Ch, ch, ch, ch, changes (a Strange fascination, fascinating me)
Ah, changes are taking the pace I’m going through.
David Bowie
Good morning, Leathernecks! Although I could not find a specific date, this is what happened during the month of September in the history of our beloved Corps:
For whatever reason the first day of a month is an extremely busy one, or at least it seems that way. There are two items that are of particular interest to me.
The first being: In 1950, Representative Gordon L. McDonough inserts in the Congressional Record a letter he received from President Truman in response to McDonough’s plea that the Commandant be made part of the JCS. Truman wrote: The Marine Corps is the Navy’s police force and as long as I am President that is what it will remain. They have a propaganda machine that is almost equal to Stalin’s.” Release of the letter brings widespread calls for an apology from the President. (To say this disclosure pissed me off is putting it mildly as I had always liked and admired President “Give ‘em Hell Harry” Truman.
The second being: In 1976, Marines begin wearing the new camouflage utility uniform (I still prefer the plain utility uniform I wore (63-67), although I also had the opportunity to wear the older Herringbone utility uniform as well as an “Ike” jacket I wore with my class A uniform. Both of these and other Marine uniforms I wore, not for long though, were courtesy of my being stationed at Courthouse Bay along with 30-40 short-timers (got my first dress blues there).
In 1800, the schooner Experiment and her Marines engage the French privateer Le Deux Amis off St. Bartholomew, West Indies.
In 1814, Marines and sailors at White House, Virginia, fire artillery at British warships withdrawing down the Potomac River.
The Wasp and her Marines sink the British sloop Avon in the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1818, Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Franklin Wharton dies in office.
Brever Major Samuel Miller takes over as acting Commandant.
In 1892, the School of Application inaugurates its first class for NCOs.
In 1924, the East Coast Expeditionary Force begins its maneuvers at Antietam Battlefield in Maryland.
The exercise lasts for 12 days.
In 1925, Division 1 of Marine Fighting Squadron 3 (VF-3M) is activated at San Diego.
This is the birth of what will become Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (VMFA-232).
VF-1M at Quantico is redesignated VO-4M, VF-8M is activated at Quantico with the delivery of 18 Curtis F6C-3 Hawk airplanes.
In 1926, the 1st Aviation Group at Quantico is redesignated Aircraft Squadrons, East Coast Expeditionary Force.
In 1934, in a reorganization of the FMF, the headquarters of the 6th Marines is re-activated to serve as an element of the West Coast FMF.
The San Diego-based force will also include 1/6, an artillery battery, and Aircraft Two.
The 1st and 2nd Battalions, FMF, at Quantico are redesignated 1/5 and 2/5, and the regimental headquarters of the 5th Marines is reestablished to serve as the ground element on the East Coast.
The overall headquarters of the FMF, Aircraft One and an artillery battalion (1/10) are also at Quantico.
As part of the redesignations, the previous system of identifying companies by numbers is ended, and letters are substituted.
In 1935, the 1st Marine Brigade is reactivated to serve at Quantico as the headquarters of the East Coast element of the FMF.
FMF headquarters in San Diego still commands West Coast elements.
In 1939, World War II begins when Germany invades Poland.
France and Great Britain declare war on Germany two days later.
In 1942, elements of the 6th Naval Construction Battalion arrive on Guadalcanal, primarily to assist in maintaining Henderson Field.
The 12th Marines is reactivated as an artillery regiment at San Diego.
In 1945, Marine Barracks Guantanamo Bay is redesignated as a Marine Corps Base.
In 1950, elements of four NKPA divisions force another crossing of the Naktong River and begin driving the Army’s 2nd Division out of the Naktong Bulge.
That afternoon, the Marines are on the move back to the bulge.
The last elements of the 1st MAW ship out from California for Japan and Korea.
3/6 detaches from the Sixth Fleet and sails through the Suez Canal toward its eventual rendezvous with the 7th Marines.
President Truman announces a plan to expand U.S. military forces from 1.5 million personnel to 3 million.
Representative Gordon L. McDonough inserts in the Congressional Record a letter he received from President Truman in response to McDonough’s plea that the Commandant be made part of the JCS.
Truman wrote: The Marine Corps is the Navy’s police force and as long as I am President that is what it will remain.
They have a propaganda machine that is almost equal to Stalin’s.”
Release of the letter brings widespread calls for an apology from the President.
In 1951, HMR-262 is established at Cherry Point.
In 1952, during the 1st and 2nd days of September, the 1st Marine Division conducts MARLEX VII, another in a series of amphibious exercises, with HMR-161 flying off the Sicily (CVE-118) and delivering 1/7 to its assigned objective.
In 1958, HMR(M)-463 is commissioned at Santa Ana, California.
In 1961, HMR(L)-364 is activated at Santa Ana, California.
In 1965, the Marine Corps reduces recruit training from 12 to eight weeks in order to process increased numbers without expanding the instructor cadre.
The 9th Marines launches a series of cordons and patrols to deny the rice harvest to the Viet Cong. This operation (OPERATION GOLDEN FLEECE) lasts through 27 October. All subsequent III MAF operations for this purpose bear the same name.
In 1969, the 1st Marine Regiment was presented the Presidential Unit Citation for Operation Hue City (Vietnam).
In 1972, MAG-43 is merged into MAG-49.
In 1976, Marines begin wearing the new camouflage utility uniform in place of the old sateen uniform.
In 1977, HMM-265 is reactivated at Kaneohe Bay after a hiatus of seven years.
In 1978, MAG-39 is reactivated at Camp Pendleton as part of 3rd MAW.
In 1993, the DOD Bottom Up Review approves a strength of 174,000 for the Corps, as opposed to the 159,000 once projected as part of the post-Cold War drawdown.
Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas!
Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever!
-Richard W. Pettengill, Corporal USMC
And damn proud of it!