Pacific Marines Legacy
Forgotten Heroes of the Pacific
The Marine Corps is most often associated with the storming of the beaches of Normandy and the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue. However, from island-hopping to Force Redesign 2030, Marines have dominated the Pacific in the past, present, and future.
WW2
On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese launched an attack on American soil, prompting the United States to enter the Second World War. At this time, the Marines of the Pacific were a small expeditionary force with outdated equipment, faced against a seemingly stronger enemy. Marines took part in what is now called an “island-hopping” campaign, fighting in battles including the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Okinawa to establish American military bases on strategic islands. Most famously was the Battle of Iwo Jima.
After months of naval and air bombardment, Marines invaded the island of Iwo Jima, a small volcanic island between Japan and the Marianas Trench, on February 19th, 1945. What decision-makers expected to be a swift victory turned into a 5-week struggle and one of the bloodiest battles in Marine Corps history. Japanese soldiers had to be targeted in vicious close-quarters assaults.
An estimated 70,000 American Marines and 18,000 Japanese soldiers took part in the battle. According to historian Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, during the 36 days of fighting on Iwo Jima, over 24,000 Marines and Navy personnel became casualties, including 6,140 who were killed. 216 were taken as prisoners of war. However, the island was finally secured on March 26th, 1945. The capture of Iwo Jima laid the groundwork for the eventual invasion of Okinawa, making it a turning point in the battle for the Pacific theater.
Korean War
When the North Korean People’s Army, armed with Soviet weaponry, invaded the Republic of Korea in 1950, Marines answered the call. President Harry S. Truman ordered a naval blockade off the coast of Korea, and General Douglas MacArthur approved ground troops in the region.
On July 7th, the First Provisional Marine Brigade was activated and sent to Pusan, Korea. Upon landing in Inchon, Marines drove out the North Koreans with a five-day surprise amphibious assault. They then fought against a Chinese Communist uprising. The Korean War resulted in 28,000 Marine casualties, and the awarding of 42 Medals of Honor, 221 Navy Crosses, and 1,500 Silver Stars.
During the Korean War, the Marine Corps also grew from 75,000 strong to a fighting force of over 261,000 Marines.
Vietnam War
On March 8th, 1965, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade waded ashore at My Khe Beach, near Da Nang, South Vietnam. The first U.S. ground troops in the region entered one of the longest and costliest conflicts in Marine Corps history. Up to 1971, Marine combat units were stationed in South Vietnam. Some Marines would remain in the nation until the spring of 1975, providing advice to the South Vietnamese Marine Corps or protecting the U.S. Embassy.
The Vietnam War is longer than the U.S. military operations in Iraq or Afghanistan as measured by the duration of the Marines' advisory service, which began in 1954. Marines fought in the jungle against North Vietnamese Guerillas or “Vietcong”-- a violently formidable opponent.
There was heavy usage of chemical warfare, including Agent Orange. Many Vietnam veterans continue to experience health issues as a result of their service. According to Jack Shulimson, at the start of 1968, the III Marine Amphibious Force in Vietnam included more than 100,000 Marines, sailors, and soldiers.
Force Design 2030
Following the official culmination of the War on Terror, the Marine Corps has a plan to modernize and restructure its strategy. Focused on the Indo-Pacific region rather than the Middle East, this plan ensures the Corps remains steps ahead of adversaries using drones, long-range missiles, and cyberattacks.
The success in this redesign has been demonstrated in exercises such as BALIKATAN, an annual bilateral exercise between America and the Philippines. As adversaries evolve, the Marine Corps will remain a present stabilizing force in the Pacific.
These heroes are not forgotten; this we’ll defend. We remember their sacrifices and struggles throughout time.
