More Dispelling the Myth of Marine "Uniqueness"

Way back on 21 November 2010, I wrote an article in this Blog entitled:

Marine Commandant: Marines are Unique – Dispelling the Myths about Marines

questioning an assertion by the then new Marine Corps Commandant, Gen Amos, that “Marines are unique.” This assertion was reported in a 7 November 2010 Washington Post Federal Page article. As a Soldier for 30 years going from enlisted man squad leader as a sergeant to and commanding units from 2LT (earning a Combat Infantryman Badge) to full Colonel, I totally reject there is anything “unique” about a Marine Infantryman. In fact, since World War II, the Marine Corps has become just another, abet smaller, ground army and their performance has been identical to that of regular Army Infantry units in every conflict. In his definitive account of the Korean War, The Forgotten War, the author Clay Blair proves this beyond any doubt for Korea.  Also, for all their hype, in World War II the US 8th Air Force alone (one of 16 numbered US Air Forces in the War) had more men killed (27,000), almost all in actual combat, than the entire Marine Corps (24,000) suffered including those lost in bar fights around Camp Lejeune.

Over the years I have worked with Marines and even had some attached to me for extended periods and, except for the PR commissars assigned down to the squad level, I found them identical to and even interchangeable with my Soldiers.  As a result of my previous experiences with Marines, I was surprised to learn when I visited the Marine Corps Museum at Quantico that the Marines had won for us every War our Country has fought. Just to put the Marine Corps’ contribution in ALL our armed conflicts in perspective, I will Insert this chart that reflects the sacrifices each of our Military services has made by War:

As further testament to who has “fought our Country’s Battles on the Land” for the past 246 years, here is a list of the 10 deadliest Battles in US History and Marines have only participated in two of them (#1 & #6):

1.    Meuse-Argonne Offensive, World War I, Sep-Nov 1918; 26,277 US Killed.  Of the 2 Million US Military deployed overseas in WWI, only 30,000 were Marines with almost half arriving after the Armistice and remaining for occupation duty.  Of the 116,516 deaths from all causes in the War, only 2851 were Marines. Only one Marine Brigade commanded by US Army BG James G. Harbord served in Combat as the 4^th Brigade of the 2^nd US Army Infantry Division.

2.    Battle of the Bulge, World War II, Dec 1944-Jan 1945; 19,200 US Soldiers Killed.

3.    The Battle for France, World War II; Jul-Sep 1944; 17,844 US Soldiers Killed.

4.    The Battle for Normandy, World War II, Jun-Jul 1944; 16,293 US Soldiers Killed.

5.    Battle for Western Germany, World War II, Mar-May 1945; 15,000 US Soldiers Killed.

6.    Battle for Okinawa, World War II, Apr-Jun 1945; 12,500 US Killed (4907 Navy, 4582 Army, 2792 Marines with another 7,700 US dead from wounds or non-combat).

7.    Huertgen Forrest, World War II, Sep-Dec 1944, 12,000 US Soldiers Killed.

8.    Luzon Philippines, World War II, Jan-Aug 1945; 10,380 US Soldiers Killed.

9.    The Gothic Line, Northern Apennines Italy; World War II, Sep 44-Apr 45; 10,380 US Soldiers Killed.

10. Operation Dragoon, Southern France; World War II, Aug-Sep 1944; 7301 US Soldiers Killed.