From the 1950s to the mid 1970’s Marines participated in a number of engagements across the globe. The Marine Corps volunteered nearly all Marines during the Korean War and were considered absolutely instrumental to all the successes. In 1952, during their advance north to the border of China, the 1st Marine Division was surrounded by five divisions of Chinese regulars at the Chosin Reservoir, and for five days in the brutal weather and terrain of the mountainous region, in sub-zero temperatures, the Marines fought their way to the sea for an amphibious retreat.
- Memorable Quote: Five-time Navy Cross winner ‘Chesty’ Puller, the division commander, famously remarked at Chosin, “We’re surrounded. That simplifies the problem.”
During the Vietnam War, Marines conducted the little known and successful Combined Action Program that implemented unconventional techniques for counterinsurgency warfare. In 1983, the Marines successfully landed on Grenada in the Caribbean to snuff out an armed revolution in a showcase of the Corps’ growing ability as an amphibious ‘force-in-readiness.’ Their prowess continued throughout the nineties, as the Marine Corps was heavily involved in combat during the Persian Gulf War.
- Did you Know: The 1st Marine Division Band was the first military band to be ordered to the Persian Gulf and the only band to go into Kuwait. During the attack on Iraq-occupied Kuwait, band members cleared paths through bunker systems, and mine fields aiding in the security of the battleground for United States forces. During Operation Desert Shield, the band performed during the Marine Corps Birthday and holiday seasons for all Marines deployed in Saudi Arabia.
Marine battalions and squadrons have been rotating through Afghanistan, engaging Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces since 2001. The I Marine Expeditionary Force, along with the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, spearheaded the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They were given responsibility for the Al Anbar Province, the large desert region to the west of Baghdad. In 2006, Marines assumed responsibility for Helmand Province where they continue to fight today.
- Memorable Quote: “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they’ve made a difference in the world. Marines don’t have that problem.” Ronald Reagan, President of the United States; 1985
