THE MARINES THROUGHOUT THE

PACIFIC

The making of the new Marine Corps through

politics, amphibious warfare and the Raider Battalion

Jennifer Torrecillas

Dedicated to all Marines: Past, Present and Future

The picture above is of my grandfather (far left), he fought in WWII and Korea retiring a Major. He was apart of the 1st Marine Division as a gunner and was awarded the bronze star.

(Notice they are wearing their “new” camouflage helmets and uniforms dated to WWI)

Amphibious Warfare

Brigadier General Edwin H. Simmons, USMCR. "World War II and the Pacific War." In The Marines, by Edwin H. Simmons and Robert J Moksin, 59-74. Quantico, Va: Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, 1998.

In order for the Marine Corps to prove itself to

the United States Congress, Maj. Gen. Lejeune devised a

tactic that would bring the Marines to the

forefront on the war in the Pacific. The

amphibious warfare would be tricky to

prove in the eyes of most. Yet through the shear determination of

the corps, the amphibious assaults were essential to the

defeat of Japan.

Marine riflemen keep their heads down as they get closer to the assault beach on D-Day. Department of Defense Photo (USMC) 62751

In addition to the amphibious assaults an elite marine battalion was formed. It was called the Raider Battalion and on the left is a picture of them during a training exercise. Could you imagine our military doing this today. Those days they would train also with real bullets, maybe that’s why they seemed to fight on another level.

Photo Courtesy of Life Magazine

Above are the Marines that landed on Guadalcanal, the ships that were supplying them left them on the island with only 4 days of rations. After 17 days and with great relief, they found canned rice and dried fish but even with this were on quarter rations.

Photo Courtesy USMC

HTTP://HISTORY1900S.ABOUT.COM/LIBRARY/PHOTOS/BLYWWIIP66.HTM

Bonsai was what the Japanese would yell as they ran out fighting to the death. American’s would soon learn that when they heard that phrase being yelled, it meant for them a bloody fight. The Raider Battalion would fight using guerilla tactics and demolishing the Japanese in their paths.

The end of the war, the end of problems?

With the Marines proving themselves worthy a powerful

fighting force during WWII,They felt comfortable in the fact that they wouldn’t have

to face extinction again.Unfortunately once again,

President Truman and congress wanted to fold the

marines Into the Army and Navy

because of the costs and once again the Marines would show they weren’t going

anywhere.This victory for the corps would create an Act by

Congress,Promising that they would no

longer have to face being disbanded again.

Courtesy of: http://www.rocklandusmc.com/

The corps has changed throughout the years but like no other than in WWII. A lot of the adaptations to survive during the war are still in place to this day. May God bless those who sacrificed their lives in the name of the United States Marine Corps.

THE END