Underdogs: The Making of the Modern Marine Corps

398 Pages·2012·2.371 MB·English

by  Aaron B. O'Connell

A A R O N B. O ’C O N N E L L
UNDERDOGS
the making of the modern
MARINE CORPS
Underdogs

U n d e rd o g s
The Making of the Modern Marine Corps
Aaron B. O’Connell
Harvard University Press • Cambridge, Massachusetts • London, En gland • 2012
Copyright © 2012 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
O’Connell, Aaron B., 1973–
Underdogs : the making of the modern Marine Corps / Aaron B. O’Connell.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978- 0- 674- 05827- 9 (alk. paper)
1. United States. Marine Corps— History—20th century.
2. United States. Marine Corps— Military life— History—20th century.
3. Sociology, Military— United States— History—20th century. I. Title.
VE23.O25 2012
359.9'609730904—dc23 2012006344
FOR MY FAMILY’S CASUALTIES OF WAR:
Col o nel Anthony J. Touart, U.S. Army
January 1, 1892– March 1, 1945
Lieutenant Col o nel George R. Barnes, U.S. Army
January 24, 1908– October 18, 1942
Joan Touart- Barnes O’Connell
June 18, 1936– June 23, 2006

Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Preface xi
Introduction: Culture Warriors 1
1
A Harsh and Spiritual Unity 24
2
The Privates’ War and the Home Front in the 1940s 61
3
The Politicians and the Guerrillas 98
4
Forgetting Korea 148
5
First to Fight in the 1950s 187
6
Rise of the Amphibious Force-in-Readiness 231
Conclusion: Marine Corps Culture since 1965 268
Abbreviations 281
Notes 283
Acknowledgments 371
Index 373

Illustrations
A “Dev il Dogs” recruiting poster, World War I 11
Rick Spooner at his restaurant, 2011 26
The Pacifi c theater of World War II 44
Frances Newman and her “substitute brother,” 1945 81
A Toys for Tots publicity photograph, early 1960s 89
Theater display for Sands of Iwo Jima, 1949 95
Future senator Joseph R. McCarthy poses as
“Tail- Gunner Joe,” 1943 110
Lieutenant Col on el Robert Debs Heinl Jr., 1945 115
Lieutenant Col on el Victor H. “The Brute” Krulak, 1945 117
Brigadier General Merritt A. “Red Mike” Edson 118
President Truman apologizes, 1950 143
“Leatherhead in Korea,” 1952 157
Marines in Korea, 1950 172
Two views of a traumatized Marine in Korea, 1950 174
Dick Bahr, 2003 184
A mess night for second lieutenants, 1959 197