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Marine (military)

Peruvian Naval Infantry training on the Amazon River.
Spanish and U.S. Marines at Naval Station Rota, Spain (July 2002)

A marine is a member of a military force. Marines specialize in military actions in other countries, such as amphibious warfare. Marines usually have strong links with the country's navy. The commander in the field is usually the commander of the fleet. Support for the marines such as medical, legal, and supplies come from the navy. The anchor is often used as a symbol for the marines. The word marine is from the English word marine, meaning of the sea, from the French marin(e), of the sea which was from the Latin marinus ("maritime"). The name marine means "navy" in French, Dutch, and German. Marine forces are usually part of the navy, but they can be part of the army or act on their own.

In the past the marines have protected ships at sea. When ship crews were pressed (forced to serve) the marines protected the ship from mutiny. They would also board other ships during battle or capture prize ships. They carried out raids on the shore to help the navy. Marines would also take part in campaign ashore, to help the army.

History

 
Ancient Greek trireme

In the earliest days of naval warfare, there was little difference between sailors and soldiers on a warship. The oarsmen of Ancient Greek and Roman ships had to be able to fight the oarsmen of other ships.[1] Armed soldiers were used on Greek ships to get on board enemy ships to fight their crews.[2][3] The Roman Navy's two legions, I Adiutrix and II Adiutrix, were among the first special naval infantry units.[4][5]

The first organized group of marines was created when Charles V first assigned the naval infantry of the Compañías Viejas del Mar de Nápoles (Naples Sea Old Companies) to the Escuadras de Galeras del Mediterráneo (Mediterranean Galley Squadrons) in 1537. This was the start of the current Spanish Navy Marines (Infantería de Marina) corps.[6][7] The American Marine Corps began on 10 November 1775 in Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, just seven months before America declared its independence on 4 July 1776.

Roles

 
U.S. Marines training on an amphibious assault ship.

The main task for marine troops is military actions near the coast. Based on ships they are trained to land on and secure key points to around 50 miles inland. Marines leave the warships using helicopters, landing craft, hovercraft and amphibious vehicles.

Marines are also in other naval roles such as boarding other ships, ship clean up, naval port security, mess duty, and field day operations.

By country

Argentina

The Argentine Marine Corps (Infantería de Marina de la Armada de la República Argentina or IMARA) is a part of the Argentine Navy. It has a Fleet Marine Force with one marine battalion, artillery, air defence, communications, logisticss, engineer and vehicle units. There is a Southern Marine Force with two marine battalions, a river operations battalion, a special forces unit (the Amphibious Commandos Group) and several security battalions and companies. The 5th Battalion of the Infanteria de Marina fought in the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur).

Australia

Bolivia

Brazil

 
Brazilian marines in training.
  • The Corps of Naval Fusiliers (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais), with about 15,000 men, is part of the Brazilian Navy. The Marine Corps has an Operational Brigade and some Guard and Ceremonial Duty Battalions. The main unit is the brigade-sized Divisão Anfíbia (Amphibious Division).

Cambodia

Chile

 
Chilean Navy special forces seen here using the MP5N

China, People's Republic of

China, Republic of

Colombia

  • The 24,000-member Colombian Marine Corps is a single division with four brigades (one counter-terrorist and three river brigades), each with several battalions as well as small security units. It is a part of the Colombian Navy.

Croatia

  • The Croatian Navy has a 200-man naval infantry corps headquartered in Split. The group has three companies divided between Pula, Šibenik and Ploče and the 4th Guards Brigade (based at Split), which was moved to the Croatian Navy as a naval infantry unit in January 2002.[9]

Cuba

Ecuador

  • The 5,000-man Ecuadorian Navyhas a 1,700-man Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina) in Guayaquil. It was formed on 12 November 1962. It has two security battalions, one in the Amazon River area and the other on the Pacific coast. There is also a commando battalion based on the Galápagos Islands.

El Salvador

  • The El Salvador Navy has two 600-man Marine Infantry Battalions (Batallon de Infanteria de Marina or BIM), and a 300-man Naval Commando Force. The BIMs were located at La Unión and Usulatan.

Finland

 
Finnish marines in training

France

Main page: Troupes de marine
 
Late 19th century French Marines (officer and private).

The Troupes de marine were founded in 1622 (as compagnies ordinaires de la mer) as land forces under the control of the Secretary of State of the Navy, notably for operations in French Canada. The Compagnies de la Mer were transformed in line infantry regiments by Napoleon, but became once more marine forces in 1822 (for the artillery) and 1831 (for the infantry). These Troupes de marines were in the 19th century the main overseas and colonial forces of the French military. In 1900 they were put under the orders of the War Ministry and took the name of Troupes Coloniales (Colonial Forces). In 1958 the designation of Troupes Coloniales was changed to Troupes d'Outre-Mer (Overseas Forces) but in 1961 it reverted to the original Troupes de marine. Throughout these changes in title these troops continued to be part of the French Army.

Germany

  • German Empire: During the German Imperial era, three ‘sea battalions’ or Seebatallione[10] based at Kiel, Wilhelmshaven and Tsingtao were maintained. These units served intermittently as colonial intervention forces. The III Seebatallion at the imperial navy’s east Asian station at Tsingtao was the only all-German unit with permanent status in a protectorate/colony. The battalion fought at the Siege of Tsingtao.
  • East Germany: The East German army's Nr29. Regiment ("Ernst Moritz Arndt") was a Motorized Rifle Regiment intended for amphibious operations in the Baltic Sea; while the Volksmarine Kampfschwimmer: Combat swimmer units were intended for support of amphibious operations and for raiding.

Greece

Honduras

  • The Honduran Navy set up one 600-man marine infantry battalion (Batallón de Infantería de Marina or BIM) in 1982.

India

Indonesia

1. Two Marine Forces ("Pasukan Marinir"), a unit similar to a division, led by a Marine Brigadier General. 2. Three Marine Infantry Brigades (with nine Marine Infantry Battalions). 3. Two Marine Cavalry Regiments (with Marine Amphibious Tank and also Amphibious Artillery-bearer Landing Craft Battalions). 4. Two Marine Artillery Regiments (with Marine Rocket, Howitzer and Gun Battalions). 5. Two Marine Combat Support Regiments, with Marine Engineer, Military Police, Base Defense, Motorized Transportation, Amphibious-Reconnaissance and also Logistic Battalions. 6. Two Marine Bases in Jakarta and Surabaya. 7. Two Marine Hospitals. 8. An anti-terrorism unit called "Detasemen Jala Mangkara" (literally "Sea Ghost Detachment").

Iran

Iraq

Israel

  • The Givati Brigade is an amphibious force and is one of the infantry brigades in the Israel Defense Forces.
  • Shayetet 13 is the elite commando unit of the Israeli Navy. It carries out special operations at sea, sea-to-land missions, maritime intelligence gathering, and counter-terrorism operations.

Italy

The Blackshirts militia maintained an independent Marine Group with four MVSN battalions (24th, 25th, 50th and 60th).

Japan

 
The landing of the Japanese Marines from the Unyo at Ganghwa Island, Korea, in the 1875 Ganghwa Island incident.

Both the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army maintained marine-type units. Both were dissolved at the end of World War II and Japan no longer has marines.

South Korea

  • The Republic of Korea Marine Corps is the marine corps of the Republic of Korea, and is the second largest marine corps in the world with approximately 30,000 men in regular service and thousands more in reserve. Though theoretically it is under the direction of the Chief of Naval Operations, the Marine Corps operates as a distinct arm of the South Korean forces, unlike most other marine branches, which generally operate as part of the country's navy. It was founded as a reconnaissance force just prior to the start of the Korean War. The ROKMC also saw combat during the Vietnam War while stationed in Da Nang, occasionally fighting alongside US Marines and Navy SEALs. The ROKMC has hovercraft of Russian and American origin, 107 tanks including the indigenous K1 and an upgraded variant of the M48A5, various utility vehicles and ships, and a variety of helicopters (notably the AH-1 Cobra). Their motto is '귀신 잡는 해병대'. (Loosely translated 'Ghost-catching/killing Marines)

North Korea

  • The NKPA's Light Infantry Training Guidance Bureau has two or more amphibious light infantry/sniper brigades. These brigades are believed deployed to Wonsan on the east coast and Namp'o and Tasa-ri on the west coast. In organization and manpower, they are reduced versions of the regular light infantry brigades with a total strength of approximately 5,000 men organized into ten battalions. Each battalion has about 400 men organized into five companies each. Some amphibious brigade personnel are trained as frogmen.[12]

Mexico

  • The Mexican Naval Infantry (Spanish: Infantería de Marina) of the Mexican Navy consists of 20,000 marines spread in a brigade of three battalions, plus a battalion attached to the Presidential Guard Brigade, three regional battalions with headquarters in Mexico City, Acapulco and Veracruz, and thirty-five independent companies (mainly In Celaya) and detachments distributed among ports, bases and zonal headquarters. The marines are responsible for port security, protection of the ten-kilometer coastal fringe, and patrolling major waterways. The marines have light arms, heavy weapons and armored amphibious vehicles. The Navy has ceded most of its riverine responsibilities to the Army, and has reduced the size of the marine force, putting them back aboard ships where they play a vital role in drug interdiction and boarding of suspect vessels in territorial waters.

Myanmar

  • The Myanmar Navy raised a naval infantry battalion of 800 men in 1964, followed by a second battalion in 1967. Two more battalions may have also been raised. They were deployed mainly to the Arakan and Tenasserim areas, and to the Irrawaddy delta, to assist in counter-insurgency operations, but also performed other security duties.

Netherlands

  • The Royal Netherlands Navy naval infantry unit is the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps (Korps Mariniers), founded in 1665 as an infantry regiment to the Dutch Navy. Today, it is a brigade approximately 3500 marines strong, consisting of three marine infantry battalions (one of which is in Aruba and Curaçao), one amphibious combat support battalion and one logistical battalion. The Dutch Marine Corps is an elite light infantry unit, operating as a rapid-reaction force, deployable anywhere in the world within 48-hours notice. Dutch Marines train in all possible geological and climate conditions for their role. Enlisted marine recruit training lasts 30 weeks, and marine officers train up to five years (including naval academy time).

Norway

  • The Coastal Ranger Command (Kystjegerkommandoen or KJK) of the Norwegian Navy is an amphibious unit trained to operate in littoral combat theatres, as naval infantry and coastal artillery.

Pakistan

 
Pakistani and U.S. Marines come ashore during a training exercise

Paraguay

  • The Paraguayan Marine Corps (Cuerpo de Fusileros Navales) is a battalion-sized organization consisting of four company sized brigades.

Peru

  • The Peruvian Naval Infantry (Infantería de Marina del Perú) consists of around 3,000 naval infantrymen and includes an amphibious brigade of three battalions and local security units with two transport ships, four tank landing ships, and about forty Chaimite armored personnel carriers. Since 1982, IMAP detachments have been deployed, under army command, in counter-insurgency operations.

Philippines

 
Philippine Marines push forward during an amphibious assault training exercise.
  • The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) has a strength of about 10,000 men divided into three brigades. The Philippine Marine Corps is considered the shock force of the armed forces and is the first unit to be involved in any amphibious or seaborne clashes.

Poland

  • The Polish Navy maintains several naval infantry units responsible for port and coastal security.
  • The Polish Army maintains the 7th Coastal Defense Brigade, which bears traditions of the disbanded 7th Coastal Defence Division (the Blue Berets), therefore it is sometimes referred to as the Marines of Poland. However, as of 2010 there are no plans by the Polish Army to create an active marine unit. Therefore, the 7th Brigade carries out only limited-scale exercises of amphibious assaults.

Portugal

  • Since 1621, the Portuguese Navy has maintained a naval infantry corps, which is currently known as Corpo de Fuzileiros. The Portuguese Marine Corps consists of about 1500 men, including two naval infantry battalions, a naval police unit, a special operations unit and several support units (logistical, fire support, landing craft, etc.).

Romania

Russia

The Imperial Russian Navy used several regiments of marine equipage troops that fought as much on land as they served in ship detachments. One battalion was formed within the Guard, and served on the Imperial family's ships.

The Ushkuiniks were medieval Novgorodian pirates who led a Viking-like life and often raided other Russian settlements.

Saudi Arabia

  • The Saudi Navy maintains two 1500-man marine brigades consisting of three battalions each. The brigades are assigned to the Western Fleet headquartered in Jeddah and the Eastern Fleet headquartered in Jubail. The brigades have 200 Pegaso BMR AFVs and HMMWVs.

South Africa

The South Africa Marine Corps was set up as a sub-branch of the South African Navy in 1979, with the primary purpose of protecting harbours. The Marines were disbanded in 1989, following a major restructuring of the Navy at the end of the South African Border War.

Spain

 
Spanish Navy Marines deploying from an AAV-7
  • The Spanish Navy Marines (Infantería de Marina) are the oldest existing marine force in the world,[13] as they were established on February 27, 1537, by Charles I when he permanently assigned the Compañías Viejas del Mar de Nápoles (Naples Old Sea Companies) to the Escuadras de Galeras del Mediterráneo (Mediterranean Galley Squadrons). Their red trouser stripes mark the Infanteria de Marina as part of the Royal Household Corps, an honor only shared with the Royal Guard, and were given by Charles III to the marines in reward for their fierce defence of the Castillo del Morro in Havana against the British fleet in 1763.[14]

Sri Lanka

  • Special Boat Squadron is the elite special operations unit of the Sri Lanka Navy. It is capable of carrying out amphibious raids/operations, maritime counter-terrorism, reconnaissance and target indication, combat swimmer missions and small boat operations. As a special forces unit, its role is not limited to water-borne operations. It also conducts operations on land, either with ground combat units of the Navy and the Army, or separately.
  • Naval Patrolmen are naval infantry units of the Sri Lanka Navy. It may be 2-3 battalions strong. These units were formed primary as a protective force for base and port security, but has since been trained and deployed for amphibious and land combat operations. In addition to having light arms, the patrolmen have 60mm, 82mm mortars and operate Unibuffel light armored vehicles.

Sweden

  • The Swedish Amphibious Corps (Svenska amfibiekåren) is an arm of the Swedish Navy. The Corps consists of six battalions, capable reconnaissance, amphibious assaults and combat on, over and under the surface of the sea.

Taiwan

Thailand

Tonga

Turkey

  • The Amphibious Marines Brigade (Amfibi Deniz Piyade Tugayı) of the Turkish Navy consists of 6,000 men based in Foça near İzmir, three amphibious battalions, an MBT battalion, an artillery battalion, a support battalion and other company-sized units.
  • The Su Altı Taarruz (SAT) of the Turkish Navy is a special operations force for underwater attack. The missions include the acquisition of military intelligence, amphibious assault, counter-terrorism and VIP protection.
  • The Su Altı Savunma (SAS) of the Turkish Navy is a special operations force for underwater defense.

Ukraine

 
A Ukrainian Marine displaying an AKS-74U.
  • The Ukrainian Marines was founded in 1993 from a unit of the former Soviet Naval Infantry.

United Arab Emirates

  • The UAE Marines is a battalion-sized unit; it has BTR-3s.

United Kingdom

  • The Royal Marines date from the establishment of a Maritime Regiment of Foot in 1664. Six regiments of Marine Regiments for Sea were formed in 1702 but by 1713 they had been disbanded or taken into the army as regiments of foot. In 1755, a permanent Corps of fifty companies of marines was established for direct service under the Admiralty and this force has an unbroken descent to the Royal Marines of today. See History of the Royal Marines.
  • The Royal Navy has since its beginning formed naval landing parties of seamen for action ashore, this being later formalised into the Naval Brigades. These brigades would often dismount guns from their parent vessels for use ashore, these guns often being the only artillery available. The most famous example of this form of land service was provided by the guns accompanying the forces relieving Ladysmith.
  • The Corps of Colonial Marines were raised from former slaves as auxiliary units of the Royal Marines for service in the Americas: Two of these units were raised and subsequently disbanded. The first was a small unit which existed from 1808 to 12 October 1810, the second was more substantial and existed from May 1814 to 20 August 1816.
  • The Royal Naval Division was part of the Royal Navy in the First World War. In 1914, the shortage of ground forces for the Western Front led to the creation of the Division, composed of two brigades of sailors and a brigade formed by the Royal Marines. The Division was part of the Royal Navy but for command purposes was integrated into the army's command structure. The sailors were initially disappointing as infantry, but eventually developed into one of the better divisions. The Division participated in the defence of the Belgian city of Antwerp in late 1914, and then served with heavy casualties at the Battle of Gallipoli. At different times the Division included various army units. The division ceased to exist after the end of the First World War.

United States

Uruguay

  • The Uruguayan Marine Corps (Cuerpo de Fusileros Navales or FUSNA) is a battalion-sized organization consisting of four company sized brigades.

Venezuela

  • The Venezuelan Marine Corps (Infantería de Marina) is a sub-division of the Venezuelan Navy. Headquartered in Meseta de Mamo, Vargas, the estimated numerical strength of this unit is approximately 8,000 men and women. Its mission is to "enlist and direct its units in order to form the disembarking force and/or support of amphibious or special operations; executing naval safeguarding and environmental policing, as well as actively participating in the national development".

Vietnam

  • The Vietnam People's Navy maintains a naval infantry force. It once stood at eleven brigades each of several battalions. The first naval infantry unit was established in 1975 and was known as the 126th Brigade. Currently the Vietnam People's Navy maintains two naval infantry brigades which are the 101st Brigade and 147th Brigade.

Historical marine forces

Ancient Greece

The ancient Greek states did not possess specialized marine infantry, instead they used hoplites and archers as an onboard contingent (epibatai).

Ancient Rome

The Roman Navy used regular infantry as marines. Naval personnel were trained for raiding and also provided the troops for at least two legions (I Adiutrix and II Adiutrix) for service on land. The various provincial fleets were usually provided with marines from the adjacent legions.

Byzantine Empire

For several centuries, the Byzantine navy used the descendants of the Mardaites, who were settled in southern Anatolia and Greece, as marines and rowers for its ships. Emperor Basil I also established a separate marine regiment, 4,000 strong, for the central Imperial Fleet based at Constantinople. These were professional troops, and were counted among the elite tagmata.

In the 1260s, when emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos rebuilt the navy, he recruited the Tzakones (settlers from Laconia) and the Gasmouloi (men of mixed Greek-Latin descent) as special marine troops. Despite the progressive decline and virtual disappearance of the navy, they remained active until the late Palaiologan period.

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States Marine Corps (CSMC), a branch of the Confederate States Navy, was established by the Confederate Congress on 16 March 1861.

Denmark-Norway

Marineregimentet (The Marine Regiment) was the naval infantry of the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy.

Estonia

The Meredessantpataljon, was a short lived infantry battalion of the Estonian Navy. The battalion was created in 1919 from the crews of the Estonian surface warships and was based in Tallinn. The unit was mainly used on the Southern Front during the Estonian War of Independence. The unit was operational from March to June in 1919.

Gran Colombia

The Confederation of Gran Colombia Marines were formed in 1822 and were disbanded in 1829, Personnel were mostly from Venezuela.

Lebanon

The Lebanese Forces militia maintained a small elite marine unit until the LF was disarmed and disbanded the unit. The Marines were the navy of the militia and it maintained a force of small boats.

The Netherlands

The Corps was founded on 10 December 1665 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War by the unofficial leader of the republic Johan de Witt and Admiral Michiel de Ruyter as the Regiment de Marine. Its leader was Willem Joseph Baron van Ghent. The Dutch had successfully used ordinary soldiers in ships at sea in the First Anglo-Dutch War. It was the fifth European marine unit formed, being preceded by the Spanish Marines (1537), the Portuguese Marines (1610), the French Marines (1622) and the English Royal Marines (1664). Like Britain, the Netherlands has had several periods when its Marines were disbanded. The Netherlands itself was under French occupation or control from 1810 until 1813. A new marine unit was raised on 20 March 1801 during the time of the Batavian Republic and on 14 August 1806 the Korps Koninklijke Grenadiers van de Marine was raised under King Louis Bonaparte. The modern Korps Mariniers dates from 1814, receiving its current name in 1817.

The battle honors on the Korps Mariniers' colors are: Raid on the Medway (1667), Kijkduin (1673), Sennefe (1674), Spain, Dogger Bank (1781), West Indies, Algiers (1816), Atjeh, Bali, Rotterdam (1940), Java Sea (1942), Java and Madoera (1947–1948), and New Guinea (1962).

Ottoman Empire

The role of Ottoman naval infantry originated in Orhan's conquest of the Karasi Beylik and the capture of its fleet. From then on Janissaries and Azaps were sometimes deployed as marines during the 14th Century. The Deniz azaps were used during the 16th Century; while troops called Levend (Bahriyeli) were raised on and off over the centuries - over 50,000 of them by the late 18th century. The last raised units were the Ta'ifat al Ru'sa (corsair captains militia) recruited from among the North African Arabs and indigenous Berbers. Ottoman marines were part of the Ottoman navy.

Portuguese Empire

Portugal raised numerous companies of Special Marines (Fuzileiros Especiais) and African Special Marines (Fuzileiros Especiais Africanos), both at home and in the African colonies of Guinea-Bissau, Angola and Mozambique, for service in Africa during the Portuguese Colonial Wars. The African Special Marines were all-black units.

Soviet Union

 
Soviet Naval Infantrymen during a demonstration in 1990.

The Soviet Navy had a number of small battalion-sized naval infantry and coastal defence units that mostly served in the ports and bases before the Second World War. During the war, and building on the visuals of the mutinied sailors of Petrograd in 1917, the Stavka ordered formation of naval infantry brigades from the surplus to either ship or shore duty sailors, and forty brigades served in mostly ground troops roles until 1944 when they were used for amphibious operations in Norway and along the Black Sea coast.

Republic of Vietnam

The forerunner of the Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps (VNMC) was established by Ngo Dinh Diem, then prime minister of what was then the State of Vietnam on October 13, 1954. The Republic of Vietnam was established in October 1955 after Diem used a fraudulent referendum to topple Bao Dai. The VNMC became defunct on 1 May 1975 after the fall of Saigon.

Yugoslavia

The 12th Naval Infantry Brigade (Mornaricka Pesadijska Brigada) of the Yugoslavian Navy consisted of 900 to 2,000 men in three battalions. A multi-ethnic unit, the brigade was broken up during the dissolution of the Yugoslav federation and saw little action.

Marine (military) Media

Related pages

  • Navy (Simple English)

References

  1. ↑ Themistocles, History of the Peloponnesian War XIV
  2. ↑ Plutarch, Parallel Lives
  3. ↑ Casson, Lionel (1991). The Ancient Mariners (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-01477-9.
  4. ↑ Lendering, Jona. "Legio I Adiutrix". Livius.org. Archived from the original on 20 January 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  5. ↑ Lendering, Jona. "Legio II Adiutrix". Livius.org. Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  6. ↑ Handbook for Marine NCOs, Kenneth W. Estes, Robert Debs Heinl, Naval Institute Press, 1995 ISBN 1-55750-238-2
  7. ↑ "Historia de La Infanteria de Marina" (in español). Spanish Navy Marines. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  8. ↑ Specialist force trained for East Timor-style operations. Herald Sun. 12 December 2012. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/specialist-force-trained-for-east-timor-style-operations/story-fn7x8me2-1226175610489. 
  9. ↑ "Special Forces (Maritime) (Croatia)". Jane’s Amphibious and Special Forces. 9 December 2011. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  10. ↑ Marine-Infanterie.de
  11. ↑ The IISS estimates the IRGC Naval Forces are 20,000 strong including 5,000 marines (one brigade).
  12. ↑ North Korea Country Study, LOC
  13. ↑ Handbook for Marine NCOs, Kenneth W. Estes, Robert Debs Heinl, Naval Institute Press, 1995, ISBN 1-55750-238-2
  14. ↑ MDE.es
  15. ↑ "Birth of Marines". Recruit Knowledge. MCRD Museum Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2006-05-23. Retrieved 2006-02-03.

Other websites

Template:Military branches

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