Features

The Legendary Past Returns. MARSOC Units Become The "Marine Raiders"

Gungho Cowboy

The past has become present again, and the present will indicate what it will be doing in the future. The United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) has been aligned to the Marine Raiders, the name carried by the legendary U.S. Marine Corps units that did a lot of special operations missions in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The Marine Raiders were in fact the first special operations units of the United States.

Last August 6, 2014, USMC Commandant James Amos announced that all units under MARSOC will be taking in the Marine Raiders Name. For example, the 1st MARSOC Battalion  will be now be called the 1st Marine Raider Battalion, the 2nd MARSOC Battalion, the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, and so forth. MARSOC will still be official overall name of the special operations group of the USMC.

There were four Marine Raider Battalions which were formed in World War II. These units were tasked to do light amphibious assault missions, often operating behind enemy lines and operated from 1942 to 1944 when they were disbanded and designated as regular Marine infantry units. Fighting from island to island in the Pacific theater, the Marine Raider Battalions earned 700 decorations which included 7 Medals of Honor within those two years of active combat in some of the hard fought campaigns in the Pacific War.

Before the MARSOC was officially formed in 2006, its precursor, Detachment One, activated in 2003, had its insignia designed paying homage to the Marine Raiders, including the original Marine Raider insignia in the overall design. With MARSOC, the Marine Raiders insignia was not fully incorporated in the unit's insignia design. Only after heavy lobbying by the Marine Raiders Association did Commandant James Amos finally relented and allowed the renaming of the MARSOC Battalions to provide a historical connection between the original Marine Raiders and MARSOC given that these units task of special operations missions. Still the MARSOC has its own history since its inception in 2006 which is independent of the Marine Raiders. But the building of the connection would be important for the renamed battalions as they can lay claim that the special operations history of the United States started with the Marine Corps.

(MARSOC Operator with the Marine Raiders patch. Photo from the Level Zero Heroes Facebook Page)

The units are not authorized to use  the original Marine Raider Insignia, which has a constellation of stars around a skull on a blue background though some MARSOC members operating in Afghanistan were seen wearing the insignia unauthorized. The renamed Marine Raider Battalions under MARSOC will still be using the Marine Corps Stiletto surrounded by the Marine Raider Stars to pay to homage to the original Marine Raiders.

For those doing the MARSOC impression in airsoft, I guess it's time to call their impressions as "Marine Raider" and they need to brush up more on their MARSOC knowledge by incorporating the Marine Raider history to understand more. They can start by clicking here.

The Latest News

Feature Story

Airsoft Guns and Gear Reviews