The USMC was good at what it did and was trained to do. They were shock attack troops trained in amphibious doctrine for making opposed landings on islands. read more
The Marines always had to do everything on the cheap. They were part of the US Navy and were always short on equipment because the Navy spent all their money on ships and planes. They did not call themselves the sorry assed marines for nothing. read more
I currently teach history for various colleges and universities and have, over the past few years, had many students who served in the Marines and other branches of the American (and some in non-American) military in Iraq (both in the 1991 and 2003 conflicts) and Afghanistan. read more
The Battle of Derne, on the shores of Tripoli during the First Barbary War, was the decisive action of the war, and the first overseas land battle fought by the United States military. 4. the"leatherneck" nickname is a historic one. read more