this is not a service bashing question, it is a question of theory and discipline, what makes the marines.....

Question

more proficient in establishing beachheads than the us army? what training and technology makes them more "able" to establish a beachhead better than army units who trains in amphibious warfare? only military knowlwdgable people answer only, please

Answer 1

You answered your own question. It's what they are best at. It's what they do. It's what they train for. What makes a pastry chef better at baking cakes than a pizza chef? Training, Practice and Application of their training.

Answer 2

The Marines focus mainly on amphib landings and have more training in it than the Army generally. The Marines are meant to be dropped off by the Navy so of course they are going to need to be good at it. I'm not sure what kind of training the Army has for that kind of stuff. I am Navy and I know a few Marines. None of my Army buddies do that stuff I dont know how Army does it.

Answer 3

This is because that is the base function of the Marines. They are made to be a mobile, quick thinking, fast acting force, which is sent in before the general Army. They are more proficient because they are trained for just that sort of objective and are trained to think and work differently than the regular Army.

Answer 4

The difference is in the philosophy of the Army and the Marine Corps. They both have a job to do, and they do it in different ways, but they get the job done, and that is what counts. First, start broadly. An Army division (we'll go with an infantry division, because that is all the Marine Corps has), carries a great deal more in heavy equipment than a Marine division. The Army division will have one or two regiment of tanks, one or two regiments of artillary, while the Marine division will have one battalion of each.

The Marine Corps philosophy is more along the lines of move quick, strike quick. And while the army is capable of this as well, they are more like a massive juggernaut, and they use sheer force of strength to roll over the enemy.

When it comes to establishing a beach head, or amphibious assault, yes, the Army is trained in how to do it, but the Marine Corps has turned it into an art. For one, all of the Marines and their equipment are carried by the Navy (the Marines are actually an extension of the department of the Navy), and the boats that carry them are specifically designed to put man and machine on the 'beach'. To accomplish this, the Navy will use LCAC hovercraft to carry vehicles and heavy equipment ashore, while the Marines themselves will come ashore in AAV 'Amtrack' amphibious assault vehicles, or be airlifted in by the helicopter squadron that travels with them. The standard Marine infantry unit that is deployed at sea is called a Marine Expiditionary Unit (MEU, pronounced 'mew'), and will have a standard infantry battalion, one platoon(4 vehicles) of M1A1 Abrams tanks, one battery (4-6 guns) of M198 155mm towed howitzers and their support vehicles (tow vehicles and ammo carriers), one light armored reconnasaince platoon (LAV fighting vehicles and Humvee), one 'Recon' special forces platoon. There will also be a Force Service Support Battalion (engineers, vehicle repair, armorers, supply, etc), and one reinforced medium lift helicopter squadron.

This squadron will consist of one squadron of CH-46 Sea Knight medium kift helicoptors (similar to the army's CH-47 Chinook, two rotors, one on each end of the aircraft). It will be reinforced with a detachment of CH-53 Super Stallion heavy lift transport helicoptors (each one is capable of slinging a humvee and a light artillary piece, or carry 30+troops and their equipment), a light attack helicoptor squadron (12 AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicoptors and for UH-1 'Huey' Utility helicoptors), as well as a detechment of 4 AV-8B Harriers. This reinforced battalion and squadron will travel on an LHA/LHD transport, designed for short runway operations, and one or two troop carriers. In the ship formation will be one Aegis Ticonderoga-class guided missle cruiser, two Arleigh Burke-class guided missle destroyers, and two Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates. There will also be an aircraft carrier battlegroup somewhere in the vicinity to provide additional air support and naval gunfire support should it prove necessary. Please note that these numbers are always subject to change, as the mission will define the makeup of the unit, not the other way around.

In the Marines Hymn, it states "we will fight our country's battles, in the air, on land and sea." When the Marines go somewhere, they carry everything they need with them. The Marines were originally intended to work for the Navy, and the easiest way for the navy to go ashore, is to send in the Marines. With the advent of vertical assault (helicptors and parachuting), that takes on a slightly different meaning, but the spirit stays the same.


I know my answer is long winded and a little disjointed, but I'm like that sometimes.

Answer 5

It's the same thing that makes the Navy better suited for Sea Combat, and the Air Force more suited to Air Combat. It's the function the branch was formed to perform. They're not Gods, they just train specificly to do that job, just like they train Air Force Pilots to fly planes.

Answer 6

its simple, the army doesnt establish beachheads. Thats not our specialty, but it is the marine corps basic job, go in and kick ***, than the army comes in and establishes a foothold. We all have our jobs

Answer 7

They use carrier based attack jets, hovercraft and naval guns. It's what they train for.

Answer 8

could be because it's a beach.