PDA

View Full Version : Docs, Building 761 and Div. Size



USNAviator
12-01-10, 09:27 PM
Been UA for a bit

First point is for all Docs. Just finished re-reading "Flags of Our Fathers." In it Bradley states that assignment to FMS was not totally voluntary and that Pharmacist Mates essentially had to go through Marine Boot. Was this your experience? Did you have to attend Boot Camp?

Second point deals with the starting point of the infamous march into Ribbon Creek in 1956. I'm reading "Court Marshall at PI" and it surprised me to learn that DI School in the 50's was only 5 weeks long. Is this correct? I know I'm going back some time ago but 5 weeks seems awfully short to me

Final point is the size of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions. Bradley states that 75,000 Marines composed all three divisions. That breaks down into 25,000 men/division. This greatly outnumbers a typical infantry division of 15,000 men. Is Iwo Bob available to shed some light on these numbers? On Iwo the Japanese force consisted of 22,000 well dug in defenders

Sorry for the meanderings but some of these "facts" brought some questions to mind

yanacek
12-01-10, 10:21 PM
I've got two buddies who were Corpsmen and served with Marines during WW-II and neither went to Marine Corps boot camp.

As for the Division thing, 25,000 men per division does seem high, but I think it is close. The 26th Marines had about 3,200 on the roles just before the invasion. Using that same number for the 13th, 27th, and 28th Marines, that would put the total at 12,800 for the 5th Division. To that you would have to add the Division troops (which included the replacement drafts) and the tank, engineer, pioneer, service, motor transport, medical, and amphibious tractor battalions.

I could not locate the exact number, of those who were on the rolls, but I did locate a reference indicating that the Marine Corps sustained almost 30% casualties during the operation. By dividing the casualties (22,056) by 30% that indicates a total of 73,520 which approximates the 75,000 figure.