Marine Raider Battalions in WWII Quiz

Answer: they were volunteers (subject to further selection)

Every Marine who served in the Raider Battalions was a volunteer. They received the best equipment available and were given extensive training.

Answer: gung ho!

The term gung ho can be traced to the Raiders. It was adopted by Evans Carlson after seeing the 8th Chinese Route Army. The literal meaning of the term is, 'work together'.

Answer: he disliked the idea

Commandant Holcomb disliked the idea and only formed the Raider Battalions after orders from the President. He believed any Marine rifle company was capable of performing the mission and did not like the idea of elite outfits in the Corps.

Answer: from the Chinese Communists

Evans Carlson owes the majority of his operational doctrine to the Chinese Communists after observing their guerilla tactics against the Japanese while in China. Their small team tactics and elan impressed him.

Answer: the Argonaut and the Nautilus

The USS Argonaut and Nautilus carried the Raiders to Makin Island. The raiding force's name was Task Group 7.15.

Answer: tactically it was a failure

Tactically speaking, the Makin Island raid was a failure. It failed to gather any viable intelligence, no prisoners were taken and the Japanese did not divert a single asset from the Solomons. However,it was a big morale booster at the time. The real negative side of the raid is the Japanese saw the need for reinforcing the Gilbert Islands, especially at an unknown atoll called Tarawa.

Answer: Tulagi

Red Mike Edson's Raiders were given the mission of seizing Tulagi. Defending Tulagi was the 3rd Kure Special Naval Landing Force, Japanese Marines.

Answer: the fire team

Carlson and Edson used the fire team concept. The fire team consisted of three riflemen and one automatic rifleman as opposed to the squad with seven riflemen. The fire team offered greater fire power along with maneuverablity. The concept is still used today by the Marine Corps as well as by the US Army.

Answer: Carlson prefered the Chi-Com method of operating

The primary difference between Edson's Raiders and Carlson's Raiders is that Carlson prefered operating his battalion closer to the Chinese Communist method. That method emphasized working together and team building with the officers having a closer and more informal relation with the men, whereas Edson's Raiders followed standard Marine Corps organization, discipline and training. Both battalions had extensive amphibious landing and jungle training.

Answer: it was a huge success

Unlike Makin Island, the Long Patrol on Guadalcanal by Carlson's Raiders was a tremendous success. The Raiders spent over 30 days behind Japanese lines and killed almost 500 Japanese soldiers. The operation was a 'classic' in guerilla warfare and small team tactics.