With the Iceland expedition before it and numerous insular bases acquired from the British destined for Marine Guards, the United States Marine Corps entered the year 1941, the 166th year of its existence, with 47,811 men on active service. Going far above the initial expansion which had brought the strength of the Corps from a bare 18,000 in 1939 to a strength of 25,000 by February 1940, the aggregate numerical strength of the Marine Corps passed the 65,000 mark late in 1941.
During the year the greatest concentration of Marines continued to be the Fleet Marine Force, made up of two streamlined 'triangular' divisions, each comprising three infantry regiments with supporting weapons. Two Marine aircraft wings of six squadrons each — in effect, almost all of Marine aviation — continued to be a component part of the Fleet Marine Force, and, with the rest of the Corps, underwent considerable expansion during the year.
In addition to the air arm all other modern ordnance and equipment applicable to the mission of the Fleet Marine Force, or FMF, is in service. Parachute units, tanks, artillery, amphibious tractors, chemical warfare groups, peeps, jeeps, armored scout cars of several types, and all-important infantry outfits, armed with pistols, rifles, machine guns, mortars, and 37 mm. cannon combine to make the FMF one of the best equipped striking forces of the world today. As far as is known these divisions are the only units of their size in which such a varied collection of weapons are included under Divisional command.
The FMF is an integral part of the United States Fleet, and it comes under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of that organization. Kept in a constant state of peak operating efficiency, it is ready for immediate call at all times. To keep the two divisions of the force at such a high standard, extensive training areas are necessary, and in 1941 a new Marine Base was authorized and established on the Atlantic Coast for the use of the First Marine Division. Situated near New River, N. C., this base will be completed in 1942, and late 1941 saw the First Division quartered in a tent camp at New River, pending completion of permanent barracks. The Second Marine Division, which is the West Coast unit of the FMF, is quartered at another new base established in 1941, Camp Elliott, several miles north of San Diego, Calif.
The function of the FMF is to form a fast, highly mobile sea-borne striking force, trained and equipped to go ashore from transports and capture shore based objectives. Such ship to shore actions involve a greatly enhanced element of risk when compared to regular overland military operations. The moving of men and equipment from ship to shore under possibly adverse weather conditions is a hazardous procedure by itself. With enemy fire from troops ashore and with machine guns and bombs from enemy planes hampering the work, the increased hazards of the operation are obvious. For these reasons troops who would master the special art of Landing Operations must be highly trained. There must be perfect teamwork between all units of the landing force — planes, tanks, guns, boats, parachute troops, and infantry units. Special equipment, such as Higgins-Eureka landing boats, self-propelled equipment lighters, and amphibious tractors must be used. Such training has been continuous and intensive in the Corps during the past year.
Interesting outgrowth of the national defense network of outlying bases which has been acquired by the United States during the present European conflict is the Marine Corps Defense Battalion. Several of these specialized units have been added to the six authorized in 1940. The Defense Battalion, since it is different in function and need not be so mobile as the standard FMF battalion, carries heavier equipment and ordnance. A heavily gunned outfit, it is equipped with automatic weapons of all calibres — anti-boat, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft — and it is designed to hold an advanced base for the Navy against possible enemy attack. The size of the defense unit at any given base will vary with the size of the base, but the Defense Battalion will be the nucleus of any such holding force.
But the Fleet Marine Force has not absorbed the entire man power of the Marine Corps. Ships' detachments of Marines are serving on all of the Navy's larger ships — battleships, aircraft carriers, and heavy cruisers — and on some light cruisers and gunboats. Seagoing Marines continued to be trained at the Corps' two sea-schools at Norfolk, Va., and San Diego, Calif.
Within the continental limits, Marines were stationed at all of the Naval Bases, and new Marine barracks were established at seven new continental stations. In the face of the emergency during 1941, guard detachments were furnished to fourteen outlying posts of existing stations. On foreign duty Marine Barracks or detachments were furnished at eleven new stations, or, as in the case of two detachments, at outlying posts of existing stations.
To provide trained personnel for the new equipment with which the Corps is being provided, the existing school system continued in operation with larger accommodations, and several new schools were established. Among these, one of the newest and most important is the amphibious tractor school established in April 1941.
A barrage balloon school was also organized at Parris Island, S. C., during the year in order to train enlisted men in barrage balloon maintenance and operation. Colonel B. L. Smith, U.S.M.C., an aviation pioneer who in 1913 made the first amphibian flight, and in 1919 planned the naval trans-atlantic flight, took command of the barrage balloon school. In the fall of 1941 the First Balloon Squadron, consisting of two hundred men equipped with thirty balloons, was graduated from the school, and seven more such squadrons will be trained for duty with the FMF by the summer of 1942.
The Marine parachute school, which was organized during November 1940, continued to turn out qualified parachutists for duty with the parachute units of the First and Second Divisions, and during the summer of 1941 Marine Corps parachute detachments demonstrated their capabilities in several maneuvers, each time succeeding in completely disorganizing the rear areas of the army attacked. In September a platoon of Company 'A,' First Parachute Battalion, performed the feat of marching 40 miles in twelve hours and thirty-five minutes. Superbly trained and kept in the best physical condition, the parachute units are considered to be the crack units of the Corps.
For the procurement of officer personnel to fill out the vacancies caused by the tremendous expansion of the Corps, Candidates' Classes for college graduates who desire commissions as Second Lieutenants in the Marine Corps Reserve continued to be held, and in November 1941, the Fourth Candidates' Class assembled at Quantico for its four month training period. Upon receipt of commissions the previous three classes of candidates went immediately to platoon leaders courses, and a great number of these men are now serving in the Fleet Marine Force.
Noteworthy in the year's events was the Marine Corps expedition to Iceland. Leaving this country in June, a force of Marines took over from the British much of the job of guarding the island from any possible attack. In August a United States Army contingent arrived in Iceland to share the task of guarding it.
During the summer another phase of Marine-Army cooperation was seen when Army units were attached to the First Marine Division to form the 'Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.' The Army contingent was enthusiastic, and the maneuvers were considered to have shown very successful cooperation between the two services.
As the year draws to a close the Marine Corps is growing to meet its quota of 75,000 men. In the Fleet Marine Force, on the many foreign stations from the Philippines to London, from Samoa to Dutch Harbor, from British Guiana to Iceland, and on the ships at sea, the Marines stand ready to fight for American freedom.
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