Marine Raiders
John C Pursley investigates the origins and actions of the select few who served in the short-lived WWII organisation
John C Pursley investigates the origins and actions of the select few who served in the short-lived WWII organisation that was formed inside the Marine Corps.
The United States Marine Corps is a separate, welldisciplined military service within the US Department of the Navy. Although an exceedingly small organisation (presently about 225,000) they are considered the tip of the spear and are usually the first, or among the first combat units to fight and have participated in all wars of the United States since their founding in 1775.
Their mission is the seizure and defense of advanced bases by conducting operations on land and in the air concurrent with naval campaigns. Marines also serve aboard certain types of naval vessels, provide security for shore installations, and man US embassies in foreign countries.
The Marine Corps specialises in amphibious warfare, like the landings undertaken during WWII against Japanese occupied islands in the Pacific and is recognised for accomplishing in excess of 300 amphibian operations on foreign shores during their history.
All Marines are trained primarily as combat troops prior to specialisation in other support positions such as artillery, armour, mechanical or administrative. Recruits are subject to a 13-week long grueling boot camp where they learn the basics of military life, which is not for everyone. The Corps is by far the most challenging, disciplined and hard-hitting branch of the US military services.
The Marine Raiders, established during WWII, was initially created as a counterpart to British Commandos and became the predecessor of all United States special operations forces. For all intents and purposes, they were an elite force within an elite force and the only ground units to participate in almost every island-hopping campaign in the Pacific theatre.
Creation of the Raiders
During the early stages of the war, President Franklin D Roosevelt wanted to create an American Commando unit and the Marine Corps was the natural place for the birth of this organisation. Internal disagreements within the Corps commanders centered on the opinion that specialised units were not necessary, as the term ‘Marine’ was enough to indicate a man was ready for any duty at any time so another designation would be unnecessary.
The debate was short-lived when Admiral Chester Nimitz, commander of the Pacific Fleet requested Commando units for raids against Japanese-held islands. In response, the Commandant of the Marine Corps authorised the creation of two battalions whom he named Raiders. Activated in February 1942, the 1st Raider Battalion was commanded by Lt. Col. Merritt A ‘Red Mike’ Edson and
the 2nd under Lt. Col. Evans F Carlson.
The Raiders were handpicked from numerous volunteers and given the best of the Marines’ equipment (which was still sub-standard to that used by the US Army). Although the two units had a common goal, the philosophy of their leaders was much different. Carlson believed in using team-building methods thus minimising the gap between officers and enlisted men and embraced a moral teaching, describing what they were fighting for and why.
He also modified conventional personnel organisation by establishing six rifle companies containing two platoons and originating three-man fire teams
(an approach still utilised in the modern Corps). The other commander, Edson, lacked ingenuity and had his battalion follow standard Marine Corps policy regarding structure, tactics, chain-of-command and discipline.
Weapons and equipment
Along with its unique charter, men of the Marine Raiders were also permitted to experiment
with assorted weapons to fill what was perceived as being their needs. In the end, the units carried an interesting inventory of firearms and support equipment gathered from myriad sources and some were developed specifically for their use. With rapid advancement first and foremost on their list, armaments such as standard heavy machine guns and large mortars were deemed unsuitable for jungle warfare so lighter weapons such as the Browning Automatic Rifle, the Reising sub-machine gun, and the famous Thompson submachine gun were procured. At the time, the prevailing Marine Corps infantryman’s weapon was bolt-action Springfield M1903 rifle, the same model used in WWI. Needing increased firepower, the Raiders were issued .30 calibre semiautomatic M-1 Garands, a vast improvement although they weighed 9.5lb. The organisers did not stop with just American weapons, they searched the Allies list of what was available and adopted the Canadian Boys .55 calibre anti-tank rifle which weighed in at 35lb. It was a little heavy but packed a punch against enemy armour. Raiders were also the first to adopt camouflage-patterned uniforms and burlap strips to break up the distinctive outline of their helmets.
The Raiders developed a few other unique combat-support items and among them were two fighting blades one of which was referred to as a Gung Ho (Chinese for work together). The length on this version boasted a 9in blade fashioned after the famous American Bowie Knife while the other was inspired by the British Commando FairbairnSykes knife, a simpler and much lighter stiletto-type.
The initiation of the Raiders on Guadalcanal
The first major offensive in the Solomon Islands of the Pacific Theater was the Battle of Guadalcanal. At the time, very few people had ever heard of the strategically located 2,500sq.m island, but the Japanese realised its significance and began construction of an airfield in June 1942.
Wanting to deny the Japanese use of the airbase (which would control the sea lines of communication between
the United States and Australia) the Americans launched a large-scale surprise attack on the islands of Tulagi, Florida and Guadalcanal on 7 August 1942 that included the Raiders. The objective was to use the airbase to eventually capture or neutralise the major Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain.
The Marines outnumbered the enemy and the partially completed airfield was captured sending the remaining Japanese defenders into the dense jungle. The response to the attack was immediate and thousands of Japanese soldiers stationed on the nearby islands were sent to Guadalcanal via Imperial Japanese Navy destroyers, mostly at night. By 4 September Japanese light cruisers, destroyers and patrol boats had landed over 6,000 troops under the command of General Kiyotake Kawaguchi to recapture the airfield.
Scattered fighting, illness, and lack of food on the island since the capture of the airfield had continued to sap the strength from the Marines and by early September was taking a toll.
Seized documents confirmed that 3,000 Japanese were headed through the jungle towards the landing strip now referred to as Henderson Field.
Battle for Edson’s Ridge
Edson believed the Japanese would launch their attack on a narrow, 1,000yd long coral ridge that paralleled the Lunga River, just south of the lightly defended airfield. On 11 September, 840 Raiders were deployed to the area.
Japanese planes bombed the ridge on 11 and 12 September and Raider patrols soon made contact with the advance elements of the enemy force. The Marines were spread thin over the ridge with one company holding the left
of the line and another set to the rear to protect that flank. Two companies of Raiders occupied the right with that flank anchored on the Lunga River. A lagoon separated the two Raider units. There were only a few strongpoints occupied by the men from the Raider Pioneer and Amphibious tractor battalions to the west of the Lunga and there was a mile of empty jungle to the east.
Kawaguchi’s troops were having a tough time cutting their way through the heavy jungle and his decision to attack from the south necessitated leaving their artillery behind as the trail was too rugged. At the first opportunity, the General sent one of his four battalions to make a diversionary attack along the Tenaru leaving him with just 2,500 men for the main assault planned for the evening of 12 September.
The closer the time set for the attack approached, the more Kawaguchi realised he was not ready as all his troops were not in position and the area had not been reconnoitered. His attempts to delay the attack failed due to poor communications. In total darkness, his men continued to man forward positions and at 10pm a Japanese plane dropped green flares over the Marine locations.
Subsequently, a Japanese cruiser and three destroyers fired at the ridge with most of the rounds going over the heads of the Marines and into the jungle, landing among their own troops. After the salvo, Kawaguchi’s men assaulted the Raiders positioned in the lowlands forcing one company to fall back to the ridge before the Japanese halted their attack for the night.
The following night 830 Raiders were ferociously attacked by 2,500 of Kawaguchi’s troops who assailed Edson’s right flank. After an initial breakthrough, the assault was turned back.
While that battle ensued, two companies of Japanese stormed up the southern rim and drove Edson’s men to the centre of the ridge. Supported by artillery, the Marines defeated numerous waves of frontal Japanese attacks that often resulted in hand-to-hand combat. Several Japanese units were also repulsed while attempting to infiltrate past the ridge to the edge of the airfield. Several attacks at other locations on the Lunga perimeter also proved futile.
By daylight, fragments of Japanese units were strewn around the ridge. Supported by air strikes the Marines began rooting them out. On the afternoon of 14 September, Kawaguchi accepted defeat and led the survivors of his devastated brigade out of the area to join up with another group of Japanese to the west.
The Raiders and parachutists turned the ridge over to regular Marines the following morning. In total the Japanese suffered about 850 killed to the Marines 104. If the Raiders had failed, Henderson Field would have fallen into enemy hands and the lack
of air cover would probably have led to the loss of Guadalcanal.
Disbanding Raider units
Although the Marine Raider units had attained successes in many major battles, they had essentially performed as regular infantry units, which did not justify their specialised training and skills.
The anticipated need for Commando units had not come to fruition and the development of new tactics by the Marine Corps ended the necessity for light assault units.
Bougainville was the last combat action for any Raider unit for several reasons. The large numbers of men serving in specialised detachments had left Marine Corps with insufficient manpower to form new divisions.
With no increase in manning planned, the additional divisions could only be formed from current units.
Also, because they lacked the firepower of a line outfit the lightlyarmed Raiders had suffered above average casualties. However, the largest reason for their disbanding was political. After two senior officers who had been against the formation of the Raiders were promoted to Commandant of the Marine Corps and Director of Plans and
Policies, the order was given to disperse the Raiders on 8 January 1944, less than two years from inception.
The Marine Raiders and their accompanying Navy Corpsmen were awarded seven Medals of Honor, 141 Navy Crosses, 22 Distinguished Service Crosses, 330 Silver Stars, 223 Bronze Stars, 18 Legions of Merit, 6 Navy and Marine Corps Medals, 3 Soldier’s Medals, 37 Letters of Commendation and numerous Purple Hearts.
The Raider Patch
WWII Marine Corps shoulder patches originated with the creation of the 1st Marine Division insignia following the Guadalcanal campaign. The emblem consisted of the word ‘Guadalcanal’ lettered in white on a red numeral ‘1’ over a blue diamond with white stars surrounding the number.
The 2nd Raider Battalion skull patch was also designed after Guadalcanal. Carlson initially wanted to use the image drawn on paper backed with glue to mark enemy dead for psychological effect, but that proved impractical. It is not known who chose the skull for the official Raider patch, but it certainly conveyed the image of the elite Commando unit trained to destroy the enemy in close combat.
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