Optimizing the Marine Corps for small wars

[RJ]

jcustis is correct in the role of the Marine Corps is assisting training other nations forces is correct.

In March of 1960 my Battalion along with most of the 3rdMarDiv. conducted a large amphibious landing at Formosa. We, 3/5 went ashore via the "Peter" and "Mike" Boat route by climbing down nets in to the assualt craft. Made a classic amphib landing near Kao-Hsiung, Formosa. Once ashore we linked up with a Nat. Chinese Infantry Co. and boarded helicopters and did a vertical envelopment shift inland about 20 miles.

When the whole Bn. finished the airlift we moved out ot that air head and maneuvered back towards the City of Kao-Hsiung. The name of the training exercise was "Operation Blue Star" .

M-3/5 spent two days at the Chinese Marine Corps home base and worked with them on tactics.

They were primarily a Raider Style Unit and I rembeber their 9 man squads had two Thomson Sub-machine guns for every M-1 Garand rifle.

Lt. Col. Houghton was forever finding us new faces to work with. Chinese Marines, PI Army, Royal Warwicks near Hong Kong, etc.

We were not uncomfortable in mixing with those units and comparing our tactics to theirs.

I just finished Hog Pilots and Blue Water Grunts and there were a couple of small Marine training units in out of the way places, in that interesting read.

It could be a culture deal that dates back to the Banana Wars where Marines traind "Native Constablary Units" to fight "bandits".