Section 101

Question 1

Gregory R. “Pappy” Boyington

Answer 1

Maj Boyington commanded the Black Sheep during WWII

Recognized for his aerial dogfights

Top ranking flying ace with 28 victories (1945)

Question 2

Battle of Guadalcanal

Answer 2

Aug 1942

1st US offensive of WWII

1st MARDIV landed on beaches of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands

1st combat test of new amphibious doctrine

Question 3

Opha Mae Johnson

Answer 3

Marine Corps’ first enlisted woman, 13 Aug 1918

Known as Marine Reserve (F), “Skirt Marine” or “Marinettes”

Question 4

John A. Lejeune

Answer 4

LtGen Lejeune served as the 13th Commandent of Marine Corps (as MGen Lejeune) from 1920-1929

First Marine Officer to command an Army Div (during WWI in France)

Question 5

Joseph L. Foss

Answer 5

Capt Foss was a Marine pilot

Awarded Medal of Honor for taking a Japanese airfield in Guadalcanal

2nd ranking ACE w/ 26 Victories to his credit at end of WWII

Question 6

Daniel Daly

Answer 6

During the Battle of Belleau Wood (1918), Sgt Major Daly said “Come on you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”

2 Medals of Honor:

1) Chinese Boxer Rebellion
2) First Caco War in Haiti

Question 7

Battle of Wake Island

Answer 7

Dec 1941

Japanese offensive of WWII. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese struck Wake Island on 8 Dec.

Despite being heavily out numbered, the Marines mounted a courageous defense before finally falling on 23 Dec.

The battle resulted in an extraordinary number of Japanese casualties.

Question 8

Archibald Henderson

Answer 8

BGen

“Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps”

Commandant from 1820 to 1959

Question 9

Battle of Okinawa

Answer 9

April 1945

Marines and soldiers landed and secured the island of Okinawa

This marked the last major action of WWII.

Question 10

Esprit de Corps

Answer 10

Devotion and loyalty to the USMC with deep regard for its history, traditions, and honor.

Question 11

State the significance of the scarlet trouser stripe.

Answer 11

According to Marine Corps tradition, the “blood stripe” commemorates the blood shed by Marines in the Battle of Chapultepec in 1846.

Question 12

2nd Battle of Khe Sanh

Answer 12

Jan 1968

Marines defended the fire base at Khe Sanh from two North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Divisions. The Marines endured heavy bombardment for two and a half months before finally forcing the enemy to withdraw.

Question 13

Quatrefoil

Answer 13

Interwoven braid in the shape of a cross of figure eights found on top of Marine officers’ barracks covers.
Authorized in 1859.
Quatrefoil was worn on the caps of Marines fighting on the decks of ships so they were easily recognized by Marine sharpshooters.

Question 14

Mameluke sword

Answer 14

Cross-hilted, curved, scimitar-like sword derived from the sabres used by Mamluk warriors

According to Marine Corps legend, Prince Hamet Bey presented the sword to LT O’Bannon for his heroic actions at the Battle of Derna.

“Mamelukes” were an elite Muslim military force from Eastern and Northern Africa.

Question 15

Fourragère

Answer 15

Braided rope worn over the left shoulder with the left arm passing through. The rope is only worn in dress and service uniforms when ribbons are prescribed.

5th and 6th Marine Regiments were awarded the fourragère at the Battle of Belleau Wood and are only US Marines authorized to wear it.

Question 16

State the significance of the NCO sword.

Answer 16

Noncommissioned officers of the Marine Corps are the only NCOs in any branch of the regular United States Armed Forces who still have the privilege of carrying what is considered to be a commissioned officer’s weapon.

Question 17

Montford Point Marines

Answer 17

20,000 African Americans enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1942 at Montford Point Camp in Jacksonville, NC.

They were trained separately and were segregated within the USMC.

They fought professionally and proudly in many battles paving the way for the diversity in the Marine Corps today.

Question 18

Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller

Answer 18

LtGen Puller served in Nicaragua where he received the nickname “Tiger of the Mountains”.

Puller and his force of 32 Marines became famous for their ability to engage rebel groups and bandits while scouring the jungle of Nicaragua.

Maine Corps mascot (bulldog) is named after him

Question 19

Battle of Bladensburg

Answer 19

Aug 1814

103 Marines and 400 Sailors made a vain attempt to block 4,000 British Troops from advancing on Washington

Stopped 3 charges before being driven back

British moved down Bladensburg Rd to Washington burning a number of public buildings along the way

Question 20

John H. Quick

Answer 20

SgtMaj Quick is remembered for Cuzco Well in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Won Medal of Honor for semaphoring for an emergency lift of the naval bombardment while under Spanish and American shellfire.

Landing showed usefulness of Marine Assault troops and capture and defense of advance bases becoming primary mission of USMC.

Question 21

Battle of the Mariana Islands

Answer 21

Jun-Jul 1943

American offensive in WWII intended to attain forward operating bases in the Pacific

LtGen Smith led a combined invasion force of Marines and Soldiers that totaled over 136,000, the greatest number of troops to operate under Marine Command.

Question 22

Presley Neville O’Bannon

Answer 22

Lt1 O’Bannon is remembered for heroism in the battle for the Harbor Fortress of Derna.

O’Bannon’s Marines were the first U.S. forces to hoist the flag over territory in the old world.

Mameluke sword, carried by Marine officer’s today, presented to O’Bannon in 1805

Question 23

Guidons

Answer 23

Small rectangular flags made in Marine Corps colors carried by companies, batteries or detachments

Question 24

Battle of Tarawa

Answer 24

Nov 1943

Japanese said it would take 1,000,000 Americans 100 years to take the atoll. Marines secured it within 76 hrs, but at no small cost.
Due to the extended coral reef, landing craft were forced drop Marines off hundreds of yards from the beaches, which led to many casualties from drowning and enemy fire.

Question 25

Marine Corps Emblem

Answer 25

Eagle with the USMC motto in its beak, globe (western hemisphere), and fouled anchor

Eagle = Nation's Freedom 
Globe = Worldwide Service 
Anchor = Maritime Traditions

Adopted from British Royal Marines and modified by BGen Zeilin in 1868

Question 26

Ira H. Hayes

Answer 26

Cpl Hayes was one of the Marines at the Battle of Iwo Jima who was immortalized in the now famous photo taken of the second flag raising on Mount Suribachi, shortly after the Japanese stronghold was taken on 23 Feb 1945.

Question 27

Battle of New Orleans

Answer 27

Jan 1815

Marines under command of Gen Andrew Jackson soundly defeated British forces that were attacking the city of New Orleans.

British lost 2,000 men while American losses were less than 100.

Question 28

Battle of Belleau Wood

Answer 28

Jun 1918

WWI battle at Belleau Wood, France in which Marines helped crush a German offensive that threatened Paris.

Germans classified Marines as “Storm Troops” and gave them the name the name “Devil Dogs”

Question 29

Annie L. Grimes

Answer 29

CWO

3rd African American female in USMC.

First black female officer to retire after her “full 20”.

Question 30

Margaret A. Brewer

Answer 30

BGen Brewer, was the 7th and last director of Women Marines and was the only post-WW woman to hold that position.

First woman to become a General in the Marine Corps in May 1978.

Question 31

Battle of the Chosin Reservoir

Answer 31

Chinese offensive in the Korean War in Nov 1950.

After pushing far into North Korea, Marines were cut off by Chinese Communist Forces. Marines smashed 7 of the 10 enemy Divisions sent to annihilate them before being forced to retreat. This was a pyrrhic victory for the Chinese forces.

The major significance of the Marines’ retrograde movement was that Marines brought out all operable equipment, properly evacuated their wounded and dead, and maintained tactical integrity.

Question 32

Battle of Hue City

Answer 32

During the Vietnamese holiday of Tet in January 1968, Communist forces launched a surprise offensive on Hue, South Vietnam. A near division-size unit of NVA troops occupied Hue and the Citadel.
This was the first time since the Korean War that Marines had fought in urban areas, and they were forced to forego the application of heavy arms to minimize civilian casualties.

Over the course of a month, Marines slowly drove the NVA forces out and secured the city on 25 February 1968.