What You Need to Know About...

...The United States Marine Corps

(Note: This is NOT an official United States Government website)

1. General
2. People
5. The "Fives" Section
9. Books
10. Useful Links

General

1.01  How old is the U.S. Marine Corps?

The Marine Corps was formed as the "Continental Marines" on November 10th, 1775.  Want to find out if somebody really is (or was) a Marine?  Ask them what the birthday of the Marines is; they'll know.

1.1 What is the motto of the U.S. Marines?

"Semper Fidalis" often shortened to "Semper Fi" which is Latin for "Always Faithful."

1.2 How do I join the Marines?

Start here: http://www.marines.com/default.asp

1.3 What is a battalion?

A battalion is a unit of organization.  In the Marine Corps units are defined roughly like so:

    1.3.1 Fire team - 3 or 4 Marines

    1.3.2 Squad - 3 fire teams plus a squad leader (10-13 Marines)

    1.3.3 Platoon - 3 squads plus a platoon sergeant and a platoon commander (32-41 Marines)

    1.3.4 Company - 3 platoons plus support officers

    1.3.5 Battalion - 3 or 4 companies plus a Lt. Colonel who commands the battalion

    1.3.6 Regiment - 3 or 4 battalions plus a Colonel who commands the regiment.

    1.3.7 Division - 3 or 4 regiments plus support officers

People

2.01 What are the enlisted ranks?

E1 - Private

E2 - Private First Class (PFC)

E3 - Lance Corporal

E4 - Corporal

E5 - Sergeant

E6 - Staff Sergeant

E7 - Gunnery Sergeant

E8 - Master Sergeant/First Sergeant

E9 - Sergeant Major/Master Gunnery Sergeant

2.02 What are the officer ranks?

O1 - Second Lieutenant

O2 - First Lieutenant

O3 - Captain

O4 - Major

O5 - Lieutenant Colonel

O6 - Colonel

O7 - Brigadier General

O8 - Major General

O9 - Lieutenant General

O10 - General

The Fives Section

5.1 Five Battles You Should Know

    5.1.1 Battle of Belleau Wood

    5.1.2 Iwo Jima

In February of 1945 70,000 U.S. Marines attacked a Japanese force of 22,000 men on this island located 650 miles south of Tokyo.  In difficult and bloody fighting the Americans all but wiped out the Japanese force, at the cost of more than 7,000 U.S. servicemen dead and 19,000 wounded.  The famous photo of Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi was taken four days after the invasion.

Iwo Jima was deemed essential to U.S. interests due to it's airfield and proximity to Japan.  It was hoped to become an emergency landing strip for bombers returning from Japan.

    5.1.3 Guadalcanal

    5.1.4 Okinawa

    5.1.5 Inchon

Books

9.1 The Illustrated Directory of the United States Marine Corps

Useful Links

10.1 The United States Marine Corps - Official Website
10.2 Wikipedia - United States Marines
 

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