From Makin to Bougainville: Marine Raiders in the Pacific War


Read by Aaron Bennett

In February 1942, Lieutenant General Thomas Holcomb, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, ordered the creation of a new unit designated the 1st Marine Raider Battalion. This elite force, and its three sister battalions, went on to gain considerable fame for fighting prowess in World War II. There is more to the story of these units, however, than a simple tale of combat heroics. The inception, growth, and sudden end of the raiders reveals a great deal about the development and conduct of amphibious operations during the war, and about the challenges the Corps faced in expanding from 19,000 men to nearly a half million. The raiders also attracted more than their share of strong leaders. The resulting combination of courage, doctrine, organization, and personalities makes this one of the most interesting chapters in Marine Corps history. - Summary by Jon T. Hoffman (2 hr 38 min)

Chapters

Chapter 1 - From Makin to Bougainville: Marine Raiders in the Pacific War; Crea… 12:01 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 2 - Sidebars 11:16 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 3 - Shaping the Raiders; Getting to the Fight 7:51 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 4 - Makin 10:23 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 5 - Tulagi; Tasimboko 14:45 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 6 - Edson’s Ridge 13:58 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 7 - Matanikau; Sidebar 15:02 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 8 - The Long Patrol; Sidebar 14:22 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 9 - Reshaping the Raiders; Sidebar 7:24 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 10 - New Georgia 21:32 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 11 - Enogai; Bairoko 15:13 Read by Aaron Bennett
Chapter 12 - Bougainville; The Raider Legacy 15:00 Read by Aaron Bennett