The United States Marine Corps (USMC)

Introduction

On November 10, 1775, the Continental Marines was founded as a way of directing ship-to-ship fighting. They were first deployed in February 1776 but were dissolved as an organization together with the Continental Navy at war’s end. On July 11, 1798, the US Congress recreated the two armed services under new organization names: United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the United States Navy. The USMC is one of the seven uniformed services and one of the four armed services of the United States. The USMC was under the US Navy since 1834. It is under the US Department of Defense. The USMC carries Multi-Front Warfare Capabilities that provides a unique array of skills that facilitate the defense of the US and its interests on multiple fronts.

U.S. Marine Corps Installations

The headquarters of the USMC is located in the Department of the US Navy in the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, USA. Its current personnel count is 182,000 active duty Marines and 39,000 reserve Marines. It also has many major Marine bases in the country including 14 bases that house its operating forces such as the Marine Expeditionary Forces. These bases are Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, and Camp Butler. The reserve units have 184 Reserve Training Centers around the US. The US Marine Corps also maintains training commands, logistics bases, air stations, and recruit depots. It also has offices and centers in the Pentagon, Washington Navy Yard, Marine Barracks, and Henderson Hall.

Notable Personnel

The US Marine Corps was and is a stepping stone for distinguished men. Many have achieved fame and fortune after their service in the armed forces. Joseph M. Acaba, NASA astronaut. Don Adams, actor. James Carville, a political strategist. Roberto Clemente, baseball Hall of Famer. Walter Cunningham, Apollo 7 astronaut. Jack Davis, football player. Glen Ford, actor. John Glenn, NASA astronaut and US Senator. Gene Hackman, actor. Pat Robertson, evangelist. George Schultz, US Secretary of State and economist. The US Medal of Honor awardees also included many Marines who served and died for their country during the many wars and conflicts that the United States took part from the 19th century to the 21st century.

Notable Achievements

The United States Marine Corps was a deciding presence in the Pacific theater of the Second World War utilizing its amphibious warfare tactics. It provided fighting power on the sea including shore and land to evolve to air warfare. The USMC is known as the US third air force and second land army. The Korean War (1950-1953) was aided by the US Marines at the Pusan Perimeter. The Vietnam War (1955-1975) saw several thousand Marines perished. The US Marines also saw action in the Iran hostage rescue (1980), Invasion of Grenada (1983), and the Invasion of Panama (1989-1990). The US Marines also saw action in the Liberian Civil War, the Gulf War, the Operation Desert Storm, and the US Embassy in Albania. The Afghanistan Campaign utilized US Marines capability since 2001 in Pakistan and Uzbekistan. The war in Iraq also saw Marine Expeditionary Force with US Army 3rd Infantry Division storm Baghdad. The US Marines would be pulled out of Iraq and Afghanistan but would return to serve again with the US Army to suppress violence there. The US War on Terrorism also saw the US Marines deployed in the Horn of Africa against Islamic extremists and pirates.