Weighted? Flexible? But how about smart? Somewhere in their history, the members of the Corps seem to have gotten a reputation for being simple-minded "jarheads." Let me tell you here that this is a major misconception. Marines have been among the most innovative of the world's military forces. Consider the following: there have been five major tactical innovations in twentieth-century ground combat. They are:
• Panzerblitz (Armored Assault): The use of heavy mounted formations was systematized by Hans Guderian of the German Reichwehr in the early 1930s. From this came the development of the large armored formations that were the spearheads of the campaigns in Europe in World War II. Since that time, armored units have been the cutting edge of the world's ground forces.
• Airborne Assault: The idea of dropping light infantry by parachute into an enemy's rear actually dates back to Ben Franklin in the late eighteenth century — he proposed using balloons to lift the troops. The idea was then resurrected in 1918 by General Billy Mitchell, though the Germans were the first to use them in combat against France and the low countries in 1940. Later, airborne assaults would be executed by all the major powers in World War II.
But, what about the other three?
• Amphibious Assault: This particular concept resulted from the British disaster at Gallipoli during World War I. After the Great War, two Marine colonels studied that campaign, diagnosed its failures and found in them both a formula for success and a mission for the Corps. Also called "Combined Operations" (by the British), Amphibious Assault almost overnight became a recipe for success. The Marine Corps wrote the cookbook.
• Close Air Support: The use of aircraft to support ground troops is another Marine innovation, practiced and perfected in the "Banana Wars" of the 1920s, and brought to the point that no American fighting man feels entirely clothed without aircraft overhead — preferably piloted by Marines.
• Airmobile (Helicopter) Assault: The technological perfection of the airborne assault, this concept was first used by Marines following Korea (they called it "vertical envelopment") to deliver riflemen and their support units in cohesive packages to decisive points behind the enemy front lines. It's both safer and more effective than falling from the sky in a parachute. With the addition of supporting attack helicopters, airmobile units are among the most mobile and well-armed in the world.
In short, for tactical innovation, the score for this century is U.S. Marine Corps 3—the World 2. All this from the smallest of the uniformed services in terms of size and budget. And some would tell us that Marines are dumb? Like a fox.
In this book, I'm going to take you on a tour of the most "Marine" unit left in the Corps today: the Marine Expeditionary Unit — Special Operations Capable (MEU [SOC]). In the seven MEU (SOC)s currently in existence, the Corps has placed the bulk of its amphibious and airmobile assault capability, and packaged them into battalion-sized MAGTFs that are forward deployed into trouble areas of the world. In this way, national leaders and regional commanders have a "kick-in-the-door" (the Marine leadership likes to call it "Forced Entry") capability that is right where it needs to be. We'll be looking at the 26th MEU (SOC), which is one of three such units in the East Coast rotation. Along the way, I think that you will be able to get a feel for the people and equipment that make up the 26th, and the Corps in general. You should, when finished, have a much better understanding of why I believe in Marines: their missions, their people, and their traditions. America's "911 Force."
Marine 101: Ethos
From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli,
We will fight our country's battles in the air, on land and sea.
First to fight for right and freedom, and to keep our honor clean,
We are proud to claim the title of United States Marines.
"Marine." Say the word to any American, and you can count on a strong reaction. The word brings a vivid image to the mind of every American listener — perhaps John Wayne in The Sands of Iwo Jima or Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men. Outside the United States, there are equally strong reactions, both positive and negative. Like other American icons such as Harley Davidson, Disney, and FedEx, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) is known as an institution that works. When the world throws problems at an American President, it is often Marines who are sent to make them right.
This book will focus on one of the basic building blocks of today's Marine Corps, the Marine Expeditionary Unit — Special Operations Capable, or MEU (SOC). It is a rapid-response unit, patrolling a dangerous world while waiting for the President of the United States to get a "911" call for armed intervention. Currently, the USMC maintains seven MEU (SOC)s: three on each coast, and one on Okinawa. Two or three of these units are deployed aboard ship into forward areas at any one time. Each MEU (SOC) is a self-contained naval/air/ground task force, capable of putting a reinforced Marine rifle battalion (over one thousand men) ashore. For decades, MEUs have provided U.S. Presidents with the ability to project power from the sea. MEUs (they were then known as Marine Amphibious Units or MAUs) led the way into Grenada and Beirut in 1983, and were among the first forces sent to Saudi Arabia when the 1990 Persian Gulf Crisis erupted. They were there when the first peacekeeping and relief forces went into Somalia in 1992, and were there again for the evacuation two years later. And MEUs are out there right now as you read this, training and staying ready, just in case they are needed.
This book will take you inside one of these units, and through it, inside the USMC as a whole. As you meet the people in the MEU and examine their equipment, I think you will learn why they represent an irreplaceable asset for the United States, an asset that's even more important today than it was just five years ago. You will come to understand how they work, their dedication and the personal sacrifices they make. For these are truly the people who stand guard on the walls of freedom, while the rest of us sleep safely in our homes.
The Marine Corps Edge: Ethos
In my earlier books Armored Cav and Fighter Wing, the first chapter was devoted to an examination of critical technologies that give a particular service its combat edge. But in this book, things have to be a bit different. This is because most of the Marine Corps technology base is shared with the other three services. In fact, except for amphibious vehicles and vertical/short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft design (VSTOL), virtually every piece of equipment Marines use was developed by, and even bought for the Army, Navy, or Air Force. From rifles and uniforms to bombs and guided missiles, the Marines know how to get the most out of a Department of Defense dollar.