USMC Recruit Training & History Knowledge

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering Marine Corps history, leadership traits and principles, UCMJ articles, weapons handling, first aid, tactical operations, rank insignia, general orders, and uniform regulations.

10 Nov 1775

The official birthday of the United States Marine Corps, established by a resolution of the Continental Congress meeting at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

3 Mar 1776

The date of the first Marine amphibious landing, conducted at New Providence, Bahamas, led by Captain Samuel Nicholas.

1805

The year First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon and his Marines stormed the fortress at Derna, Tripoli ('Shores of Tripoli'), leading to Prince Hamet presenting him with the Mameluke Sword.

1846

The year the scarlet Blood Stripe was officially adopted on the trousers of Marine officers and noncommissioned officers to commemorate the heavy casualties suffered during the Battle of Chapultepec ('Halls of Montezuma').

1868

The year the 7th Commandant, Brigadier General Jacob Zeilin, officially approved and adopted the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem for the Marine Corps.

1883

The year the 8th Commandant, Colonel Charles C. McCawley, officially established 'Semper Fidelis' (Always Faithful) as the official Marine Corps motto.

1898

The year Sergeant Major John Quick earned the Medal of Honor for braving enemy fire while signaling naval gunfire support at Cuzco Well, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

1912

The founding year of Marine Corps Aviation, when First Lieutenant Alfred A. Cunningham reported for naval flight training as the first Marine aviator.

1914

The year Major Smedley Butler earned his first Medal of Honor during the landings at Vera Cruz, Mexico.

1918

The year Opha Mae Johnson enlisted, becoming the first female Marine in history.

7 Dec 1941

The Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, which propelled the United States into World War II.

25 May 1942

The establishment of the Montford Point recruit training camp in North Carolina to train African American Marine recruits under Captain Lentz and Private McClaren.

6 Aug 1945

The date the first atomic bomb was detonated over Hiroshima, Japan.

9 Aug 1945

The date the second atomic bomb was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan.

1947

The year the National Security Act was passed, establishing the permanent statutory mission, organization, and air-ground composition of the Marine Corps.

1949

The adoption of the revised Geneva Conventions establishing international standards for the humanitarian treatment of war victims, wounded, and prisoners of war.

17 Aug 1955

The date President Dwight D. Eisenhower promulgated the six Articles of the U.S. Military Code of Conduct following the Korean War.

1957

The year the senior enlisted billet of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was officially created.

20 Feb 1962

The date Lieutenant Colonel John Glenn piloted Friendship $7$, becoming the first American to orbit the Earth.

8 Mar 1965

The date the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade landed at Da Nang, marking the initial deployment of U.S. combat troops in the Vietnam War.

23 Oct 1983

The date a suicide truck bomb struck the Marine headquarters barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, killing $241$ American service personnel ($220$ Marines).

Captain Samuel Nicholas

The 1st Commandant of the Marine Corps, who led the first amphibious raid in the Bahamas at New Providence on 3 Mar 1776.

Archibald Henderson

The 5th Commandant of the Marine Corps, known as the 'Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps,' who served as Commandant for $38$ years ($1820\text{--}1859$).

Brigadier General Jacob Zeilin

The 7th Commandant of the Marine Corps who officially adopted the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem in 1868.

Colonel Charles C. McCawley

The 8th Commandant of the Marine Corps who officially established the motto 'Semper Fidelis' in 1883.

Captain Robert Mullins

The first official recruiter in the history of the United States Marine Corps.

Corporal John F. Mackie

The first Marine awarded the Medal of Honor, recognized for his heroic actions aboard the USS Galena in 1862 during the Civil War.

Major Smedley Butler

One of only two Marines to be awarded two Medals of Honor in separate conflicts, received for his heroism in Vera Cruz (1914) and Haiti (1915).

Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daly

One of only two Marines to be awarded two Medals of Honor in separate conflicts, received for his actions in the Boxer Rebellion (1900) and Haiti (1915).

Lieutenant General Lewis 'Chesty' Puller

The most decorated Marine in history, having earned five Navy Crosses.

Sergeant Major Archibald Sommers

The first Marine promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major in 1798.

Sergeant Major Wilbur Bestwick

The first Marine appointed to the position of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps in 1957.

Second Lieutenant Frederick C. Branch

The first African American commissioned officer in the Marine Corps, commissioned on 10 Nov 1945.

Brigadier General Margaret A. Brewer

The first female General Officer in the Marine Corps, serving as Director of Women Marines before her appointment to brigadier general in 1978.

Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen Jr.

The first African American Marine combat pilot and the first African American Marine to achieve General Officer rank.

Private First Class James Anderson Jr.

The first African American Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously for smothering a grenade in Vietnam.

Howard P. Perry

The first African American recruit to arrive and enlist for training at Montford Point Camp in 1942.

Sergeant Major Gilbert 'Hash Mark' Johnson

One of the very first African American Drill Instructors in the Marine Corps and an early pioneer at Montford Point.

Sergeant Major Edgar R. Huff

The first African American Marine promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major.

Sergeant Major Alfred L. McMichael

The 14th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps and the first African American to hold the post.

Gunnery Sergeant Melody Natts

The first female Marine Drill Instructor authorized to wear the traditional Campaign Cover.

Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone

Marine awarded the Medal of Honor for defensive heroism at Guadalcanal, who later returned to combat and was killed in action on Iwo Jima.

Colonel Ruth Cheney Streeter

The first Director of the Marine Corps Women's Reserve, leading women Marines during World War II.

Chief Warrant Officer Annie L. Grimes

The first African American woman in the Marine Corps to achieve warrant officer rank and retire after $20$ years of active duty service.

Private First Class Richard E. Kraus

The only amphibious tractor (amtracker) crewman to receive the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously for smothering a grenade on Peleliu.

Captain John Ripley

Marine officer recognized for blowing up the strategic bridge at Dong Ha under continuous enemy fire alongside Major Smock during the 1972 Easter Offensive.

Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock

Famed Vietnam War scout sniper with $93$ confirmed kills who spearheaded the establishment of the modern Marine Corps Scout Sniper Program.

Boxer Rebellion

The 1900 uprising in Peking, China, where $50{,}000$ Boxers attacked foreign legations, during which Private Dan Daly earned his first Medal of Honor.

Banana Wars

A series of early $20\text{th}$-century naval and ground interventions in Central America and the Caribbean, including Panama, characterized by intense jungle warfighting.

Battles of World War I (Keyword BBS)

Belleau Wood (5th and 6th Marines awarded French Croix de Guerre; 'Teufelhunden'), Soissons (2nd French Croix de Guerre), and Blanc Mont (3rd French Croix de Guerre under Gen Lejeune).

Battles of World War II (Keyword GITMO)

Guadalcanal (first amphibious landing of WWII), Iwo Jima ('Uncommon valor was a common virtue'), Tarawa (taken in $76\,\text{hours}$; brought about widespread use of amtracks), Midway (turning point of the Pacific war), and Okinawa (last offensive campaign of WWII).

Battles of Korea (Keyword PICS)

Pusan Perimeter (reinforced Army as a 'Force in Readiness'), Inchon (daring amphibious assault opposed by military leadership), Chosin Reservoir ('We are not retreating, just attacking in a different direction'), and Seoul (house-to-house liberation).

Battles of Vietnam (Phrase: Charlie Don't Know How to Shoot)

Chu Lai (Operation Starlite), Da Nang (initial ground landing 8 Mar 1965), Khe Sanh ($77$-day siege), Hue City (brutal urban street-to-street combat), and Saigon (Tet Offensive defense and final evacuation).

Island Hopping Campaign

The World War II Pacific offensive consisting of $63$ amphibious assaults designed to bypass and isolate Japanese strongholds while securing forward air bases.

SS Mayaguez / Koh Tang Island

The 1975 recovery of an American merchant vessel and rescue of its crew off Koh Tang Island, recognized as the final combat operation of the Vietnam War.

Tet Offensive

The massive 1968 communist surprise attack across South Vietnam designed to collapse the government and influence American public opinion toward withdrawal.

Operation Dewey Canyon

A high-mobility, combined air-ground offensive conducted by Marines in 1969 in the Da Krong and A Shau valleys of Vietnam.

Operation Starlite

The first major offensive ground operation of the Vietnam War conducted near Chu Lai in August 1965.

Operation Eagle Pull

The 1975 tactical helicopter evacuation of several hundred Americans and allied officials from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Operation Frequent Wind

The 1975 helicopter evacuation of several thousand American citizens and at-risk South Vietnamese from Saigon prior to its fall.

Operation Urgent Fury

The 1983 joint military operation in Grenada to rescue stranded American medical students and restore order.

Operation Just Cause

The 1989 U.S. military operation in Panama to depose dictator Manuel Noriega and safeguard the Panama Canal.

Operation Desert Storm

The 1991 combat campaign spearheaded by Coalition forces to liberate Kuwait from occupying Iraqi forces.

Battle of Al-Khafji

The first major ground battle of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, in which Iraqi armored attacks into Saudi Arabia were repulsed.

Operation Restore Hope

The 1992 humanitarian intervention in Somalia to establish security and protect the distribution of relief supplies.

Operation Phantom Fury

The November 2004 Second Battle of Fallujah to retake the insurgent-controlled Iraqi city, marked by intense urban warfare.

Battle of Kandahar

The 2011 major military operations in Afghanistan to clear Taliban forces and secure the city and surrounding districts.

Three Types of Courts-Martial

Summary Court-Martial (minor offenses, enlisted only), Special Court-Martial (intermediate offenses), and General Court-Martial (serious felony or capital offenses).

Five Types of Military Discharges

Honorable, General (Under Honorable Conditions), Other Than Honorable (OTH), Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD), and Dishonorable Discharge (DD).

Purpose of Military Law

To promote justice, assist in maintaining good order and discipline in the armed forces, and promote operational efficiency.

First Authority to Enforce Military Law

The Commanding Officer.

Procedural Articles of the UCMJ

Articles $1\text{--}76$ and Articles $135\text{--}136$, outlining definitions, court procedures, jurisdiction, and legal process.

Punitive Articles of the UCMJ

Articles $77$ through $134$, which define specific military criminal offenses and penalties.

Article 15 (UCMJ)

The article authorizing commanding officers to administer Non-Judicial Punishment (NJP) for minor offenses without court-martial.

Article 31 (UCMJ)

The compulsory self-incrimination article protecting service members by requiring that suspects be informed of the nature of the accusation and their right to remain silent.

Article 86 (UCMJ)

Unauthorized Absence (UA), including failure to go to or leaving an appointed place of duty.

Article 89 (UCMJ)

Disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer in demeanor or language.

Article 90 (UCMJ)

Willfully disobeying, assaulting, or striking a superior commissioned officer in the execution of office.

Article 91 (UCMJ)

Insubordinate conduct, disobedience, or contempt toward a warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer.

Article 115 (UCMJ)

Malingering, defined as feigning illness, physical disablement, or injury to intentionally evade military duty or service.

Article 120 (UCMJ)

Rape, sexual assault, and related sexual offenses under military law.

Article 121 (UCMJ)

Larceny and wrongful appropriation of military or personal property.

Article 128 (UCMJ)

Assault and battery offenses under military law.

Article 134 (UCMJ)

The General Article ('Catch-All'), punishing all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline or conduct discrediting the armed forces.

Article 138 (UCMJ)

Complaints of Wrongs, granting service members the right to formally submit complaints against their commanding officer.

Authorized Punishments of the UCMJ

Reprimand, fine, reduction in pay/grade, forfeiture of pay, restriction to limits, hard labor without confinement, confinement, punitive separation, and death.

Four Principles of the Law of War

1. Military Necessity, 2. Avoidance of Unnecessary Suffering, 3. Discrimination (Distinction), and 4. Proportionality.

Three Phases of Combat Care (TCCC)

1. Care Under Fire, 2. Tactical Field Care, and 3. Tactical Evacuation Care (TACEVAC).

Four Lifesaving Steps

1. Restore the Breathing, 2. Stop the Bleeding, 3. Protect the Wound, and 4. Treat for Shock.

Six Types of Wounds (Keyword CAPAIL)

Crush, Abrasion, Puncture, Avulsion, Incision, and Laceration.

Three Types of Bleeding

Arterial (bright red, pulsating/spurting flow), Venous (dark red, steady/continuous flow), and Capillary (brick red, slow oozing flow).

Five Indicators of Shock

1. Bluish skin (cyanosis), 2. Rapid breathing, 3. Nausea, 4. Confusion/restlessness, and 5. Cool, clammy/sweaty skin.

Two Types of Fractures

Open (compound fracture where bone pierces the skin) and Closed (simple fracture where skin remains intact).

Three Degrees of Burns

1st Degree (redness and mild pain), 2nd Degree (blistering and severe pain), and 3rd Degree (charred or white skin with nerve destruction).

Four Types of Burns (Keyword TEC)

Thermal, Electrical, Chemical, and Laser.

Three Heat Injuries

Heat Cramps (spasms from salt loss), Heat Exhaustion (profuse sweating, weakness, and nausea), and Heat Stroke (life-threatening emergency with hot dry skin and elevated core body temperature).

Three Cold Injuries

Frostbite (freezing of tissue), Dehydration (loss of fluids in cold dry air), and Hypothermia (dangerous drop in core body temperature).

Three Foot Injuries (Keyword FBI)

Fungal infections (athlete's foot), Blisters (friction injuries), and Immersion foot (trench foot from continuous cold/wet contact).

Seven Steps for CAT Application

Insert, Fasten, Secure, Twist, Secure, Mark (record time), and Check (verify pulse absence).

Snake Bite Identification

Marked by two distinct puncture marks accompanied by rapid localized pain, redness, and swelling.