Portal:United States Marine Corps

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The United States Marine Corps Portal

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The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military responsible for providing power projection from the sea, utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces to global crises. Alongside the U.S. Navy, the Marine Corps operates under the United States Department of the Navy.

Originally organized as the Continental Marines in 1775 as naval infantry, the Marine Corps would evolve its mission with changing military doctrine and American foreign policy. Owing to the availability of Marines at sea, the Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict going back to the Revolutionary War. It attained prominence in the 20th century when its theories and practice of amphibious warfare proved prescient, and ultimately formed a cornerstone of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Its ability to rapidly respond to regional crises continues to make it an important body in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy.

The Marine Corps, with 180,000 active duty and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2005, is the smallest of the United States' armed forces in the Department of Defense (the United States Coast Guard, about one fifth the size of the Marine Corps, is under the Department of Homeland Security). The Corps is nonetheless larger than the entire armed forces of many significant military powers; for example, it is larger than the Israeli Defense Forces.

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Legendary Marine, Major General Smedley Butler was, at the time of his death, the most decorated U.S. Marine in U.S. history. During his 34 years of Marine Corps service, his awards included the Marine Corps Brevet Medal and two awards of the Medal of Honor. In addition to his military career, Smedley Butler was noted for his outspoken anti-interventionist views, and his book War is a Racket — which was one of the first works describing the workings of the military-industrial complex.

Read more about Smedley Butler. For previous articles, see Archive. edit

Selected picture

Photo credit: USMC Photo by LCPL Albert F. Hunt

U.S. Marines with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines search a field during a dust storm for weapons caches in Khalidiyah, Iraq on April 17, 2008.

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New articles relating to the United States Marine Corps

Marine Corps Security Force Battalion‎ — 2 June 2008
Red Patch — 22 May 2008
VMF-452 — 12 May 2008
Merlin German — 2 May 2008

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United States Marine Corps lists

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Web resources

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Selected biography

Presley Neville O’Bannon (1776 – 1850) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps, famous for his exploits in the First Barbary War. In recognition of his bravery, he received a sword for his role in restoring Prince Hamet Karamali to his throne at Tripoli. That sword became the model for the Mameluke Sword adopted in 1825 as the Marine officers' sword that is still part of the dress uniform today.

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Marines in the news

On June 11, 2008, Colonel John Ripley became the first Marine to be inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame — honored for the assault on the Dong Ha Bridge, on Easter morning 1972. (Marine Corps Times, June 13, 2008)
Retired Marine Corps General Peter Pace, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on June 19, 2008. (Marine Corps Times, June 12, 2008)
The 33rd annual Marine Corps Marathon, to be held on October 26, 2008, opened for registration on April 30.(Marine Corps Times, April 30, 2008)

More USMC-related news can be found at usmc.mil or Marine Corps Times.

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Quotes

"Of all the U.S. armed services, the Marine Corps has the longest and most intensive basic training for both its officers and enlisted personnel. The Corps is upfront about its grueling physical and mental drill. But it has no problem meeting its recruitment goals. The reason is simple: the Marines are an elite - the best of the best."

— William H. Donaldson, Chairman, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2005.

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