United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the USA's military responsible for providing power projection from the sea, working with the U.S Navy to rapidly deliver combined-task forces. It is part of the Department of the Navy for administrative purposes. Their motto is Semper Feidelis (Always Faithful) which is typically shortened to Semper Fi. The Marines are unique among the United States armed forces as they are capable of deployment practically anywhere in the world within 90 hours.

Pre-World War History
The United States Marine Corps was formed on the 10th of November 1775 as naval infantry. Their primary role was to be responsible for the security of the ships they served on, to repulse boarding attacks and to prevent or end mutinies. They were also used in raiding parties at sea and on shore.

The first action United States Marines would see as an official branch of the United States Military was during the Barbary War (1801-05). Reacting to privateering by a collection of North-African states known as the Barbary States, a force of 10 Marines and 300 Arab and European Mercenaries intended to capture Tripoli. Although they did not reach their intended target, they did win the subsequent war, leading to a peace treaty.

The next action the USMC would see would be the War of 1812 against the British. Marines momentarily delayed the British advance to Washington DC during the Battle of Blandensburg and were central to the defeat of the British during the Defense of New Orleans.

After the end of the War of 1812, the USMC would take part in the Seminole Wars of 1835 and the Mexican-American war of 1846-48 and expeditionary roles in the Carribean, Key West, West Africa, the Falkland Islands and Sumatra. During the American Civil War of 1861-65, almost half of the Marine Corps commanding officers would join the Confederate Military, and form the CSMC (Confederate States Marine Corps). The USMC also took part in several national interventions including Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Egypt and Panama. They were central to the offensive in Cuba during the Spanish-American War of 1898 and participated in the Philipine-American war, the Chinese Boxer Rebellion, the Cuban Pacifications, the Pedicaris Incident in Morocco, Veracruz (Mexico), Haiti and other nations. They also took part in the "Banana Wars", a series of conflicts in Central America.

The World Wars
During World War I, United States Marines served a central role in the United State's entry into the war. Unlike the French and British armies, the USMC had a pool of veteran officers and soldiers and a relatively smaller expansion. During this time, the Marines fought the celebrated Battle of Belleau Wood. During this battle, the Marines won decisively and drove the Germans from the woods. This earned the respect of the Germans, who considered the Marines an elite unit of stormtrooper (Stosstruppen) quality. It was also during this battle that Marine and American forces reported that the nickname Teufel Hunden was coined, which--according to the sources, meant "Devil Dogs" (Although it should be noted that Teufel Hunden is not correct German, rather the term Teufelshunde is the correct phrase). Regardless of it's origins, the term stuck and has been a part of Marine "Culture" ever since.

During World War 2, Marines primarily saw action against the Japanese during the Pacific Campaign and were the major ground forces during the island-to-island combat of the campaign. USMC forces were also present in the air for the first time, fighting the Japanese Air Force. Marines defeated the Japanese at the pivotal battles of Guadalcanal, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and others. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Marines planted the flag atop Mt. Suribachi. This moment was immortalized in the famous Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima photograph.

Post-War
After WW2, the USMC was involved in combat in the Korean War, fighting during the Battle of Inchon that resulted in the collapse of the North Korean lines and their pursuit to the Yalu River until the Peoples Republic of China entered the war. During the Vietnam conflict, Marines were engaged in the longest war to date. During the Vietnam War, they worked as advisor's to the Republic Of Vietnam Marine Corps, assisting them in counter-insurgency techniques. Although withdrawn from 1971, they assisted the evacuation of Saigon and the attempted rescue of the crew of the Merchant Marine vessel Mayagüez . They also took part in the Invasion of Panama and Grenada. On October 23 1983, Marines stationed in Leabanon were the victims of a bombing at their headquarters, causing 221 Deaths. This is the largest number of peace-time casualties for the Marines and forced American forces to withdraw from the nation.

In 1990, the Marines saved thousands of lives evacuating British, French and American Nationals in the wake of the Liberian Civil War. USMC forces were also the core to Operation Desert Shield in Saudi Arabia as U.S and Coalition forces prepared for the possible (and later actual) liberation of Kuwait in Operation Desert Storm. They later provided security for UN Humanitarian Relief in Somalia.

Since the 9/11 Attacks, Marines have been active in the War on Terror and have been on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq. During Operation Enduring Freedom, the invasion of Afghanistan, being the first forces on the ground and seizing an airfield outside of Kandahar. They have also taken part in Operation Iraqi freedom, most famously during the Battle of Fallujah as part of Operation Phantom Fury. They have also seen controversy in the form of the Haditha Killings and the Hamdania Incident. They currently continue to operate through both theaters.

In Game
Although the USMC during WWII has yet to be portrayed in a Call of Duty game, the modern United States Marine Corps is portrayed in Call of Duty 4. In the begining of the game, Marine Forces of the USMC First Force Reconnaissance. The player takes the role of Paul Jackson, a Sargent in First Force Recon and part of a Marine Task-Force to invade an unnamed Middle Eastern nation to capture Kaled Al-Assad, who took over the nation in a violent coup. In the Third day of the Invasion, Al-Assad detonated a Nuclear Device in his Capital City. This caused massive Marine casualties, including Sgt. Paul Jackson. Later, the United States Marine Corps and the Special Air Service of Britain were involved in an operation to retake a Launch Control facility from Russian Ultranationalists and prevented ICBMs from striking the United States' Eastern Seaboard. Their escape was compromised, and in the ensuing chaos it is unknown if any of the Marines involved in the raid survived and at least one, Staff Sargent Griggs is a confirmed KIA.