Marine
Recon
The Marine Recon we know today dates back to the W.W.II. Before
1944 the Marine Recon were primarily scout/sniper units. In April
1944 a two company amphibious reconnaissance battalion were formed.
They started operating with UDT (Underwater Demolition Team),
to conduct beach reconnaissance and hydrographic survey. The MR
along with UDT reconned for the landings at Iwo Jima in 1945.
During the war in Korea the MR and UDT did a series of raids
on Korea's east coast, destroying railroad tunnels and bridges.
At a time the MR operated 200 miles behind enemy lines. In 1951
the MR made the first helicopter assault in the Marine Corps
history.
When the marines landed in Vietnam in 1965, the MR were there
to support their respective Units. In Vietnam the MR conducted
deep and distant reconnaissance patrols. They mostly operated
in seven-man teams performing the so called 'Stingray' operations.
The last marines left Vietnam in 1971.
During the 1970s and 1980s the MR went through some changes.
23-man deep reconnaissance platoons were created to compensate
for the reducement of the MR after the Vietnam War. The basic
Recon teams were still the four-man teams. When the hostage recovery
program was started in 1976 with federal law enforcement agencies
and the Army Special Forces, some of the MR units were assigned
to Direct Action missions. In 1977, snipers were again a part
of the marine units.
In October 1983 the MR took part in the invasion of Grenada,
and in 1989 they went into Panama in Operation 'Just Cause'.
In 1990 MR was deployed in the Gulf. Here they scouted the front
lines of the Iraqi forces. They found ways through enemy lines
for the marine invasion. Prior to the ground war the MR took
238 prisoners.
NOTE: The Marine Recon is not a part of SOCOM (Special Operation
Command).
Stationed:
Active Duty:
Divison Recon Company-1st Marine Division Camp Pendleton California
1st Force Recon Company, 1st SRIG, Camp Pendleton, California
2nd Recon Battalion-Camp Lejuene North Carolina(2nd Force Recon
Comapny is now part of this unit) Division Recon Company-3rd
Marine Division, Camp Butler, Okinawa Japan 5th Force Recon Company,
Camp Butler, Okinawa Japan
Reserve:
3rd Force Recon Company, Mobile Alabama 4th Force Recon Company,
Reno Nevada and Oahu Hawaii 4th Reconnaissance Battalion-San
Antonio Texas, Billings Montana, Albuquerque New Mexico, and
Anchorage Alaska.
Weapons: M16A2, M203, M249 SAW, M9 Beretta Handgun, H&K MP5,
M40 sniper rifle, Barret .50 caliber Heavy sniper rifle.
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