| |
1.
2.
3.
CHAPTER 14
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
Describe how tradition impacts on the Marine 4.
Corps.
Identify the primary functions of the Marine 5.
Corps.
Identify the organizational structure of the 6.
Marine Corps.
Identify the major equipment used by the
Marine Corps.
Identify the procurement sources for Marine
Corps officers.
Describe the professional training available to
Marine Corps officers.
10 Nov.
23 Feb.
SIGNIFICANT DATES
1775
1945
8 Mar. 1965
23 Oct. 1983
Continental Marines (now the
Marine Corps) are established.
The American flag is raised by
Marines atop Mount Suribachi
on Iwo Jima.
Marines land at
South Vietnam.
A terrorist bomb
Beirut, Lebanon,
marines.
Da Nang,
explodes in
killing 241
Fighting men have been assigned to ships since
the time of the Phoenicians, about five centuries
before the Christian Era. The Greeks and Remans
followed this practice, and later the British.
Eventually, as the United States Navy started to
develop, the practice continued with marines also
being assigned to ships.
Our Marines have played a vital part in our
nation’s history, especially in times of armed
conflict. First called the Continental Marines, they
fought in the American Revolution. Later called
the United States Marines, they have fought in
World Wars and armed conflicts throughout the
world. The United States Marine Corps has
always been in battle when the United States has
been engaged in armed conflict and is still ready
to enter battle today. Although our ships no
longer pull alongside an enemy vessel to send men
over the side, today’s marine is still required to
be prepared for hand-to-hand combat.
Since 1975, Marine combat forces have
participated in several operations in support of
U.S. national policy. On 29 September 1982,
following Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, the U.S.
Marines landed at Beirut, Lebanon. As part of
a multinational force, the Marine Corps mission
was to oversee the evacuation of Palestinians. On
23 October 1983 a lone terrorist drove an
explosive-laden truck into the headquarters of
Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/8 at Beirut
International Airport killing 241 marines and
sailors. More marines died on that day than on
any other since World War II.
Two days later, on 25 October, the Marines
landed on the Caribbean island of Grenada. On
this mission Marine forces were to rescue U.S.
students who had become endangered when a
communist-led coup overthrew the Grenadian
government. A combined force of Marines, Army
Rangers, and elements of the 82nd Airborne
Division rescued 662 U.S. citizens. They also
14-1
|
