Solomons Landings Won New Glory For U.S. Marines

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1942, Page 3

Solomons Landings Won New Glory For U.S. Marines

By Our Special Observer.

Bridgeheads were built by America's pioneers in fights everywhere.

Washington's most welcome communique detailing the degree of success achieved in the Solomons up to the present conveys the intimation that the initial landings were made by four specially-trained corps of United States Marines. This is not surprising. It was only to be expected that when the counteroffensive in the south Pacific got under way the Marines would go first. Landings are their speciality for the corps is incorporated in the navy primarily to serve as shock troops for land operations in co-operation with off-shore ships. On the left is a picture shwing the U.S. Marines latest speciality for breaching a beach, nicknamed by the Marines an "Alligator." Tough and Colourful. Some details of Marine Corps history and tradition is available from William Kadison, an American journalist now in Australia. No tougher, no more colourful body of fighting men can be found anywhere than in the Marine Corps. That is true not only to-day, but has been true for 167 years, he says. It's Marine tradition. They fight hard, act tough, talk "impious," and believe it is better to give than receive — on the field of battle. These leather-bonneted soldiers of the sea got off to an auspicious start by distinguishing themselves in the naval encounters of the Revolutionary War. In 1779 they contributed to the victory of John Paul Jones' Bon Homme Richard over the Serapis by climbing the rigging and picking off the -British crew. They went on to greater exploits in the war of 1812, which was mainly a war of naval actions. In the Civil War they played a notable role in operations on the Mississippi. . They were the vanguard of the United States Volunteer Spanish-American War Army. And overseas in the Great War their fury at Chateau-Thierry caused the Germans to call them "Teufel Hunden!" — Devil Dogs. Private, Miniature Wars. The activities of the Marines have not been limited to formal history-book wars, however. A complete army in miniature, the Marine Corps has fought its own private miniature wars, campaigns that have taken it into every corner of the globe to protect American lives and property. In their early days they went into action against privateers and pirates that

harassed American shipping, and wiped out the pirates* inland nests after United States warships had cornered them. They also participated in the suspension of outlaw uprisings in China, the Philippines, West Indies and Nicaragua. From trouble spots the world over has come the famous message: "The Marines have landed and the situation is well in hand." At Guam and Wake. Already the Leathernecks have written new and proud records in the already proud and heroic story of tho corps. ' At Guam a handful of these sea soldiers held out until overpowered. And on Wake Island 2000 acres of coral strand 2000 miles from Hawaii, 385 Marines wrote what seems destined to become a martial epic in American history. In 12 attacks during two weeks they were targets for 200 Japanese planes and longrange naval guns before an enemy landing was successful. During those 14 days, fewer than 400 Marines shot down a dozen planes, sank one cruiser, a destroyer and a submarine, and damaged two other destroyers. The daily communique for Wake Island was "Marines continue to resist" — there was no thought of surrender or re- . treat — until only silence greeted efforts at communication. Classic Marine Phrases. The Great War I. threw up a classic Marine phrase. At Belleau Wood, France, a Marine brigade was being thrown in as a last reserve to stop the drive Of Ludendorff's supreme offensive in 1918. There were few Marines,; many Germans. It was apparent that not many of those who went into action were likely to come through alive. A French officer hrought orders to the Marines to retreat. Instead, their captai/i ordered them to the atatck, shouting as he signalled them along: "Come on, you so-and-so's! Do you want to live for ever?" More than half of the brigade were killed or wounded, but they held the Jine. And at Wake Island, another classic was coined. When the American headquarters in Hawaii radioed to the beleaguered garrison and asked, "Is there anything you want?" Major Janies Devereux replied: "Yes. Send us more Japs." Marines are the most versatile of all American fighting men, serving both afloat and ashore. Tlieir corps. is a semiautonomous branch of the Navy, and may be detached from the Navy for service with the Army. The authorised strength of the Marine Corps is 20 per cent. of the Navy's strength. It is virtually a self-suflicient little army with its own artillery, infantry, planes, tanks, parcahute troops, and "Alligators."