assets, however Marine Aviation missions not directly in the support of the MAGTF will be typically controlled by the JFACC.[218][219][220]
The Marine Corps shares a sphere of operation with units of the United States Coast Guard, including operation of theJoint Maritime Training Center (JMTC) (previously known as the Special Missions Training Center (SMTC)), a joint Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Corps training facility located on the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.[221][222]
According to the Department of the Navy (from whence the Marine Corps receives its funding), for FY 2019, the Marine Corps received $43.2B in funding.[223]
Appropriation Summary – United States Marine Corps (in millions of dollars)[224]
Area
FY2018
FY2019
Military Personnel
13,197
13,888
Reserve Personnel
763
785
Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Fund Contribution
903
831
Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Fund Contribution, Reserves
81
74
Operation and Maintenance
8,118
7,843
Operation and Maintenance, Reserve
287
275
Procurement
2,019
2,858
Procurement of Ammunition, Navy/Marine Corps
1,038*
1,182*
Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps
1,993*
2,593*
Total Appropriated
28,399
30,329
* not exact since certain fields are combined with Navy expenditures[citation needed]
In 2013, the USMC became the first American military branch to ever have a fully audited annual budget.[225]
^Title 10 forces are activated by and under the authority of the president; whereas, Title 32 activation is by a state's governor and the forces are under state control.[111]
^Hough, Frank O.; Ludwig, Verle E.; Shaw, Henry I. Jr."Part I, Chapter 2: Evolution of Modern Amphibious Warfare, 1920–1941".Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal. History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Volume I. Historical Branch, HQMC, United States Marine Corps.Archived from the original on 30 May 2007. Retrieved2 June 2007.
^Garand, George W. & Truman R. Strobridge (1971)."Part II, Chapter 1: The Development of FMFPac".Western Pacific Operations. History of U.S. Marine Corps Operation in World War II, Volume IV. Historical Branch, HQMC, United States Marine Corps.Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved3 August 2008.
^Frank, Benis M & Henry I. Saw, Jr. (1968)."Part VI, Chapter 1: Amphibious Doctrine in World War II".Victory and Occupation. History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Volume V. Historical Branch, HQMC, United States Marine Corps.Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved3 August 2008.
^abcdEstes, Kenneth W. (2000).The Marine Officer's Guide, 6th Edition. Naval Institute Press.ISBN1-55750-567-5.
^Clinton, William J. (2000)."Remarks Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps Band 10 July 1998". In Office of the Federal Register (ed.).Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, William J. Clinton, 1998, Book 2: July 1 to December 31, 1998. Government Printing Office. p. 1217.ISBN978-1-4034-4551-3.The Marine Band played at Thomas Jefferson's Inauguration in 1801 and hasn't missed a single one since. Jefferson was a violin player who loved music almost as much as he loved freedom. He named the band "The President's Own".
^Hearn, Chester G. (2007).Marines: An Illustrated History: The United States Marine Corps from 1775 to the 21st Century. Zenith Imprint. p. 180.ISBN978-0-7603-3211-5.
^abcdefChenoweth, H. Avery; Nihart, Brooke (2005).Semper fi: The Definitive Illustrated History of the U.S. Marines. New York: Main Street.ISBN1-4027-3099-3.
^Upton, Stewart (6 November 2014)."First Marine Corps Leader All About Institution, Not Self".www.imef.marines.mil. U.S. Marine Corps.Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved29 July 2020.During this time of the late 1760s and into the 1770s leading up to the War for our Independence … Samuel Nicholas would spend time aboard super-cargo merchant ships traveling to and from China. At the time of his nomination by (future U.S. President) John Adams to lead the Continental Marines in Nov. of 1775, he would have been well known in the community of Philadelphia for his maritime knowledge and experience.
^Ellsworth, Harry Allanson (1934).One Hundred Eighty Landings of United States Marines 1800–1934. Washington, D.C.: History and Museums Division, HQ, USMC.
^Report on Marine Corps Duplication of Effort between Army and Navy (Report). U.S. Marine Corps. 17 December 1932. Contains a very detailed account of almost all the actions of the Continental Marines and USMC until 1932. It is available in scanned TIFF format from the archives of the Marine Corps University.
^Chad L. Williams,Torchbearers of Democracy: African American Soldiers in the World War I Era. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press, 2010; p. 6.
^Hewitt, Linda J. (1974).Women Marines in World War I (1974). United States Marine Corps History and Museums Division.Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved31 December 2014.
^"Women Marines". Usmcpress.com.Archived from the original on 19 August 2015. Retrieved11 August 2015.
^Mitchell, John Ames (1918)."Teufel-Hunden".Life. Vol. 72. p. 759.Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved7 October 2011.
^abcSchehl, Matthew L. (14 June 2016)."This photo of Gen. Neller drinking from the devil dog fountain will motivate you".Marine Corps Times. Retrieved22 August 2021.The term very likely was first used by Marines themselves and appeared in print before the Battle for Belleau Wood," Bob Aquilina of the Marine Corps History Division told Schogol at the time. "It gained notoriety in the decades following World War I and has since become a part of Marine Corps tradition.
^Owens, Ron (2004).Medal of honor: historical facts & figures. Turner Publishing Company. p. 110.ISBN978-1-56311-995-8.
^Battle Orders – US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1943–44, Gordon L Rottman, Osprey Publishing,p. 13Archived 12 March 2017 at theWayback Machine.
^Rottman, Gordon L. (2002).U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle: Ground and Air units in the Pacific War, 1939–1945. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 31.ISBN978-0-31331-906-8.
^abcKrulak, Victor H. (1984).First To Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN0-87021-785-2. Chapter 7,The Marines' Push Button pp. 113–119.
^United States Marine Corps (2007).Marine Corps Operations. Cosimo, Inc. p. 19.ISBN978-1-60206-062-3.
^Williams, BGen Willie J. (October 2004). "Bases and Stations Are They Relevant?".Marine Corps Gazette. Vol. 88, no. 10. Marine Corps Association. pp. 12–16.
^"About".www.imef.marines.mil. Retrieved16 December 2023.
^United States Marine Corps (4 April 2018).Marine Corps Special Operations(PDF). MCWP 3-05. United States Marine Corps. p. 4-2. PCN14300017800. Retrieved2 January 2025.
^"Marine Raider Training Center".Official website of the United States Marine Corps. Marine Forces Special Operations Command. Retrieved2 January 2025.
^abPriddy, Maj. Wade (2006). "Marine Detachment 1: Opening the door for a Marine force contribution to USSOCom".Marine Corps Gazette. Vol. 90, no. 6. Marine Corps Association. pp. 58–59.
^Bennick, Lt. Emily (6 July 2024)."Making the 24th MEU (SOC)".Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. United States Department of Defense. Retrieved2 January 2025.
^United States Marine Corps (4 April 2018).Ground Reconnaissance Operations(PDF). MCRP 2-10A.6. United States Marine Corps. pp. 2-3 –2-4,2–6, Glossary-5. PCN 14400023800. Retrieved2 January 2025.FORECON companies ... conduct ... ground reconnaissance; reconnaissance battalions ... provides ground reconnaissance; Marine Corps ground reconnaissance units are not special operations forces (SOF), although they do share many of the same TTP, terms, and equipment.
^United States Marine Corps (23 July 2020).Organization of the United States Marine Corps(PDF). MCRP 1-10.1. United States Marine Corps. pp. 5–23,5–26. PCN 144 00005000. Retrieved3 January 2025.Force Reconnaissance Company ... is the MAGTF commander's ground reconnaissance asset; The division reconnaissance battalion ... carry out ... ground reconnaissance ... tasks in support of the GCE.
^abShaw, Henry I. Jr.; Donnelly, Ralph W. (1975)."Blacks in the Marine Corps". Washington, DC: History and Museums Division, Headquarters USMC. Retrieved19 May 2022.
^Bernard L. DeKoning, ed. (2006).Recruit Medicine: Textbooks of Military Medicine. Government Printing Office. p. 33.ISBN978-0-16-076718-0.
^Ricks, Thomas E. (2007).Making the Corps: 10th Anniversary Edition with a New Afterword by the Author (10 ed.). Simon and Schuster. p. 239.ISBN978-1-4165-4450-0.
^abc"Mco p1020.34g". United States Marine Corps. Archived fromthe original on 8 October 2009. Retrieved27 November 2005.
^"Marine Corps Emblem and Seal".Customs and Traditions. Reference Branch, History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived fromthe original on 19 February 2007. Retrieved11 October 2008.
^United States Marine Corps (2010).U.S. Marine Guidebook. New York: Skyhorse. p. 37.ISBN978-1-60239-941-9.
^Myers, Thomas (1988)."Hearts of Darkness".Walking Point: American Narratives of Vietnam. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 114.ISBN978-0-19-505351-7.He reminds his charges that "at Belleau Wood the Marines were so vicious that the German infantrymen called them Teufel-Hunden – 'devil dogs'
^Waseleski, Michael (2009).To Lead by the Unknowing, to Do the Unthinkable. AuthorHouse. p. 5.ISBN978-1-4389-5676-3.the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments earned the nickname of "Teufel Hunden" (devil dog) by the Germans in World War I during the 1918 Château-Thierry campaign near the French village of Bouresches, the Battle of Belleau Wood
^Rottman, Gordon (2011). "GI and Gyrene Jargon US Army and Marine Corps Slang".FUBAR F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition: Soldier Slang of World War II. Osprey Publishing. p. 49.ISBN978-1-84908-653-0.based on Chinese pronunciation of Marine
^"Marine Corps History, Customs, and Courtesies".U.S. Marine Guidebook. United states Marine Corps. 2010. p. 37.ISBN978-1-60239-941-9.In 1804 the Secretary of the Navy ordered Marines to wear black leather stock collars when on duty
^Rottman, Gordon (2011). "GI and Gyrene Jargon US Army and Marine Corps Slang".FUBAR F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition: Soldier Slang of World War II. Osprey Publishing. p. 51.ISBN978-1-84908-653-0.Most likely it was the pillbox cap and high stiff collar making a Marine appear similar to a Mason jar
^Santamaria, Jason A.; Martino, Vincent; Clemons, Eric K. (2005).The Marine Corps Way: Using Maneuver Warfare to Lead a Winning Organization. McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 149.ISBN978-0-07-145883-2.Long before Hollywood popularized it, Marines used the phrase to reflect their preference for being a fluid, loosely reined force that could spontaneously react to rapidly changing situations, rather than a rigid outfit that moved in a specific direction with a precise plan.
Ulbrich, David J. (2011).Preparing for Victory: Thomas Holcomb and the Making of Modern Marine Corps, 1935–1943. Annapolis, Maryland:Naval Institute Press.ISBN978-1-59114-903-3.
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