Made prior to World War II by Official Films, this silent newsreel THE MARINES HAVE LANDED shows the Marine Corps’ basic training including hand-to-hand combat, rifle drill, classroom courses (including a lecture on battleship layout at the 1:30 mark). It also includes footage of Marine airmen in training, flying biplanes, and Leatherneck paratroop trainees learning how to prep parachutes and jump out of C-47s. Some of the footage appears to have been shot at Camp Pendleton and Marine Corps. Base San Diego, and the finale — a full-scale landing exercise, may actually be at Malibu Beach near Los Angeles. Interestingly this mock landing featured a mustard gas drill.
Between the World Wars, the Marine Corps was headed by Commandant John A. Lejeune, and under his leadership, the Corps presciently studied and developed amphibious techniques that would be of great use in World War II. Many officers, including Lt. Col. Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis, foresaw a war in the Pacific with Japan and undertook preparations for such a conflict. Through 1941, as the prospect of war grew, the Corps pushed urgently for joint amphibious exercises and acquired amphibious equipment that would prove of great use in the upcoming conflict.
The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. The U.S. Marine Corps is one of the four branches in the U.S. Department of Defense as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States.
We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example like: “01:00:12:00 — President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.”
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
