History Flashcards
1
Q
1775 Marine Corps Birthday
A
- Created November 10th 1775 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Tun Tavern.
- A resolution of continental congress raised 2 battalions of Marines.
- Captain Samuel Nicholas became the commander of the 2 battalions, and is traditionally considered the 1st Commandant of the Marine Corps.
- In 1834 the Marines came under the department of the Navy.
- The National Security act of 1947, amended in 1952, states the present structure.
2
Q
1776 Marines First Landing
A
- Took place during the revolutionary war
- Invaded New Providence Island in the Bahamas
- Seized guns and supplies
- Uniform of the day had a stiff leather stock around the neck, thus the nickname “Leathernecks”.
3
Q
1805 Barbary Pirates
A
- Marines stormed the Barbary pirates stronghold at Burma on the “Shores of Tripoli”.
- Raised the “Stars and Stripes” for the 1st time in the Eastern Hemisphere
4
Q
1847 Halls of Montezuma “Mexicans went to heaven”
A
- During the Mexican war.
- Marines occupied the “halls of Montezuma” during the battle of Chapultepec in Mexico city.
- Royal palace fell to invading Marines who were among the 1st troops to enter the capital
- Also helped take California
5
Q
1859 Harpers Ferry
A
- Under the command of Colonel Robert E Lee, US Army
- marines stormed the US arsenal at Harpers Ferry to put down an attempted slave revolt
- Led by abolitionist John Brown
6
Q
1868 EGA
A
- Marines adopted the emblem that consisted of an eagle, globe, and anchor.
- Brigadier General Jacob Zeilin, 7th Command, modified the British Royal Marine emblem to depict the Marines as both American and maritime.
- Globe and anchor signify worldwide service and sea traditions
- Spread eagle is a symbol of the nation itself
7
Q
1883 Semper Fi
A
- The official motto “Semper Fidelis” was adopted
- Latin for “Always Faithful”
- Commonly heard as “Semper Fi”
8
Q
1900 Boxer Rebellion
A
- In support of foreign policy, marines from ships in the Asiatic station defended the American Legation in Peking, China during the Boxer Rebellion.
- Part of a multinational defense force that protected the Legation Quarter against attack.
- Small defense force held out until a relief force was able to reach Peking and end the rebellion.
9
Q
1913 Marine Corps Aviation
A
- Established aviation unit.
- Marine Major Alfred A. Cunnigham was the 1st pilot
10
Q
1917 Battle of Belleau Wood in France
A
- Landed as part of the American force in France
- Participated in 8 distinct operations
- Distinguished themselves and were awarded a number of decorations, among them the French Fourragere still worn by members of the 5th and 6th Marines
11
Q
1933 Fleet marine force
A
- Reorganized into the Fleet Marine Force
- Formally establishing “command and administrative relations” between the fleet and the Marine Corps
- The Marine Corps Board was established in Quantico, VA
- Marines devoted long hours to testing and developing materials for landing operations and expeditionary service.
12
Q
1965 South Vietnam
A
- Landed in South Vietnam
- Committed the Marine corps to the longest war in history
- Conducted numerous large-scale offensive operations.
- Participated in the pacification program, designed to win support of the local populace.
- Also, in response to an attempted coup of the local government, Marines landed in the Dominican Republic to evacuate and protect US citizens
- Marines formed the core of a multinational force that quickly restored peace.
13
Q
Lebanon 1982
A
- Marines Deployed to Lebanon as part of a multinational peacekeeping force in an effect to restore peace and order to this war torn country.
- This further displayed the concept of “Force in Readiness”
- On October 23, 1983, a suicide bomb truck attack on the HQ building killed 241 Americans and wounded 70 others.
- The Last marine unit withdrew in July 1984
14
Q
1991 Operation Desert Storm
A
- Launched after Iraqi government refused to comply with the United Nations resolutions.
- Marine aviation was heavily used when the air phase commenced in january of 1991
- When massive bombing failed to dislodge Iraqi forces, Marine ground forces swept into Kuwait and liberated the country causing severe damage to the Iraqi military capability
15
Q
2001 Operation Enduring Freedom
A
- OEF was the official name used by the US government for the War in Afghanistan.
- Together with 3 smaller military actions under the umbrella of the Global War On Terror (GWOT).
- On october 7th, 2001, early combat operations including a mix of strikes from land based B-1 lancer, B-2 Spirit, and B-52 Stratofortress bombers; carrier based F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet fighter; and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from both the US and British ships and submarines signaled the start of OEF.
16
Q
2003 Invasion of IRAQ
A
- Led by the US, alongside the UK and smaller contingents from Australia and Poland.
- 4 countries participated with troops during the initial invasion phase.
- Lasted from March 20-Mayh 01 2003
17
Q
2004 1st Battle of Fallujah
A
- Codenamed Operation Vigilant Resolve
- An unsuccessful attempt by the US to capture the city of Fallujah in April 2004
18
Q
2004 2nd Battle of Fallujah
A
- Codename Operation Al-Fajr (Arabic for “The Dawn”) and Operation Phantom Fury.
- Joint US-Iraqi-British offensive in November and December of 2004.
- Led by the US Marine Corps against the Iraqi insurgency stronghold in the city of Fallujah
- Authorized by the US-appointed Iraqi Interim Government
19
Q
The Battle of Belleau Wood
A
- One of the greatest battles in Marine history
- At Belleau Wood, France during WW1
- Marines helped crush a German offensive that threatened Paris.
- In honor of the Marines that fought there, the French renamed the area “The Wood of the Brigade of Marines”
- -German intel evaluated the Marines as ‘storm troops’ the highest rating on the enemy fighting scale
- In reference to the Marines ferocious fighting ability, German troops called their new enemy ‘Teufelhunden’ or ‘Devil Dogs’ a nickname in which Marines hare pride.
20
Q
The Battle of Guadalcanal
A
- August 7th, 1942
- 1st Marine Division landed on the beaches of Guadalcanal in the Soloman Islands and launched the first US land offensive of WW2.
- The battle marked the first combat test of the new amphibious doctrine.
- Also provided a turning point of the war in the Pacific by providing a base to launch further invasions in Japanese held islands.
- AMphibious landings followed on the remaining Soloman islands including New Georgia, Choiseul (Feint) and Bouganville
21
Q
The Battle of Tarawa
A
- The Gilbert islands were the first in the line of advance for the offensive in the Central Pacific.
- Prime objective was the Tarawa Atoll and Betio Island, which
