| This Month's History Lesson, the Marine Corps Way: December |
|---|
| Once a Marine,
Always a Marine! |
|---|
| 1 December 1947: |
The Corps' first helicopter squadron, HMX-1, was commissioned at Quantico. |
| 1 December 1950: |
The 1stMarDiv began its bitter withdrawal fro Yudamni, North Korea. |
| 2 December 1942: |
Carlson's Raiders neared the end of an epic 26 day patrol on Guadalcanal. |
| 3 December 1944: |
Marine air assets of the 1st and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wings arrived in the Philippines to support Army forces. |
| 4 December 1895: |
Marines in Tientsin, China, were awarded the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal for the period 4 December 1894 - May 1895. |
| 5 December 1929: |
Marine Captain A. N. Parker was the first person to fly over unexplored Antarctica. |
| 6 December 1846: |
Battle of San Pasqual. |
| 6 December 1928: |
Marines participated in the Battle of Cuje during the occupation of Nicaragua. |
| 7 December 1941: |
The Japanese Bomb Pearl Harbor,
precipitating United States entry into World War II.
More than 3,000 Marines and Sailors were killed in action. |
| 7 December 1941: |
Midway Island shelled. |
| 8 December 1941: |
The Japanese attacked American garrisons at Wake Island, Guam
and the Philippines. |
| 8 December 1941: |
The United States declared war upon the Empire of Japan. |
| 9 December 1968: |
The 1st, 5th, 7th, and 26th Marine Regiments participated in Operation Meade River in Vietnam. |
| 9 December 1992: |
Marines of E/2/9 landed at Mogadishu, Somalia, to begin Operation Restore Hope. The 15th MEU, RCT-7 and Provisional MAG-16 served. |
| 10 December 1941: |
With no weapon larger than the .30 caliber MG, 153 Marines defended Guam until overwhelmed. |
| 11 December 1941: |
VMF-211 Wildcats sank the Japanese destroyer Kisaragi during the defense of Wake Island. |
| 12 December 1941: |
United States declares war upon Nazi Germany. |
| 12 December 1944: |
Marines participated in the Luzon Operation in the Philippines during WW II. |
| 13 December 1967: |
BLT 3/26 was ordered to reinforce Khe Sanh, Vietnam. |
| 14 December 1941: |
Wake Island defenders were left with one aircraft surviving Japanese attacks. |
| 15 December 1968: |
The 3d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment commenced search and destroy Operation Citrus in Vietnam. |
| 16 December 1946: |
Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic was activated under CinCLant.. |
| 16 December 1991: |
Nearly 300 members of the 8th Marines arrived at Guantanamo Bay to participate in Haitian humanitarian efforts for 6,000 refugees. |
| 17 December 1941: |
17 SB 2U-3s of Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 281 flew 1,137 miles, the longest massed flight over water. |
| 18 December 1903: |
Marines escorted American diplomats to Addis Ababa, Abyssinia. |
| 19 December 1944: |
MAG-12 Corsairs blew up Japanese supply dumps at Palompon, Leyte. |
| 20 December 1965: |
Operation Harvest Moon ended for Task Force Delta (2/7, 3/3, and 2/1). More than 400 Viet Cong were killed in action. |
| 20 December 1989: |
The 2ndMarDiv began combat operations as part of Task Force Semper Fidelis in Panama against General Manuel Noriega's forces. |
| 21 December 1967: |
Special Landing Force B was awarded the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross for action 21-24 December. |
| 22 December 1942: |
VMF-121 and VMO-251 pilots downed seven Zeroes over Munda. |
| 23 December 1817: |
Marines in a joint Army-Navy operation forced the surrender of Amelia Island. |
| 23 December 1941: |
The Japanese landed at and captured Wake Island. |
| 24 December 1950: |
The last elements of the 1stMarDiv departed Hungnam, North Korea. |
| 25 December: |
Christmas Day. Each year on Christmas, Marines guard our national security all over the world. |
| 26 December 1776: |
Marines participated in the second Battle of Trenton (NJ) as part of General George Washington's force. |
| 26 December 1943: |
The 1stMarDiv landed in the assault of Cape Gloucester, New Britain. |
| 27 December 1903: |
Major General George F. Elliot, 10th Commandant of the Marine Corps, departed Washington, DC, to command Marines in Panama. |
| 28 December 1901: |
Major L. W. T. Waller's ill-fated "March Across Samar" began. |
| 29 December 1966: |
The 11th Motor Transport Battalion was awarded the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry for service 29 December 1966 - 20 September 1969. |
| 30 December 1927: |
Marines participated in the Battle of Camino Real (Nicaragua). |
| 31 December 1930: |
Eight Marines were killed and two escaped when surrounded at Ocotal, Nicaragua. |
| 31 December 1946: |
Official end of World War II. |
Return to "Semper Fi, Mac!"