| This Month's History Lesson, the Marine Corps Way: March |
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| 1 March 1960: |
The Beaufort (South Carolina) Auxiliary Air Station
was redesignated a Marine Corps Air Station. |
| 2 March 1776: |
Raid on New Providence, Bahamas. |
| 2 March 1867: |
Colonel Jacob Zeilin, 7th Commandant of the Marine
Corps, became the first Commandant promoted to Brigadier General. |
| 2-4 March 1943: |
Allied land-based planes inflicted decisive
defeat on Japanese attempt to reinforce New Guinea, sinking entire
convoy in Battle of the Bismarck Sea. |
| 3 March 1809: |
Five-year enlistments in the Corps replaced the
previous three-year terms. |
| 3 March 1871: |
Navy Medical Corps established. |
| 3 March 1931: |
Star Spangled Banner made U. S.
National Anthem. |
| 4 March 1801: |
The Marine Band performed at a Presidential
Inauguration for the first time. |
| 5 March 1942: |
U. S. Navy Construction
Battalions (Seabees) formed. |
| 5 March 1947: |
The 7th Marine Regiment disbanded at Camp Pendleton
following their return from China. Personnel and equipment were transferred to
the 3rd Marine Brigade. |
| 6 March 1932: |
Marine Band leader John Philip Sousa died at
age 79 in Reading, Pennsylvania. |
| 6 March 1944: |
Marines assault Talasea on New Britain
(secured 8 March 1944). |
| 6 March 1965: |
Beginning of Vietnam Defense Campaign. |
| 7 March 1945: |
U.S. troops took Remagen Bridge and
crossed the Rhine. |
| 7 March 1951: |
The 1st, 7th, and 11th Marine Regiments commenced
operations against enemy forces at Hongchon, Korea. |
| 8 March 1942: |
Japan invaded New Guinea (Lae,
Salamaua, Finschhafen). |
| 8 March 1944: |
Japanese launched counteroffensive
on Bougainville, smashed by Marines 24 March. |
| 8 March 1965: |
First ground forces (3/9) landed at Red Beach,
Da Nang, Vietnam. |
| 9 March 1782: |
Marines served with General Clark. |
| 9 March 1847: |
Expeditionary Marines landed and seized Vera Cruz,
Mexico, during the Mexican War. |
| 9 March 1942: |
Java fell to Japan concluding Netherlands
Indies Campaign. |
| 9-10 March 1945: |
U.S. B-29s fire-bombed Tokyo at night in the
most savage air raid in history (including later atomic
bombings). |
| 10 March 1783: |
Marines in fighting tops of the USS Alliance
helped defeat HMS Sibyll. |
| 10 March 1945: |
Mindanao in Southern Philippines invaded. |
| 11 March 1853: |
Marines from the USS Cyane landed at San Juan
del Norte, Nicaragua. |
| 12 March 1824: |
Marines of the Boston Barracks quelled a
Massachusettes State Prison riot. |
| 13 March 1911: |
Atlantic Landing Force of 688 Marines
landed at Guantanamo Bay. |
| 13 March 1945: |
The 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 9th Marine
Regiment attacked through "Cushman's Pocket," Iwo Jima. This was the
last strongpoint of enemy resistance on the island. |
| 14 March 1905: |
The first Marine military attaché was appointed
to Legation at Peking, China. |
| 15 March 1944: |
Marine medium bombers struck Japanese positions
at Rabaul. |
| 16 March 1922: |
Marines guarded the U.S. mail during a
national crime wave. |
| 16 March 1945: |
Iwo Jima secured. |
| 17 March 1918: |
The 5th Marine Regiment was the first Marine
unit to move into WW I front-line trenches. |
| 18 March 1945: |
MAG-14 flew air support for U.S. Army landings
at Panay, Philippines. |
| 19 March 1928: |
Marine planes bombed a bandit group at Nueve
Segovia, Nicaragua. This was the first use of close air support. |
| 20 March 1943: |
Marine "Avengers" conducted the first aerial
mine-laying mission. |
| 20 March 1944: |
Marines seized Emirau Island in
Bismarck Archipelago. |
| 21 March 1945: |
General A. A. Vandergrift, 18th Commandant of the
Marine Corps, became the first Marine four-star general on active duty. |
| 22 March 1952: |
Six new Marine battalions and Marine air groups were
activated on the West Coast, giving the Corps the full authorized limit of
three divisions and three wings. |
| 23 March 1815: |
Marines assisted the USS Hornet's capture
of the HMS Penguin off Tristan de Cunha. |
| 24 March 1944: |
The 22nd Marine Regiment captured Ebon and Namu
Atolls in the Marshall Islands. |
| 25 March 1804: |
The Secretary of the Navy approved the first
formal uniform of the Marine Corps. |
| 25 March 1863: |
Marines with Farragut's squadron engaged
Confederates at the Battle of Vicksburg in Mississippi. |
| 26 March 1943: |
Battle of Komandorski Island,
Aleutians. |
| 26 March 1944: |
WW II, Marines of 1stProMarBrig landed on Kili
island and Namorik Atoll, Marshall Islands. |
| 27 March 1953: |
The 1stMarDiv defeated communist Chinese in the
Battle for "Vegas" Hill in Korea. |
| 28 March 1870: |
129 Marines seized and destroyed illicit distilleries
in "Irishtown" (Brooklyn), New York. |
| 28 March 1918: |
Marines were placed under the command of French
Marshall Foch in WW I. |
| 29 March 1917: |
Marines garrisoned St. Croix to deny harbor
to German submarines. |
| 30 March 1966: |
The 7th Marine Regiment terminated Operation
Indiana in Vietnam. |
| 31 March 1801: |
LtCol W. W. Burrows, 2nd Commandand of the
Marine Corps, and President Thomas Jefferson selected the site of Marine
Barracks, 8th& I, Washington, DC. |
Return to "Semper Fi, Mac!"