WWII E112 Marines Arrive in Samoa
Before Marines stormed beaches in the Pacific, they had to prove they were worth keeping around. When steamships made close-quarters ship combat obsolete, the Marine Corps was nearly scrapped. Their old mission vanished overnight. This episode tells the story of how Samoa helped save the Corps. After Pearl Harbor, Samoa looked like Japan’s next logical target. The Marines were sent to hold the island at all costs.
Marines fortified beaches, built airfields, trained a Samoan reserve battalion, and turned the island into a launch point for operations across the South Pacific. Samoa never saw major combat, but it proved Marines could build and defend forward bases anywhere in the world.
*************
Visit HistoryoftheMarineCorps.com to subscribe to our newsletter, explore episode notes and images, and see our references. Follow us on social media for updates and bonus content: Facebook and Twitter (@marinehistory) and Instagram (@historyofthemarines).
Visit AudibleTrial.com/marinehistory for a free audiobook and a 30-day trial.
Thanks to Audible, we can give you a free audiobook! I have included my book recommendation at the end of each episode, but don’t feel obligated to select my suggestion. This offer is available to any of the tens of thousands of audiobooks offered by Audible. Regardless if you decide to continue your membership with audible, this book is yours to keep forever.
References
Fullam, F. (1896). The Organization, Training, and Discipline of the Navy Personnel as Viewed from the Ship. U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, 22(1). https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1896/january/honorably-mentioned-organization-training-and-discipline-navy
Heinl, R. D., Jr. (1954). The Cat With More Than Nine Lives. U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, 80(6). https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1954/june/cat-more-nine-lives
Hugh, O., Ludwig, E., US Marine Corps Historical Branch, & Shaw, J., Jr. (1958). History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II. Volume I: Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal (Vol. 1).
McBrien, T. (2023, May 31). Why the U.S. Should Close Its Overseas Military Bases. Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/05/16/military-defense-overseas-bases-united-states-force-posture/
Metcalf, H. (1944). The Marine Corps Reader (1st ed.). G. P. Putnam’s Sons.