FMF - Fleet Marine Force Marine Corps History Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During the First Barbary War, which battle marked the first time the American flag was raised in victory on foreign soil, and is memorialized in the Marines' Hymn?
- Battle of Quallah Battoo
- Battle of Tripoli Harbor
- Battle of Derna (Correct answer)
- Battle of Algiers
Correct answer: Battle of Derna
The Battle of Derna in 1805 was the decisive victory during the First Barbary War where Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon led a force of Marines and mercenaries across the desert to capture the city. This event is famously referenced by the line 'to the shores of Tripoli' in the Marines' Hymn and was the first time the U.S. flag was raised in victory on foreign soil. [7, 19]
Question 2: The scarlet 'blood stripe' worn on the dress blue trousers of Marine NCOs and officers commemorates the high casualty rate of Marine leaders during which battle of the Mexican-American War?
- Battle of Veracruz
- Battle of Buena Vista
- Battle of Mexico City
- Battle of Chapultepec (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Battle of Chapultepec
Tradition holds that the scarlet stripe represents the heavy losses of Marine officers and non-commissioned officers at the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847, where they stormed a fortified castle. [1, 3, 11]
Question 3: During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, which Marine famously single-handedly defended his position on the Tartar Wall in Peking, earning his first of two Medals of Honor?
- Smedley Butler
- John Basilone
- Dan Daly (Correct answer)
- Lewis 'Chesty' Puller
Correct answer: Dan Daly
During the siege of the Legation Quarter in Peking, Private Dan Daly mounted a solo defense of his position on the Tartar Wall against numerous attackers, an act of valor for which he was awarded his first Medal of Honor. [6, 20, 21]
Question 4: A Marine unit is preparing for a major amphibious assault. Their planning heavily references the 'Tentative Landing Operations Manual,' a foundational document that was tested and refined in numerous exercises between the World Wars. The development of this amphibious doctrine is most closely associated with the visionary work of which Marine officer?
- Gen John A. Lejeune
- Maj Earl H. 'Pete' Ellis (Correct answer)
- Gen Holland M. 'Howlin' Mad' Smith
- Col Archibald Henderson
Correct answer: Maj Earl H. 'Pete' Ellis
Major Earl 'Pete' Ellis was a key visionary in the 1920s who foresaw a war in the Pacific and developed the core concepts for amphibious warfare. His work, 'Advance Base Operations in Micronesia,' laid the foundation for the 'Tentative Landing Operations Manual' (later FTP-167), which became the amphibious doctrine used successfully in World War II. [18, 36]
Question 5: What is the official birthplace and date of the United States Marine Corps, as established by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress?
- Boston, MA on July 4, 1776
- Philadelphia, PA on November 10, 1775 (Correct answer)
- Washington, D.C. on July 11, 1798
- New York, NY on November 10, 1776
Correct answer: Philadelphia, PA on November 10, 1775
The Second Continental Congress passed a resolution on November 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to raise two battalions of Continental Marines. The first recruiting efforts took place at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, which is considered the birthplace of the Marine Corps. [10, 13, 14, 29]
Question 6: During World War I, the Marines' tenacious fighting at the Battle of Belleau Wood earned them an enduring nickname from their German adversaries. What is that nickname?
- Leathernecks
- Storm Troopers
- Iron Horses
- Teufelhunden (Devil Dogs) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Teufelhunden (Devil Dogs)
Due to the fierce, relentless fighting style of the Marines at Belleau Wood in 1918, German soldiers reportedly nicknamed them 'Teufelhunden,' which translates to 'Devil Dogs.' This has remained an iconic and cherished nickname for Marines ever since. [23, 35]
FMF - Fleet Marine Force Marine Corps History Questions and Answers 1
During the First Barbary War, which battle marked the first time the American flag was raised in victory on foreign soil, and is memorialized in the Marines' Hymn?