Birth Of The Marine Corps Essay Research

Birth Of The Marine Corps Essay, Research Paper

BIRTH OF THE MARINE CORPS On 10 November 1775, the Continental Congress meetingin Philadelphia passed a resolution stating that “twoBattalions of Marines be raised” for service as landingforces with the fleet. This resolution, sponsored by JohnAdams, established the Continental Marines and marked thebirth date of the United States Marine Corps. Serving onland and at sea, these first Marines distinguishedthemselves in a number of important operations, includingtheir first amphibious raid into the Bahamas in March 1776,under the command of Captain Samuel Nicholas. Nicholas, thefirst commissioned officer in the Continental Marines,remained the senior Marine officer throughout the AmericanRevolution and is considered to be the first MarineCommandant. The Treaty of Paris in April 1783 brought an endto the Revolutionary War and as the last of the Navy’s shipswere sold, the Continental Navy and Marines went out ofexistence. WOMEN IN THE MARINE CORPS Aug 12, 1918 – World War I – 305 “Reservists (Female)” wereadmitted into the Marine Corps to perform clerical duties,and thereby, “Free a Marine to fight.” Aug 13, 1918 – Opha Mae Johnson, the first woman Marine,enlisted in Washington, D.C. July 30, 1919 – Major General George Barnett, Commandant,issued orders for the separation of all women from theReserve. Nov 7, 1942 – General Thomas Holcomb, Commandant, approvedthe formation of the United States Marine Corps Women’sReserve. Mrs. Ruth Cheney Streeter of Morristown, NJ, wascommissioned a major in the USMCWR and sworn in as the firstDirector of the Women’s Reserve on 29 Jan 1943. She achievedthe grade of colonel prior to resigning her commission on 6Dec 1945. Feb, 1943 – World War II – women’s continuous active servicebegan. The first enlisted class of 722 women completedtraining at Hunter College, NY, on 25 Apr 1943; the firstofficer class with 75 women graduated from training at MountHolyoke College, MA, on 11 May 1943. Jun, 1944 – Women Reserves constituted 85 percent of theenlisted personnel on duty at Headquarters Marine Corps, andfrom one-half to two-thirds of the personnel manning allmajor posts and stations in the United States. At theirpeak, there were over 19,000 women, approximately thestrength of a Marine Division, in wartime service in theMarine Corps. Dec, 1945 – Two-thirds of the Women Reserves had beenseparated or transferred to inactive status as part of thepostwar demobilization. In 1946, the Marine Corps elected toretain a small nucleus of trained women to set up a postwarReserve to avoid having to start from scratch again. june 12, 1948 – Congress passed the Women’s Armed ServicesIntegration Act which authorized the acceptance of womeninto the Regular component of the Marine Corps. Women couldnot exceed two percent of total service strength or holdpermanent rank above lieutenant colonel. The Director ofWomen Marines would hold the temporary rank of colonel. Nov 3, 1948 – Colonel Katherine A. Towle, who had been thesecond Director of the Women’s Reserve, was discharged fromthe Marine Corps Reserve and accepted a Regular commissionas a permanent lieutenant colonel. The next day she wasappointed the first Director of Women Marines, with thetemporary rank of colonel. 1949 – The 3rd Recruit Training Battalion was formed at theMarine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC with CaptainMargaret M. Henderson as the first commanding officer. TheWomen Officers’ Training Class was established at MarineCorps Schools, Quantico, in Jun 1949 under the command ofCaptain Elsie E. Hill. Aug, 1950 – Korean War – For the first time in history,Women Reserves were mobilized. May 1, 1953 – Julia Hamblet became Director of WomenMarines-as a colonel. She held this post until 1 Mar 1959. 1965 – Vietnam War – A strength increase was approved and by1968 there were 2,700 women Marines on active duty.Opportunities expanded as well. From 1965 to 1973, womenMarines carried out an increasing variety of duties bothstateside and overseas. The Marine Corps also began openingup career-type formal training programs to women officersand advanced technical training to enlisted women. Mar 18, 1967 – Master Sergeant Barbara J. Dulinsky, who hadvolunteered for duty in Vietnam, reported to the MilitaryAssistance Command in Saigon-the first woman Marine orderedto a combat zone. A total of 28 enlisted women and eightwomen officers served in Vietnam. Nov 8, 1967 – President Johnson signed into Public Law90-130, a bill which repealed the limits on the number ofwomen in the services, permitted permanent promotion tocolonel, and provided for the temporary appointment of womento brigadier general if filling a flag rank billet. In hiswords, “Our Armed Forces literally could not operateeffectively or efficiently without our women…” 1974 – The Commandant approved a change in policy permittingthe assignment of women to specified rear echelon elementsof the Fleet Marine Force, but they could not be deployedwith assault units or units likely to become engaged incombat. 1975 – The Marine Corps approved the assignment of women toall occupational fields except infantry, artillery, armor,and pilot/air crew. June 30, 1977 – The Office of the Director of Women Marineswas disestablished. May 11, 1978 – Colonel Margaret A. Brewer was appointed to ageneral officer’s billet as Director of Information, withthe rank of brigadier general, thereby becoming the firstwomen general officer in the histo