Marine Corps History

Post Vietnam Era Post Vietnam Era Keeping the PeaceKeeping the Peace

1976-19861976-1986

Post Vietnam Statistics: Total Strength: 192,000

– Enlisted 174,000– Officers 18,000

High School Grads: below 50% Drug Use: Not Tested Criminal Records: Not Checked Morale: Low Desertions: High Violent Crime: High

19761976 Jul: Marines Evacuate American

citizens from Beirut, Lebanon Sep: Marines begin wearing the

camouflage utility uniform Nov: First annual Marine Corps

Marathon held in Washington, DC

19771977 May: TBS graduates first male/female class Jun: the billett “Director of Women Marines”

is eliminated from the Corps (males and females are no longer considered separate parts of the Marine Corps)

Nov: Unit Deployment Program (UDP) replaces unaccompanied tours of duty to the Far East (maintain unit cohesion, enhance combat readiness)

19781978 May: Margaret A. Brewer

becomes the first female Brigadier General in the corpsbecomes the first female Brigadier General in the corps

Aug: CAX (combined arms exercise)(combined arms exercise) becomes a part of Marine’s training for decades to come (Air/Ground Live Fire Training)Air/Ground Live Fire Training)

Oct: Commandant becomes a full member of the JCS (Joint Chiefs of Staff)

19791979 Feb: US Embassy (Iran) attacked and Marines

abducted (held captive for one week)(held captive for one week)

Jun: US Embassy (Nicaragua) Marines help

evacuate 1400 as SandinistaSandinista forces overthrow SomozaSomoza dictatorship

Oct: US Embassy (El Salvador) attacked

Nov: US Embassy (Iran) overrun and 65 Americans

taken hostage Nov: US Embassy (Pakistan) attacked and burned

Dec: Marine Corps establishes the

Maritime Pre-positioning Force (MPF)

19801980 Mar: Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force

(RDJTF) established Apr: Operation “Desert One”

fails to rescue hostages (Iran)

Total Strength: 188,000– Enlisted 170,000– Officers 18,000

High School Grads: 80% Drug Use: Not Tested Criminal Records: Checked before allowed into Corps

19811981 Jan: 52 American hostages freed after

444 days in captivity (Iran) Advances:

– CH53E Super Stallion (double the lift and in-flight refueling)Super Stallion (double the lift and in-flight refueling)

– AV8 Harriers (aboard ship with helicopters)(aboard ship with helicopters)

– M198 155mm Howitzer– Urinalysis testing, The War On Drugs BeginsThe War On Drugs Begins

19821982 Jun: Marines evacuate 580 U.S. citizens (Lebanon)

Sep: Marines take up positions at Beirut International AirportBeirut International Airport (responding to a massacre of innocent Palestinian refugees)

Oct: High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) (HMMWV)

replaced the Jeep replaced the Jeep && Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) replaced C rations (MRE) replaced C rations

Dec: : RDJTF replaced with Central Command (CENTCOM) (CENTCOM) (Middle East, South West Asia, & Indian Ocean)

19831983 Jan: F/A-18 Hornet replaces F-4 & A-4replaces F-4 & A-4

Feb: Kevlar replaces steel helmetreplaces steel helmet

Apr: U.S. Embassy bombed killing 61 ombed killing 61 (Lebanon)(Lebanon)

Aug: Beirut Airport Marines under attackMarines under attack

Sep: Cease Fire in effect but sniper fire continuesin effect but sniper fire continues

Oct: Grenada 22MAU invades to stop a Communist coup22MAU invades to stop a Communist coup

Oct: Beirut Truck bomb destroys BLT 1/8 building Truck bomb destroys BLT 1/8 building (241 dead)(241 dead)

Dec: U.S. Embassy bombed ombed (Kuwait)(Kuwait)

19841984 Feb: Beirut U.S. civilians evacuated & U.S. civilians evacuated &

Marines withdrawMarines withdraw

May: LCAC Landing anding Craftraft Airir Cushionushion in servicein service Sep: U.S. Embassy Annex BuildingAnnex Building

bombed killing 23 ombed killing 23 (Beirut, Lebanon)(Beirut, Lebanon)

19851985 Jan: 9mm Beretta replaces thereplaces the .45 caliber pistol

Jun: Special Operations Capable (SOC)(SOC)

mandatory for deploying unitsmandatory for deploying units Jun: Communist Guerrillas kill four off-dutyCommunist Guerrillas kill four off-duty

Marine Embassy Guards Marine Embassy Guards (El Salvador)(El Salvador)

19861986 Mar: Libyan missile boats sunk during training

exercise (Gulf of Sidra)(Gulf of Sidra)

Mar: Libyan Terrorist bomb night club frequented

by US Citizens (Germany)(Germany)

Apr: U.S. bombs Libyan targetsU.S. bombs Libyan targets Sep: Officers removed from SNCO Officers removed from SNCO

AcademiesAcademies

Acronyms:

TBS UDP CAX MPF RDJTF MRE HMMWV CENTCOM

SOC SNCO JCS SOC NEO TRAP SAR

♦ MAGTF♦ CE♦ SE♦ GCE♦ ACE♦ MEU♦ MEB♦ MEF♦ MAU♦ MAB♦ MAF

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