Is it true that the Marines are the first to fight?

Question

and the army just waits 4 nothing

Answer 1

not usually, the first to fight are the special ops, recon teams..usually Airborne, Rangers or Seals, (Need to take out Comm. towers, Air defense systems, the personnell that operate them etc.all before anyone else even knows that a war is about to start.)

Answer 2

Historically in prelimary engagements or quick reaction requirements the Marines have gone in first but the Army does not sit around and do nothing. The Army was heavy throught much of the post World War Two era to anable them to fight a armor heavy war in Europe and the Marines a much lighter force for amphibibous operations and compbat in the Pacific; so they were deigned to do different things. If a "quick reaction" force was needed it was easier to move lighter Marines units and send them because the heavy armor more common in the Army took more air or sea lift assets, longer to load and slower to move. The Marines just could get there gear loaded and moved faster as that was the mission they had. The Army has moved towards that and is now making light infantry units to enable them to do the same thing but neither of those units can stand against an armor heavy opponent for a long period so they wuld be asked to hold until the heavier Army units arrived. The SEALS, Rangers, SpecOps and Marine Recon units might be usd to take out some of the mentioned equipment prior to an attack but the question involves more the actual attack-also may of those targets would be taken out by aircraft because they can hit them closer to the actual event happening and that decreases the odds of something going wrong (personnel caught coming in would not only leave the target but alert the opposition). But I think the question deals with the actual attack and not prelimery raids or softening up. But the second line should not be there-the Army is not waiting for nothing or for some one else to do the job it just takes longer to load and move an M1 Abrams then it does a company of Marines or light infantry.

Answer 3

Read a history book. Its all about joint effort now adays. In Iraq the Air Force and Navy bombed the hell out of strongholds first, then the Marines came in and stuck out foot in the door. The Army came in after us and helped us police and maintain order. No one service can do the job alone. Besides, the First to Fight motto came out of some major battles in Marine Corps history and it was put onto recruiting posters.

Answer 4

When I was in Desert Storm, we didn't see any Marines for the first three months. Then they came up behind us. we moved out again and never saw the Marines again.

We were on M1A1 Abrams ad the Marines showed up in M60 tanks.

First ones in? Sometimes, but not always.
Did learn something from them, like why they carried Infantry gas masks instead of Tank gas masks.

Answer 5

This is for Green Bay all the way, the Navy is a most intricate part of any assault force, for example where do you think most of the planes were launched from at the beginning of the war? Who do you think the seals belong too, and medics that go in with the Marines, as well as support members such as IT techs and such. My son in the Navy a Chief and is currently building sand castles in the war zone...So much for your theory that the Navy can only go where there is water....

Answer 6

Marines are proud of there history of being put into the fight first or close to first...but the army 82nd airborne is also a first to fight group...when I was in the marines we'd run exercises where the marines (2nd didvision camp lejune) and the 82nd airborne would both get alerted to ship out in division strength within 24 hours...we went thru it twice when I was at lejune...the marines won both exercises.
Tapestry...wrong, the presidents own refers to his marine corp band...

Answer 7

The Marines are a force in readiness and as such can be sent into action by the President without a declaration of war. That's why they are said to be the "First to Fight".
So God bless all you Zoomies, Dogfaces, and Squids, who are in harms way along with all my Brother Marines.
We're all in this together. OORRAAAAHHH!!!

Answer 8

We're all fighting.

You might be looking for a text book answer, but I don't know it. =)

But realize, there are covert operations going on every day.
People are strategizing. We are always at war. The question should be WHO controls the war.

A Covert operation is a military or political activity carried out in such a way that the ones responsible for the action are not identifiable.

Groups are easy to identify, but individuals make up these powers; it's a mosaic.

So who IS the first to fight? The police? The FBI? The military?

or

YOU

The day that your war ends is the day that you will wake up and realized that you mean nothing to them.

Answer 9

Actually the Army is usually first on the scene.

It depends on the place and situation also.

Answer 10

I see a bunch of answers from people that have no clue what they're talking about. This question can't be answered without knowing what the circumstances of the "war" are... where, when, who's involved, how many are we fighting, is it a policing action or a "war"... too many unasked questions to give you a truthful accurate answer.

Answer 11

All US branches are superb but as a former Marine I tend to lean towards the Corps.
They have all done and continue to do their best and ensure are safety, no matter what the mayor of San Francisco says.