----------------------------------------------------------------- NAVY & MARINE CORPS WORLD WAR II COMMEMORATIVE COMMITTEE A service of Navy Chief of Information Office (703)695-3161/DSN 225-3161 ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE MARINE CORPS IN WORLD WAR II SHORT HISTORY During the two decades before World War II, the Marine Corps began to develop the doctrine, equipment and organization needed for amphibious warfare. The success of this effort was proven throughout the Pacific during World War II. By the end of the war in 1945, the Marine Corps had grown to include six divisions, five air wings and supporting troops. The Marine Corps strength in World War II peaked at 475,604. The war cost the Marines nearly 87,000 dead and wounded. COMMANDANTS -- 1936-1947 Dec. 1, 1936-Dec. 31, 1943 Lieutenant General Thomas Holcomb Jan. 1, 1944-Dec. 31, 1947 General Alexander Vandegrift (first active duty, 4-star general) ACTIVE DUTY MARINES In 1940, 1,800 officers and 26,545 enlisted. In 1941, 3,339 officers and 5l,020 enlisted. In 1942, 7,l38 officers and 135,475 enlisted. In 1943, 21,384 officers and 287,139 enlisted. In 1944, 32,788 officers and 442,8l6 enlisted. In 1945, 37,067 officers and 437,6l3 enlisted. In 1946, 14,208 officers and l4l,47l enlisted. MARINE CORPS COMBAT LOSSES Prisoners of War (POW) - 348 Wounded in Action (WIA) - 67,207 Killed in Action (KIA) - 19,733 Other deaths - 4,778 MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS USMC personnel received 81 of the 433 Medals of Honor awarded during World War II. Fifty-one of the medals were awarded postumously. 1st Enlisted Marine Recipient: Sergeant Clyde Thomason, Makin Island raid, Aug. 17, 1942. 1st Marine Officer Recipient: 1st Lieutenant George Cannon, Midway Island, Dec. 7, 1942. MARINE CORPS ACES 125 USMC aviators became aces during WWII when they shot down five or more aircraft. Marines accounted for 982 of the 2,346 downed enemy aircraft in the Pacific. Nine aces were awarded the Medal of Honor SPECIAL UNITS Raider Battalions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) - Deactivated Feb. 1, 1944. Parachute Battalions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) - Disbanded Dec. 30,1943. Defense Battalions (1st-18th, 51st, 52nd) - The 51st and 52nd were comprised of all black Marines. They were small units guarding outposts throughout the Pacific. Navajo Code Talkers - Approximately 400 Navaho Indians enlisted to speak and translate a secret code in their native language. The code was never broken by the enemy. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS Defense of Pearl Harbor Dec. 7,1941 Defense of Wake Island Dec. 8, 1941 Defense of Bataan and Corregidor Dec. 26,1941 Guadalcanal Aug. 7, 1942 Makin Raid Aug. 17,1942 New Georgia Jun. 21,1943 Choiseul Raid Oct. 28,1943 Bougainville Nov. 1, 1943 Tarawa Nov. 20,1943 Cape Gloucester Dec. 26,1943 Roi Namur Feb. 1,1944 Eniwetok Feb. 19,1944 Talasea Mar. 6, 1944 Emirau Mar. 20,1944 Saipan Jun. 15,1944 Guam Jul. 21,1944 Tinian Jul. 24,1944 Peleliu Sep. 15,1944 Marines in Philippines Oct. 21,1944 Iwo Jima Feb. 19,1945 Okinawa Apr. 1, 1945 Occupation of Japan Aug. 30,1945 Occupation of North China Sep. 30,1945 AIRCRAFT Brewster F2A Buffalo - single-engine fighter Grumman F4F Wildcat - single-engine fighter Vought F4U Corsair - single-engine fighter Grumman F6F Hellcat - single-engine fighter Douglas R4D Skytrain/Skytrooper - twin-engine transport Douglas R5D Skymaster - four-engine transport Curtiss SBC Helldiver - single-engine biplane scout/bomber Douglas SBD Dauntless - single-engine scout/bomber Curtiss SB2C Helldiver - single-engine scout/bomber Vought SB2U Vindicator - single-engine scout/bomber Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger - single-engine torpedo bomber North American PBJ Mitchell - twin-engine patrol/bomber Consolidated PB4Y Privateer - four-engine patrol/bomber Consolidated PBY Catalina - twin-engine patrol/bomber Grumman/Columbia J2F Duck - single-engine observation Consolidated-Vultee OY Sentinel - single-engine observation SOURCES Polmar, Norman and Allen, Thomas B. America at War 1941 -1945. New York: Random House, 1991. Collier, B. The War in the Far East 1941 - 1945. New York: W. Morrow Co., 1969. Sherrod, Robert. History of Marine Corps Aviation in WWII. Washington D.C.: Combat Forces Press, 1952. Dyer, VADM. The Amphibians Came to Conquer. Washington D.C.: GPO, 1971. Van Der Rhoer, E. Deadly Magic. New York: Charles Scribnerþs Sons, 1978. Smith, S.E. The U.S. Marine Corps in World War II. New York: Random House, 1969. History of the U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Fleet Marine Force Reference Publications (FMFRP), Vols. 12-34-(I-V). Washington D.C.: Marine Corps Historical Center, 1989. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol V. Washington D.C.: Naval Historical Division, 1979. Marine Corps Historical Center, Washington, D.C. Researched by Alexander Molnar Jr., USMC/USA (Ret.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Navy & Marine Corps World War II Commemorative Committee Navy Office of Information (CHINFO) The Pentagon, Room 2E352 Washington, DC 20350-1200 -----------------------------------------------------------------