• The 2 pages to the left give a pocket history of the USMC and a glimpse of the uniforms through the ages.

• Both images are thumbnails so Click to enlarge.

In WW1 they fought along side the Aussies. In WW2 thousands of them were temporarily stationed in Australia as a jumping off point for PNG and the South Pacific Theatre generally.

Their planes flew in support of our ground troops. Their blokes died as did ours, in a common cause.

In Viet Nam the USMC did much of the fighting and although it was not actually in the same area as the Australian Task Force, the enemy was the same.

We know that the Yanks tend to be more theatrical than Brits or Aussies, but we can still appreciate a good quote.

"Chesty" Puller, a legendary Marine, said while he was in Korea; 

"The enemy is in front of me. He is to my rear. He is on my left and right flanks. The poor silly bastards won't get away this time".

World War 2

 Captain in the United States Marine Corps

Captain, USMC Winter Green uniform

This USMC Captain is holding a Mameluke sword.

This right to use this type of sword was given to Marine Corps officers after they  conquered the Barbary Pirates at Tripoli. 

He wears the high collar dress blue uniform with a cap frame with special gold and scarlet-red chinstrap. 

It is summer, so he wears a white cover, probably on diplomatic duty. 

His eagle, globe & anchor (EGA, the USMC badge) are real silver and gold overlay. 

• A WW2-era US Marine Captain in "winter green" uniform.  This officer is serving as Aide-de-camp to a Major General.  

• He is a career officer, as shown by the" American Defense" ribbon, which dates his active duty to before Pearl Harbor.  Also on that particular ribbon is the silver "W" device that denotes participation in the defense of Wake Island.  

• He is a Silver Star recipient, with the "V" for Valor device, and served in China as well.

He wears smaller size collar brass facing inward. The 5th and 6th Marines in World War One were awarded three French Croix de Guerre Medals, two with a gold palm and one with a gold star. 

To represent those medals, he wears a French fourragere of green and red, the same colours as the service ribbon of the C de G.

He is a Marine Aviator and wears his pilots wings over a Navy Cross, a (Navy) Distinguished Service Medal with two gold stars (2nd & 3rd award), a Silver Star Medal. The second row is Flying Cross Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and a Purple Heart Medal. Third row is a Navy Expeditionary Medal, a Marine Corps Good Conduct medal to show he started an as enlisted man and was a "Mustang" (took a combat commission), and the last service ribbon is the American Defense Service Medal with "W" appurtenance to show he defended Wake Island against assault by the Imperial Japanese Naval and Marine Forces. 

He wears a Rifle Expert and Pistol Marksman badges. He has white gloves as he had just came off duty on the Staff of the Aviation Commander of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington. He declined to wear the authorized Sam Browne belt while on sea duty to reduce the amount of luggage in the small cramped officers quarters.  

USMC  of WW2 era. Front and half rear.

USMC uniforms 2002 (samples only; many more)