A Brief History of the Marine Corps
Did you know the official Marines came about on November 10, 1775, by the Continental Congress? The first appointed commander of the Marine Corps was appointed by John Hancock. The Marine Corps, in the beginning, was originally named the Continental Marines. A blast from the past Many of us have seen pirate movies and who can forget The Pirates of the Caribbean. But did you know that the Marine Corps dates back to pirate times? In 1805, the Marines helped to overpower the pirates in the Mediterranean who were raiding US merchant ships. The Marine Corps and their lieutenant (Presley O'Bannon) moved across 600 miles of the Libyan Desert of North Africa to Derna, a Tripolitanian city during the famous battle at Tripoli. Maybe this will sound more familiar when we point out part of the Marine's Hymn and tradition which states, "From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli." The Marine Icon
In February of 1945, the Marines fought their "toughest and hardest fight in Marine Corps history" (Marine Lieutenant General H. M. Smith). Japan had taken the island of Iwo Jima and made it into an obstacle course of tunnels and gun fire. Six Marines raised the US flag in the middle of the battle at the summit of Mount Suribachi, which was the tallest point on the island. The picture of this flag rising is now a Marine and U.S. icon. This icon represents the dedication and strength of the Marines. Unfortunately, before the island could be won, three of the six Marines were killed. This was during the famous battle of Iwo Jima. Marines Corps Mission
The Marines are a prepared bunch, also known as "Devil Dogs" or "Leather Necks"; they have been characterized by being, "The first to fight." The actual mission of the Marine Corps is stated in the National Security Act of 1947, which was amended in 1952. Marine Corps Weapons
The Marines use a variety of weapons for their missions. They have bladed, small arms, vehicle-mounted, and aircraft-mounted weapons. Also included in this weapons list is the SMAW, or the Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon. This weapon is a portable anti-armor rocket launcher and is based on the Israeli B-300, which is an expensive weapon system created in the late 1970s for the Israeli army. For the US Armed Forces and the Marines, this weapon system was brought into play in 1984. The SMAW system, which consists of a launcher, ammunition, and logistics support, was named as a unique system for the Marine Corps in 1984. Today, the system is used in the US Army as well, which had access to 150 launchers and 5,000 rockets in the Gulf War.
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