Independent Baptist Friends International

“And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them.” -Zechariah 10:5

The History of the Marine Corps

The Continental Congress authorized the formation of two battalions of United States Marines on November 10, 1775, to fight in the American Revolution. The first Marine landing on a hostile shore occurred when a force of Marines captured New Province Island in the Bahamas from the British on March 3, 1776. Marines served on both land and sea during the remainder of the Revolutionary War but were deactivated after the war ended in 1783. Reactivated by Congress in 1798, Marines served in an undeclared war with France from 1798 to 1799, after French vessels seized American cargo ships.

During the War of 1812, in which the United States fought the United Kingdom over maritime rights, Marines served on the Great Lakes and on warships in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. During this war the Marines also helped in the unsuccessful defense of Washington, D.C., and in the successful defense of New Orleans.

The Role of the Marines

The United States Marine Corps is a military service of the United States within the Department of the Navy.

Marines are trained and equipped primarily to fight in combined land, sea, and air operations. They are prepared to be quickly deployed to any area of the world. In addition to serving as a key element of America’s rapid response capability, the Marines are trained in amphibious warfare-launching attacks from the water against enemy forces onshore. Marines are trained to seize enemy naval bases and to defend United States naval bases in remote areas.

The Marines also conduct land operations in support of the U.S. Navy and have responsibility for the development of amphibious warfare tactics, techniques, and equipment. In addition, the Marine Corps also provides security on armed U.S. Navy vessels and naval bases, and at United States embassies abroad.

Soon after the terrorist attacks on September 11th , Marine units deployed to the Arabian Sea near Afghanistan and then set up a base in Kandahar in Southern Afghanistan. The base was used as a staging area for troops engaged in combat operations against Taliban and al Qaeda forces throughout the country. 

In 2002 the United States declared its intention to remove any weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq, by force if necessary. The Marine Corps began moving units into the region in preparation, and have been performing combat operations since President Bush declared war in Iraq.  

The Spirit of a Marine

Reporter Martin Savidge, embedded with the 1st Marine battalion, was talking with four young marines near his foxhole live on CNN. He turned to the four and said he had permission for them to use his video phone to call home. The 19-year-old Marine next to him asked Martin if he would allow his platoon sergeant to use his call to phone his expectant wife back home whom he had not been able to talk to in three months. A stunned Savidge, who was visibly moved by the request, nodded his head, and the young Marine ran off to get the sergeant.

Savidge regained his composure and turned back to the three young Marines still sitting with him and asked which one of them would like to call home first. The Marine closest to him responded without a moment’s hesitation, “Sir, if it is all the same to you we would like to call the parents of a buddy of ours, Lance Corporal Brian Buesing of Cedar Key, Florida. He was killed on March 20, 2003, and we want to see how they are doing.”

At that, Martin Savidge totally broke down. All he could get out before signing off was, “Where do they get young men like this?”