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Marine air–ground task force

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133-604: In the United States Marine Corps , a Marine air–ground task force ( MAGTF , pronounced MAG-TAF ) is the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air–ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that is structured to accomplish a specific mission. The MAGTF was formalized by the publishing of Marine Corps Order 3120.3 in December 1963, "The Marine Corps in

266-567: A GCE function (primarily located in the infantry battalion scout/sniper platoon) and communications and law enforcement may also be considered as logistics functions. Most GCE battalions and regiments, and ACE squadrons/battalions (LAAD), Marine aircraft groups (MAGs), and Marine air control groups (MACGs), contain some organic communications assets such as battalion and regimental communications platoons, MARDIV and MLG communications companies, and Marine wing communications squadrons. In addition, MARDIVs, Marine Aircraft Wings (MAWs), and MLGs also possess

399-544: A Lt. Col. who is assisted by an executive officer and an executive staff (S-1, S-2, etc.). The company's organic platoons often operate independently and are normally commanded by a major (ANGLICO) or captain (FORECON). Air Naval Gunfire Liaison companies (ANGLICO) provide Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commanders a liaison capability, with foreign area expertise, to plan, coordinate, and conduct terminal control of fires in support of joint, allied, and coalition forces. ANGLICO units are separate companies (i.e., not organic to

532-666: A battalion or regiment) reporting directly to one of the three MEF HQ Groups (1st, 2nd, & 5th ANGLICO) or the Forces HQ Group, Marine Forces Reserve (3rd, 4th, and 6th ANGLICO). Fleet Marine Force Reconnaissance (FORECON) companies provide Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commanders with deep reconnaissance and direct action capability. The FORECON companies of the three MEFs are organic to their respective divisional reconnaissance battalions and are under operational control of their parent MEF HQ Group. The 3rd and 4th FORECON companies are separate companies reporting directly to

665-567: A bridge company, a bulk fuel company, and an explosive ordnance disposal company. Landing support battalions support distributed maritime operations and expeditionary advanced base operations. Supply battalions provide supply support past that of organic unit supply. They provide all assets that a Marine unit might need, excepting fuels, water, and aviation repair parts provided from the Navy. Rations, repair parts, ammunition, personal equipment, and even entire end items are all provided by or through

798-568: A company headquarters , three rifle platoons , with three rifle squads each, and a weapons platoon with medium machineguns , mortars , and assault weapons sections . The weapons company includes a company headquarters, a heavy machinegun platoon, an 81mm mortar platoon, and an anti armor platoon. Sometimes, the commander will mix these into Combined Anti-Armor Teams . The headquarters and service company includes all command , administration , intelligence , operations , logistics , and communication Marines and equipment, as well as

931-509: A comparatively minor role in the European theater . Nonetheless, they did continue to provide security detachments to U.S. embassies and ships, contributed personnel to small special ops teams dropped into Nazi-occupied Europe as part of Office of Strategic Services (OSS, the precursor to the CIA ) missions, and acted as staff planners and trainers for U.S. Army amphibious operations, including

1064-406: A few light tactical trucks. Marine infantry primarily maneuvers by foot as light infantry , and must be supplemented with additional trucks to become motorized infantry or Amphibious Assault Vehicles to become mechanized infantry . A Marine infantry battalion is usually organized into three rifle companies , a weapons company , and a headquarters and service company . The rifle company has

1197-476: A headquarters and service company and five maintenance companies (electronic, engineer, general support, ordnance, and motor transport). Engineer support battalions provide engineer support past the level available from organic engineers, such as combat bridging. ESBs also provide the storage and distribution of water and bulk fuels. Engineer support battalions usually consist of a headquarters and service company, three engineer companies, an engineer support company,

1330-738: A headquarters and service company and four special operations companies. These battalions and organizations perform a wide range of specialized missions including: (1) CBRNE Consequence Management, (2) interior security of United States diplomatic posts to provide protection for classified information and equipment vital to U.S. national security, (3) Signals Intelligence, Information Assurance, and National-Tactical Integration activities, (4) physical security of naval nuclear vessels and weapons, (5) special operations intelligence support, and (6) special operations administrative, logistics, communications, EOD, Military Working Dog, and other operations support. These battalions provide advanced training (i.e., beyond

1463-503: A headquarters and service company and one to four reconnaissance companies (divisional assets, individual companies usually attached to an RCT). All battalions (except 4th Recon) also have a force reconnaissance company dedicated to provide deep reconnaissance and direct action capability to a MEF HQ. (Two additional separate force reconnaissance companies exist in the Marine Forces Reserve.) Headquarters battalions provide

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1596-419: A headquarters and service company and three operations companies. Marine Corps network battalions are responsible for providing all aspects of security, operations, and protection for Department of Defense Information Networks from the enterprise at the service level, down to each individual warfighter. Civil Affairs groups provide the capability to plan and execute civil military operations while serving as

1729-628: A headquarters and service company, the battalions consist of two to four military intelligence companies that perform battlefield surveillance, production and analysis, and counterintelligence/human intelligence. The LE battalions will be a force multiplier to the operating forces forward deployed by assisting in an array of missions from law enforcement, route regulation, humanitarian assistance, nonlethal weapons training, and military working dog employment. Each included "500 military police officers [ sic ] and dozens of dogs." (Note: As military units, each battalion contains only about 30 to 40 "officers," as

1862-619: A headquarters and service company, three combat engineer companies, one mobility assault company, and an engineer support company. The mission of the reconnaissance battalions is to obtain information by visual observation about the activities and resources of an enemy or potential enemy, or about the meteorologic, hydrographic, or geographic characteristics of a particular area. They specialize in amphibious recon, including hydrography ; as well as airborne recon, infiltration via surface, subsurface and airborne operations, and conducting limited scale raids and ambushes. The battalions consist of

1995-514: A headquarters platoon (including a liaison section with three forward observer teams ) and one or two firing platoons (depending upon weapons systems). The firing platoon(s) contain a battery operations center, a fire direction center , and four or six artillery sections (depending upon weapon system). Counter-battery radar is usually a regimental asset, but can be detached to augment battalions or batteries. By 2030 all but five artillery batteries will be disbanded. The mission of an armor unit

2128-667: A limited organic law enforcement capability. Communications battalions provide communication support for the MAGTF as part of the MEF headquarters groups. They also perform networking and data services when deployed. The battalions typically consist of a headquarters and service company, three communications companies, and a support (maintenance) company. Intelligence battalions, attached to MEF headquarters groups, are to plan and direct, collect, process, produce and disseminate intelligence , and provide counterintelligence support. In addition to

2261-537: A message from U.S. Representative Gordon L. McDonough . McDonough had urged President Truman to add Marine representation on the Joint 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 to Stalin's ." McDonough then inserted President Truman's letter , dated 29 August 1950, into

2394-442: A section, platoon, detachment, or company depending upon the size of unit, function, and the unit's parent battalion/regiment/group). In addition to a headquarters and service unit, these CLBs contain units dedicated to providing: air delivery, communications, engineer, explosive ordnance disposal, health services (medical and dental), landing support, law enforcement (military police), maintenance, motor transport, and supply support to

2527-781: 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 the First Sumatran expedition of 1832 and continuing in the Caribbean and Mexican 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. During World War II, Marines continued to serve on capital ships, and some were assigned to man anti-aircraft batteries. In 1950, President Harry Truman responded to

2660-686: A single command provides a smoother implementation of combined-arms warfare principles. 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 on close air support and has remained largely uninfluenced by air power theories proclaiming that strategic bombing can single-handedly win wars. This focus on

2793-671: A strength of 2,400 officers and 70,000 enlisted. African-Americans were entirely excluded from the Marine Corps during this conflict. Opha May Johnson was the first woman to enlist in the Marines; she joined the Marine Corps Reserve in 1918 during World War I, officially becoming the first female Marine. From then until the end of World War I, 305 women enlisted in the Corps. During the Battle of Belleau Wood in 1918,

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2926-463: Is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) that integrates a ground combat element , an aviation combat element , and a logistics combat element under a common command element . While the creation of joint commands under the Goldwater–Nichols Act has improved interservice coordination between each branch, the Corps's ability to permanently maintain integrated multielement task forces under

3059-921: Is a list of current United States Marine Corps battalions , sorted by the mission they perform. The ground combat element (GCE) consists of those combat and combat support units whose primary mission is to, (1) engage with and destroy the enemy by fire and/or maneuver, and/or shock effect, performed by infantry, field artillery, and tank units, (2) provide close battlefield support to other GCE units by assault amphibian, combat assault, light armored reconnaissance, reconnaissance, and combat engineer units, or (3) provide immediate command and control, and limited logistical support including consolidated Navy personnel administration and motor transport (medium truck) support to subordinate GCE battalions and regiments (infantry and artillery only) by Marine division (MARDIV) headquarters battalions. Additionally, this battalion provides communications networking and law enforcement support across

3192-425: Is approximately equivalent to a notional U.S. Army light infantry division organized with two or three brigade combat teams, division artillery (DIVARTY) , a division sustainment brigade , a division headquarters and headquarters battalion and others , and is reinforced with an armored brigade combat team (ABCT) . (While the tank battalion of a MARDIV has fewer tanks than an ABCT, with 58 vice 90, respectively,

3325-492: Is based on a reinforced Marine infantry battalion, designated as a battalion landing team (BLT), supported by a medium tiltrotor squadron (VMM) (reinforced), containing both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft and aviation support detachments, and a combat logistics battalion (CLB) , all commanded by a company-sized MEU headquarters group. There are usually three MEUs assigned to each of the U.S. Navy Atlantic and Pacific Fleets , with another MEU based on Okinawa . While one MEU

3458-513: Is capable of transporting an entire Marine rifle company plus any dismounted attachments (e.g., mortar forward observer teams, anti-tank missile crews, scout/sniper or reconnaissance squads) thus transforming into amphibious/mechanized infantry. (One AA company is capable of transporting the assault echelon of a Marine infantry battalion.) Although plans were in place to replace it with the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle ,

3591-523: Is celebrated as the birthday of the Marine Corps . Nicholas was nominated to lead the Marines by John Adams . By December 1775, Nicholas raised one battalion of 300 men by recruitment in his home city of Philadelphia. In January 1776, the Marines went to sea under the command of Commodore Esek Hopkins and in March undertook their first amphibious landing, the Battle of Nassau in the Bahamas, occupying

3724-417: Is constructed around a reinforced infantry regiment designated as a regimental combat team (RCT), a composite Marine aircraft group , and a combat logistics regiment (CLR) , formerly known as a brigade service support group, all commanded by a battalion-sized command element designated as a MEB headquarters group. The MEB, commanded by a general officer (either a major general or a brigadier general ),

3857-463: Is on deployment, one MEU is training to deploy and one is standing down, resting its marines, and refitting. Each MEU is rated as capable of performing special operations, though USMC's definition of this is not consistent with that of SOCOM. They are not considered special operations unit by the Department of Defense. United States Marine Corps 10 November 1775 (249 years) (as

3990-562: Is task-organized to meet the requirements of a specific situation. It can function as part of a joint task force , as the lead echelon of the MEF, or alone. The smallest type of MAGTF is the Marine expeditionary unit (MEU) Special Operations Capable (SOC), designated as an MEU (SOC), commanded by a colonel. The MEU is capable of conducting limited, specialized, and selected special operations missions and to support and sustain itself for up to 15 days in an austere expeditionary environment. The MEU

4123-559: 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. The Marine Band , dubbed the "President's Own" by John Adams , provides music for state functions at the White House . Marines from Ceremonial Companies A & B, quartered in Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. , guard presidential retreats, including Camp David , and

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4256-433: Is to conduct and support amphibious operations and other operations as required by landing and transporting to inland objectives the surface assault elements and their equipment, and by conducting light armored reconnaissance and limited offensive and defensive operations. When task-organized with infantry, tanks, and other forces, the battalion conducts combined arms operations as a separate maneuver element in support of

4389-411: Is to provide mobility, counter mobility, survivability, and limited general engineering support. Mobility includes the assessment and fortification of roadways and bridges, the clearing of enemy obstacles and landmines , and assault breaching . Counter mobility includes creating obstacles and barriers for the enemy, which could include the destruction of structures and/or bridges. Survivability includes

4522-783: Is to, (1) provide direct combat logistics (i.e., motor transport and landing support, and limited engineer support, equipment maintenance, and ground supply services) to specified GCE units or certain aviation combat element (ACE) units as provided by combat logistics battalions and separate combat logistics companies, (2) provide general combat service support across the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) by specialized service support battalions, including: dental, engineer support, maintenance, medical, supply and transportation support battalions, or (3) provide immediate command and control, and consolidated Navy personnel administration to subordinate LCE battalions and regiments by

4655-571: Is where the Union set up the artillery barrage to bombard Fort Pulaski. In April and May 1862, Marines participated in the capture and occupation of New Orleans and the occupation of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, key events in the war that helped secure Union control of the lower Mississippi River basin and denied the Confederacy a major port and naval base on the Gulf Coast . The remainder of

4788-511: The Congressional 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

4921-515: The 38th Parallel until the 1953 armistice . 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 the Medal of Honor . The Marine Corps served in the Vietnam War , taking part in such battles as the Battle of Hue and the Battle of Khe Sanh in 1968. Individuals from

5054-647: The Barbary pirates , when William Eaton and First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon led 8 marines and 500 mercenaries in an effort to capture Tripoli . Though they only reached Derna , the action at Tripoli has been immortalized in the Marines' Hymn and the Mameluke sword carried by Marine officers. During the War of 1812 , Marine detachments on Navy ships took part in some of the great frigate duels that characterized

5187-574: The Continental Marines ) [REDACTED] Joint Meritorious Unit Award [REDACTED] Navy Unit Commendation [REDACTED] Valorous Unit Award [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Meritorious Unit Commendation [REDACTED] French Croix de guerre 1914–1918 [REDACTED] Philippine Presidential Unit Citation [REDACTED] Korean Presidential Unit Citation [REDACTED] Vietnam Gallantry Cross The United States Marine Corps ( USMC ), also referred to as

5320-505: The Department 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 various Secretaries of State . After World 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

5453-507: The First Battle of Bull Run performed poorly, retreating with the rest of the Union forces. 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

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5586-603: The Haditha killings and the Hamdania incident . The Anbar Awakening and 2007 surge reduced levels of violence. The Marine Corps officially ended its role in Iraq on 23 January 2010 when it handed over responsibility for Al Anbar Province to the U.S. Army. Marines returned to Iraq in the summer of 2014 in response to growing violence there. List of United States Marine Corps battalions#Reconnaissance battalions This

5719-592: The I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) is composed of the I MEF Headquarters Group , the 1st Marine Division , the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the 1st Marine Logistics Group , all based on the West Coast. Two notable deployments of an entire MEF were when I Marine Expeditionary Force deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm . I MEF ultimately consisted of the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions as well as considerable Marine air and support units. I MEF also deployed to Somalia in December 1992 for

5852-628: The Joint Chiefs of Staff on matters relating to the Marines and established the structure of three active divisions and air wings that remain today. The beginning of the Korean War (1950–1953) saw the hastily formed Provisional Marine Brigade holding the defensive line at the Pusan Perimeter . To execute a flanking maneuver , General Douglas MacArthur called on United Nations forces, including U.S. Marines, to make an amphibious landing at Inchon . The successful landing resulted in

5985-772: The M777 lightweight, towed, 155 mm, medium howitzer and the Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFSS) 120 mm, heavy mortar . Two regiments (11th Marines and 14th Marines) also have one rocket battalion equipped with the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) equipped with the MGM-140 ATACMS surface-to-surface, guided missile. Marine artillery battalions contain a Headquarters Battery and three or four firing batteries . Firing batteries contain

6118-556: The Marine Division . Currently, Assault Amphibian (AA) battalions utilize the Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAVP-7A1) and consist of a headquarters and service company and two to six AA companies. Each AA company is equipped with 42 AAVs (including personnel, command, and recovery variants) organized into three platoons of 12 AAVs each and an additional six AAVs in the company headquarters. Each AA platoon

6251-519: The Maritime Pre-Positioning System was developed: Fleets of container ships are positioned throughout the world with enough equipment and supplies for a marine expeditionary force to deploy for 30 days. Two small manuals published during the 1930s established USMC doctrine in two areas. The Small Wars Manual laid the framework for Marine counterinsurgency operations from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan while

6384-714: The National Security Act of 1947 , three primary areas of responsibility for the U.S. Marine Corps are: This last clause derives from similar language in the Congressional acts "For the Better Organization of the Marine Corps" of 1834 and "Establishing and Organizing a Marine Corps" of 1798. In 1951, the House of Representatives' Armed Services Committee called the clause "one of the most important statutory – and traditional – functions of

6517-466: The Normandy landings . By the end of the war, the Corps had expanded from two brigades to six divisions , five air wings , and supporting troops, totaling about 485,000 marines. In addition, 20 defense battalions and a parachute battalion were raised. Nearly 87,000 marines were casualties during World War II (including nearly 20,000 killed), and 82 were awarded the Medal of Honor . In 1942,

6650-617: The Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps . Marines were withdrawn in 1971 and returned briefly in 1975 to evacuate Saigon and attempt a rescue of the crew of the SS Mayaguez . Vietnam was the longest war up to that time for the Marines; by its end, 13,091 had been killed in action, 51,392 had been wounded, and 57 Medals of Honor had been awarded. Because of policies concerning rotation, more marines were deployed for service during Vietnam than World War II. While recovering from Vietnam,

6783-627: The Revolutionary War , on 3 March 1776, as the Marines gained control of Fort Montagu and Fort Nassau , a British ammunition depot and naval port in New 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

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6916-610: The Small Wars Manual . During World War I , Marines served as a part of the American Expeditionary Force under General John J. Pershing when America entered into the war on 6 April 1917. The Marine Corps had a deep pool of officers and non-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

7049-838: The Tentative Landing Operations Manual established the doctrine for the amphibious operations of World War II . " Operational Maneuver from the Sea " was the doctrine of power projection in 2006. The United States Marine Corps traces its roots to the Continental Marines of the American Revolutionary War , formed by Captain Samuel Nicholas by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress on 10 November 1775, to raise two battalions of marines. This date

7182-583: The United States Department of the Navy since 30 June 1834 with its sister service, the United States Navy . The USMC operates installations on land and aboard sea-going amphibious warfare ships around the world. Additionally, several of the Marines' tactical aviation squadrons, primarily Marine Fighter Attack squadrons, are also embedded in Navy carrier air wings and operate from the aircraft carriers . The history of

7315-629: The United States Marines , is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combined arms , implementing its own infantry , artillery , aerial , and special operations forces. The U.S. Marine Corps is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States . The Marine Corps has been part of

7448-552: The command and control , administration and logistics for a Marine division . Each MARDIV HQBN is uniquely organized to support its division. However, typically the battalion is commanded by a colonel, and consists of headquarters company (including the division band), communications company, truck company (2 in HQBN FIRSTMARDIV), and may include a military police company. The logistics combat element (LCE) consists of those combat service support units whose primary mission

7581-544: The fortification of positions and the construction of new outposts. Other jobs can include Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), construction, and utilities (such as generators and refrigeration). Currently, combat engineers use a variety of tools for their trade. Some vehicles include the M9 Armored Combat Earthmover , D7 Bulldozer , M60A1 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge , and various cranes and forklifts . Each combat engineer battalion consists of

7714-610: 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. The Americans forces were led by Army General Winfield Scott . Scott organized two storming parties of about 250 men each for 500 men total including 40 marines. In the 1850s, the Marines engaged in service in Panama and Asia and were attached to Commodore Matthew Perry's East India Squadron on its historic trip to

7847-595: The "Navy's biggest contributions to the Marine Corps during WWII was the creation of the Seabees." Despite Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal 's prediction that the Marine flag raising at Iwo Jima meant "a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years", 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

7980-402: The 1990s. The Marine Corps fulfills a critical military role as an amphibious warfare force. It is capable of asymmetric warfare with conventional , irregular , and hybrid 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

8113-406: The 19th century was marked by declining strength and introspection about the mission of the Marine Corps. The Navy's transition from sail to steam 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

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8246-849: The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd MLGs—previously designated as Combat Logistics Regiments 17, 27, and 37, respectively—are now designated as "Headquarters Regiments" ) Headquarters and Service battalion provides command and control, administration, communications, security, food service and data processing support to the Marine Logistics Group (MLG) and supporting services to the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) or two Marine Expeditionary Brigades (MEB) and MEF residual forces in expeditionary/amphibious operations and subsequent operations ashore. Support includes data processing, financial disbursing, postal, legal, Marine Corps Exchange (MCX) and consolidated Navy personnel administration to

8379-705: The Afghan Campaign since 2001, the Battle of Marjah , to clear the Taliban from their key stronghold in Helmand Province. After Marjah, marines progressed north up the Helmand River and cleared the towns of Kajahki and Sangin. Marines remained in Helmand Province until 2014. U.S. Marines served in the Iraq War , along with its sister services. The I Marine Expeditionary Force , along with

8512-1100: The American withdrawal from Lebanon. In 1990, Marines of the Joint Task Force Sharp Edge saved thousands of lives by evacuating British, French and American nationals from the violence of the Liberian Civil War . During the Persian 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. Marines participated in combat operations in Somalia (1992–1995) during Operations Restore Hope, Restore Hope II , and United Shield to provide humanitarian relief. In 1997, Marines took part in Operation Silver Wake ,

8645-549: The British port of Nassau for two weeks. On 3 January 1777, the Marines arrived at the Battle of Princeton attached to General John Cadwalader 's brigade, where they had been assigned by General George Washington ; by December 1776, Washington was retreating through New Jersey and, needing veteran soldiers, ordered Nicholas and the Marines to attach themselves to the Continental Army . The Battle of Princeton , where

8778-883: The Corps continued its record of participation in foreign expeditions, including the Philippine–American War , the Boxer Rebellion in China, Panama, the Cuban Pacifications, the Perdicaris incident in Morocco, Veracruz , Santo Domingo , and the Banana Wars in Haiti and Nicaragua ; the experiences gained in counterinsurgency and guerrilla operations during this period were consolidated into

8911-445: The Corps hit a detrimental low point in its service history caused by courts-martial and non-judicial punishments related partially to increased unauthorized 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. After

9044-503: The Corps out for the brunt of a series of recommended cuts in late 2010. In light of budget sequestration in 2013 , General James Amos set a goal of a force of 174,000 Marines. 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. Marines and other American forces began staging in Pakistan and Uzbekistan on

9177-441: The Corps studied and developed amphibious techniques that would be of great use in World War II. Many officers, including Lieutenant Colonel Earl Hancock "Pete" Ellis , foresaw a war in the Pacific with Japan 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

9310-408: The Corps took on expeditionary duties in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico , Key West , West Africa, the Falkland Islands , and Sumatra . Commandant Henderson is credited with thwarting President Jackson's attempts to combine and integrate the Marine Corps with the Army. Instead, Congress passed the Act for the Better Organization of the Marine Corps in 1834, stipulating that the Corps was part of

9443-427: The Corps's traditional missions, the Marines have renewed an emphasis on amphibious capabilities. The Marine Corps relies on the Navy for sealift to provide its rapid deployment capabilities. In addition to basing a third of the Fleet Marine Force in Japan, Marine expeditionary units (MEU) are typically stationed at sea so they can function as first responders to international incidents. To aid rapid deployment,

9576-583: The Department of the Navy as a sister service to the Navy. Commandant Henderson volunteered the Marines for service in the Seminole Wars of 1835, personally leading nearly half of the entire Corps (two battalions) to war. A decade later, in the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), the Marines made their famed assault on Chapultepec Palace in Mexico City, which would be later celebrated as

9709-712: The Far East. The Marine Corps played a small role in the Civil War (1861–1865); their most prominent task was blockade duty. As more and more states seceded from the Union , about a third of the Corps's officers left the United States to join the Confederacy and form the Confederate States Marine Corps , which ultimately played little part in the war. The battalion of recruits formed for

9842-660: The Forces HQ Group, Marine Forces Reserve and are dedicated to supporting II MEF and I MEF, respectively, whenever a MEF's active duty FORECON company is not available. With the exception of the Low Altitude Air Defense battalions, which are organic to the Marine Air Control Group (MACG) of a Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) , and are a component of the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) of a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF),

9975-632: The GCE and ACE beyond their organic capabilities. The battalions primarily provide motor transport and logistics control and materiel handling (i.e., landing support) services, and limited engineer, maintenance, and supply services, to dedicated Regimental Combat Teams (RCT) or Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU). CLBs that support RCTs typically consist of a headquarters and service company, and three support companies (engineer, maintenance, and transportation); those CLBs that support MEUs typically consist of several functional units (individual units may be styled as either

10108-481: The GCE. The headquarters battalion also includes the division band, whose tactical mission is to serve as a provisional rifle platoon in providing division headquarters security. Note: Some GCE battalions and regiments are provided air liaison officers/forward air controllers (i.e., Marine Corps naval aviators — aircraft pilots, and naval flight officers — airborne weapons and sensor systems officers) with specialized skills in coordinating air support of ground units) from

10241-469: The MAGTF commander to effectively fight the GCE and ACE, with support from the LCE, to defeat the enemy and/or accomplish other assigned missions. Note: U.S. Marine Corps organizational doctrine places communications, intelligence, and law enforcement battalions and their organic companies/detachments in the MAGTF headquarters group or CE. However, intelligence (i.e., ground intelligence) may also be considered as

10374-432: The MAGTF. On deployment, they can also be used to support field hospitals per Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Instruction, when not performing dental roles. In garrison, they run dental health clinics at various Marine installations . Dental battalions are manned primarily by Navy Dental Corps personnel and usually consist of a headquarters and service company and three dental companies. (The former H&S battalions of

10507-532: The MARDIV assault amphibian vehicle (AAV) battalion has four companies of 42 AAVs each and is capable of transforming an entire Marine infantry regiment into an amphibious mechanized infantry force.) The MAW, with its aircraft groups (MAGs) and air control groups (MACGs) , is comparable to a notional U.S. Air Force (USAF) numbered air force consisting of a mix of several USAF wings and USA combat aviation brigades (nominally at least two of each). Lastly,

10640-1000: The MEF HQG may be considered as roughly analogous to a notional U.S. Army (USA) division headquarters that also contains a combined battlefield surveillance brigade (BFSB) / maneuver enhancement brigade (Army MEB). This comparison is based on the fact that the MEF HQG contains several of the key components of the BSB and Army MEB (viz., network support , military intelligence , military police , and long-range surveillance ) resident in its organic communications , intelligence , law enforcement , and radio battalions and attached force reconnaissance company . The MARDIV, containing two or three infantry regiments , an artillery regiment , and several separate armored vehicle battalions (i.e., tank , assault amphibian, and light armored reconnaissance ) and other combat support battalions (i.e., reconnaissance , combat engineer , and headquarters )

10773-522: The MEU. Maintenance battalions provide intermediate level (3d and 4th echelon) maintenance support for Marine Corps furnished (vice Navy, other service, or contractor provided) tactical ordnance (i.e., weapons and weapons systems), engineer, motor transport, communication-electronics, and general support (e.g., generators, refrigeration systems, water purification) equipment of the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF). Maintenance battalions are usually organized with

10906-509: The MLG and its organic logistics regiments are the USMC organizational and functional equivalents of a USA Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and its constituent sustainment brigades . The MEF, which varies in size, is capable of conducting missions across the full range of military operations and to support and sustain itself for up to 60 days in an austere expeditionary environment. For example,

11039-400: The MLG. The battalion typically consists of headquarters company, communications company, military police company, and service company. The command element (CE) consists of those command and control, communications, intelligence, law enforcement, electronic warfare/signals intelligence/electronic intelligence, civil affairs, air/naval gunfire liaison, and force reconnaissance units that enable

11172-580: The Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) of the aviation combat element (ACE). These officers facilitate employment of Marine aviation in support of GCE units to perform offensive air support (e.g., close air support), assault support (e.g., troop, cargo, and casualty transport, aerial command and control, liaison, communications, and illumination, and close-in fire support by light/attack helicopters), and aerial reconnaissance (e.g., tactical reconnaissance and artillery spotting). Infantry battalions are

11305-659: The Marine Corps began when two battalions of Continental Marines were formed on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia as a service branch of infantry troops capable of fighting both at sea and on shore. In the Pacific theater of World War II , the Corps took the lead in a massive campaign of amphibious warfare, advancing from island to island . As of 2022, the USMC has around 177,200 active duty members and some 32,400 personnel in reserve . As outlined in 10 U.S.C.   § 5063 and as originally introduced under

11438-559: The Marine Corps should continue to report to the Navy secretary. He made amends only by making a surprise visit to the Marine 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. 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

11571-559: The Marine Corps". It noted that the Corps has more often than not performed actions of a non-naval nature, including its famous actions in Tripoli , the War of 1812 , Chapultepec , and numerous counterinsurgency and occupational duties (such as those in Central America, World War I , and the Korean War ). While these actions are not accurately described as support of naval campaigns nor as amphibious warfare, their common thread

11704-601: The Marine Corps. Provide training for Drill Instructors and officers entrusted with recruit training responsibilities. Recruit training battalions consist of a headquarters and service company and four recruit training companies. Only the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island logos are listed below but only Recruit Training battalions Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego wikis show. The logos for Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego differ slightly; additionally, San Diego does not have

11837-484: The Marine Logistics Group (MLG) headquarters and service battalion. Additionally, this battalion provides communications networking and law enforcement support across the LCE. The headquarters and service battalion also provides specialized services, including: military postal service, Marine Corps Exchange (MCX), and other personal services, to units of all four MAGTF elements (i.e., GCE, ACE, LCE, and CE). Combat logistics battalions (CLB) provide combat service support for

11970-419: The Marine aircraft were destroyed, pilots continued the fight as ground officers, leading supply clerks and cooks in a final defensive effort. 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. The amphibious assault techniques developed for World War II evolved, with

12103-549: 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 the National Security Act of 1947 . Shortly afterward, in 1952 the Douglas–Mansfield Act afforded the commandant an equal voice with

12236-673: 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. At the end of the American Revolution, both the Continental Navy and Continental Marines were disbanded in April 1783. The institution was resurrected on 11 July 1798; in preparation for the Quasi-War with France , Congress created

12369-567: The Marines and U.S. media reported that Germans had nicknamed them Teufel Hunden, meaning " Devil Dogs " for their reputation as shock troops and marksmen at ranges up to 900 meters; there is no evidence of this in German records (as Teufelshunde would be the proper German phrase). Nevertheless, the name stuck in U.S. Marine lore. Between the World Wars , the Marine Corps was headed by Commandant John A. Lejeune , and under his leadership,

12502-557: The Marines had gained a reputation as expert marksmen , especially in defensive and ship-to-ship actions. They played a large role in the 1813 defense of Sacket's Harbor , New York and Norfolk and Portsmouth , Virginia, also taking part in the 1814 defense of Plattsburgh in the Champlain Valley during one of the final British offensives along the Canadian-U.S. border. The Battle of Bladensburg , fought 24 August 1814,

12635-853: The Marines of the Executive Flight Detachment of HMX-1 provide helicopter transport to the President and Vice President , with the radio call signs " Marine One " and "Marine Two", respectively. The Executive Flight Detachment also provides helicopter transport to Cabinet members and other VIPs . By authority of the 1946 Foreign Service Act, the Marine Security Guards of the Marine Embassy Security Command provide security for American embassies , legations , and consulates at more than 140 posts worldwide. The relationship between

12768-582: The National Defense, MCDP 1-0". It stated: A Marine air–ground task force with separate air ground headquarters is normally formed for combat operations and training exercises in which substantial combat forces of both Marine aviation and Marine ground units are included in the task organization of participating Marine forces. Since World War II, in many crises the United States Marine Corps has deployed projection forces, with

12901-471: The Navy Seabees 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. USMC historian Gordon L. Rottmann writes that one of

13034-548: The Nevada Cities Campaign. There was brutal fighting on Reno Hill, which was eventually captured by the Chinese. Although Reno was lost, the 5th Marines held both Vegas and Carson through the rest of the campaign. In this one campaign, the Marines suffered approximately 1,000 casualties and might have suffered much more without the U.S. Army's Task Force Faith . Marines would continue a battle of attrition around

13167-578: The Taliban-held town of Garmsir in Helmand Province on 29 April 2008, in the first major American operation in the region in years. In June 2009, 7,000 marines with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (2nd MEB) deployed to Afghanistan in an effort to improve security and began Operation Strike of the Sword the next month. In February 2010, the 2nd MEB launched the largest offensive of

13300-648: The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division , spearheaded the 2003 invasion of Iraq . The Marines left Iraq in the summer of 2003 but returned in the beginning of 2004. They were given responsibility for the Al Anbar Province , the large desert region to the west of Baghdad . During this occupation, the Marines lead assaults on the city of Fallujah in April ( Operation Vigilant Resolve ) and November 2004 ( Operation Phantom Fury ) and saw intense fighting in such places as Ramadi , Al-Qa'im and Hīt . The service's time in Iraq courted controversy with events such as

13433-779: The USMC generally operated in the Northern I Corps Regions of South Vietnam . While there, they were constantly engaged in a guerrilla war against the Viet Cong , along with an intermittent conventional war against the North 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-known Combined Action Program that implemented unconventional techniques for counterinsurgency and worked as military advisors to

13566-605: The United States Marine Corps. Marines had been enlisted by the War Department as early as August 1797 for service in the newly-built frigates authorized by the Congressional "Act to provide a Naval Armament" of 18 March 1794, which specified the numbers of marines to recruit for each frigate. The Marines' most famous action of this period occurred during the First Barbary War (1801–1805) against

13699-469: The United States is willing to defend its interests, and is able to do so with a powerful force on short notice. The four core elements of a Marine air–ground task force are: The four core elements describe types of forces needed and not actual military units or commands. The basic structure of the MAGTF never varies, though the number, size, and type of Marine Corps units composing each of its four elements will always be mission dependent. The flexibility of

13832-669: The Vietnam War, the U.S. Marines resumed their expeditionary role, participating in the failed 1980 Iran hostage rescue attempt Operation Eagle Claw , the Operation Urgent Fury and the Operation Just Cause . On 23 October 1983, the Marine barracks in 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

13965-438: The ability to move ashore with sufficient sustainability for prolonged operations. MAGTFs have long provided the United States with a broad spectrum of response options when U.S. and allied interests have been threatened and in non-combat situations which require critical response. Selective, timely and credible commitment of air–ground units has, on many occasions, helped bring stability to a region and sent signals worldwide that

14098-437: The addition of air assault and maneuver warfare doctrine, into the current " Operational Maneuver from the Sea " doctrine of power projection from the seas. 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

14231-578: The battalion's Scout Sniper platoon and Battalion Aid Station (BAS) staffed by U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman . By 2030 three battalions will be disbanded, and some reflagged: 1/8th becoming 2/2nd, 2/8th becoming 4/6th, 8th Marine HQ and 3rd Btn disband. Field artillery units provide indirect, long-range cannon and rocket fire support for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force . Currently, artillery regiments contain two or three (11th Marines only) cannon battalions and are equipped with

14364-848: The battalions in this section perform missions either within the Operating Forces of the Marine Corps but outside the MAGTF structure, or within the Supporting Establishment. The Marine Raider battalions of the Marine Raider regiment provide the principal special operations combat capability of the Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command in performing direct action, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, information operations, foreign internal defense, and unconventional warfare missions. The battalions consist of

14497-547: The border of Afghanistan as early as October 2001 in preparation for Operation Enduring Freedom . The 15th and 26th Marine Expeditionary Units were some of the first conventional forces into Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in November 2001. After that, Marine battalions and squadrons rotated through, engaging the Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces. Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit flooded into

14630-523: The cancellation of the program is going to prolong use of the AAV. Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) battalions use the LAV 25 series of vehicles and consist of a headquarters and service company and four LAR companies. Each LAR company is equipped with 25 LAVs (including 14 LAV-25, two mortar, four anti-tank, one command & control, three logistics, and one recovery variant). The mission of combat engineers

14763-631: The coast, known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir . The fighting calmed after the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, but late in March 1953, the relative quiet of the war was broken when the People's Liberation Army launched a massive offensive on three outposts manned by the 5th Marine Regiment . These outposts were codenamed "Reno", "Vegas", and "Carson". The campaign was collectively known as

14896-616: The collapse of North Korean lines and the pursuit of North Korean forces north near the Yalu River until the entrance of the People's Republic of China into the war. Chinese troops surrounded, surprised, and overwhelmed the overextended and outnumbered American forces. The U.S. Army's X Corps, which included the 1st Marine Division and the Army's 7th Infantry Division regrouped and inflicted heavy casualties during their fighting withdrawal to

15029-522: 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

15162-611: The end of the American Civil War to the end of the 19th century. They were called upon to stem political and labor unrest within the United States. Under Commandant Jacob Zeilin 's tenure, Marine customs and traditions took shape: the Corps adopted the Marine 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 ). John Philip Sousa ,

15295-630: The evacuation of American citizens from the U.S. Embassy in Tirana , Albania. Following the attacks on 11 September 2001 , President George W. Bush announced the Global War on Terrorism . The stated objective of the Global War on Terror is "the defeat of Al-Qaeda , other terrorist groups and any nation that supports or harbors terrorists". Since then, the Marine Corps, alongside the other military services, has engaged in global operations around

15428-414: The heart and soul of the ground combat element . The mission of locating, closing with, and destroying the enemy with fire and maneuver and repelling the enemy's assault with fire and close combat lies with the " grunts ". Marine infantry battalions often have limited organic equipment outside of small arms, infantry crew-served weapons (e.g., heavy machine guns, medium mortars, and anti-tank missiles), and

15561-502: The humanitarian relief effort there as well as deploying to Kuwait beginning in 2002 and taking part in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq . The three Marine expeditionary forces are: A Marine expeditionary brigade (MEB) is larger than a Marine expeditionary unit (MEU) but smaller than a MEF. The MEB, which varies in size, is capable of conducting missions across the full range of military operations and to support and sustain itself for up to 30 days in an austere expeditionary environment. It

15694-441: The immediate care of unit corpsmen . Often, these units act as field hospitals when on deployment. In garrison, they supplement naval hospitals at various Marine Corps installations . Medical battalions are manned by primarily by Navy Medical Corps personnel and typically consist of a headquarters and service company and three surgical companies. Dental battalions are responsible for the oral health of Marines and Sailors within

15827-409: The infantry is matched with the doctrine of "Every Marine [is] a rifleman", a precept of Commandant Alfred M. Gray, Jr. , emphasizing the infantry combat abilities of every Marine. All Marines, regardless of military specialization , receive training as a rifleman , and all officers receive additional training as infantry platoon commanders. During World War II at the Battle of Wake Island , when all

15960-437: The liaison between military forces and civil authorities, the local population and non-governmental organizations. The groups conduct activities which enhance the relationship between the military and host nation personnel and organizations facilitated through application of civil affairs specialty skills in areas normally the responsibility of civil governments. While these units are designated as companies, they are commanded by

16093-502: The majority of the military police Marines are enlisted members and not officers. "Officers" as in any military organization, command the battalion and its organic companies and platoons and serve as staff officers in the battalion headquarters.) By 2030 all of the battalions will be disbanded following the re-organisation announcement. Radio battalions provide the MEF with tactical electronic warfare , as well as signals intelligence and electronic intelligence . The battalions consist of

16226-636: 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 the Marine Band . During the Spanish–American War (1898), Marines led American forces ashore in the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico , demonstrating their readiness for deployment. At Guantánamo Bay , Cuba, the Marines seized an advanced naval base that remains in use today. Between 1899 and 1916,

16359-469: The organizational structure allows for one or more subordinate MAGTFs to be assigned. Seabees of the U.S. Navy may be deployed in support of a MAGTF. A Marine expeditionary force (MEF), commanded by a lieutenant general , is composed of a MEF headquarters group (MEF HQG) , a Marine division (MARDIV) , a Marine aircraft wing (MAW) , and a Marine logistics group (MLG) . For comparison purposes, in relation to other U.S. ground and air combat forces,

16492-541: The provisions of the Foreign Service Act of 1946. A formal Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the Department of State and the Secretary 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. The Marine Corps was founded to serve as an infantry unit aboard naval vessels and was responsible for

16625-703: The scope of initial training provided by the Recruit Training battalions, Officer Candidates School, or other pre-commissioning programs (e.g., US Naval Academy). The scope of training provided includes: (1) Training and educating newly commissioned or appointed officers ... with particular emphasis on the duties, responsibilities and warfighting skills required of a rifle platoon commander, (2) Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) training, and (3) individual and crew-served weapons and fieldcraft training for new Marines. Provide reception, processing, and recruit training for enlisted personnel following initial entry into

16758-427: The security of the ship and its crew by conducting offensive and defensive combat during boarding actions and defending the ship's officers from mutiny ; 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

16891-483: The supply battalions. Supply battalions usually consist of a headquarters and service company, an ammunition company, a medical logistics company, and a supply company. Transportation Support battalions provide the MEF with motor vehicle (truck) transportation and throughput support for the distribution of supplies, personnel, and equipment. The battalions consist of a headquarters and service company and three truck companies. Medical battalions provide medical care beyond

17024-604: The upcoming conflict. In World War II , the Marines performed a central role in the Pacific War , along with the U.S. Army. The battles of Guadalcanal , Bougainville , Tarawa , Guam , Tinian , Cape Gloucester , Saipan , Peleliu , Iwo Jima , and Okinawa saw fierce fighting between marines and the Imperial Japanese Army . Some 600,000 Americans served in the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II. The Battle of Iwo Jima, which began on 19 February 1945,

17157-443: The war, which were the first and last engagements of the conflict. Their most significant contribution was holding the center of General Andrew Jackson 's defensive line at the 1815 Battle 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 the capture of HMS Cyane , HMS Levant and HMS Penguin , the final engagements between British and U.S. forces,

17290-662: The world in support of that mission. In spring 2009, President Barack Obama 's goal of reducing spending in the Defense Department was led by Secretary Robert Gates in a series of budget cuts that did not significantly change the Corps's budget and programs, cutting only the VH-71 Kestrel and resetting the VXX program. However, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform singled

17423-530: Was arguably the most famous Marine engagement of the war. The Japanese had learned from their defeats in the Marianas Campaign and prepared many fortified positions on the island including pillboxes and network of tunnels. The Japanese put up fierce resistance, but American forces reached the summit of Mount Suribachi on 23 February. The mission was accomplished with high losses of 26,000 American casualties and 22,000 Japanese. The Marines played

17556-466: 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. After the war, the Marine Corps fell into a malaise that ended with the appointment of Archibald Henderson as its fifth commandant in 1820. Under his tenure,

17689-488: 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

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