Osprey Battle Orders 7 : US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1943-1944

By January 1944 the US Marine Corps had grown to a total of 405,169 personnel, comprising 28,193 officers, 10,723 officer candidates, and 366,353 enlisted men. The Fleet Marine Force now had two amphibious corps, four divisions, a separate infantry regiment, nineteen defense battalions, and numerous support and service units. Following on from Battle Orders 1 : US Marine Corps (1) : Pacific Theater of Operations 1941-1943, this book examines the continuing development of the Corps's organization, its training, tactics, weaponry, and command structure, as well as the battles fought in the Southwest Pacific on New Britain, and in the Central Pacific on Tarawa, Roi-Namur, Eniwetok, Saipan, and Tinian. The organization of the 4th Marine Division (MarDiv) and III and V Amphibious Corps (IIIAC, VAC) is also discussed along with smaller, new units. Text by Gordon Rottman.

Contents

• Introduction
• Combat Mission
• Unit Organization
• Tactics
• Weapons and Equipment
• Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence
• Combat Operations
• Lessons Learned
• Chronology
• Bibliography
• Abbreviations and Linear Measurements
• Index