The Marine Corps Forces Reserve website provides an excellent overview of its storied history: “From World War I through the Global War on Terrorism, the Marine Corps Reserve has played an essential role in the Marine Corps Total Force by augmenting and reinforcing the Active Component across the full range of military operations.”
The Marine Reserve legacy was solidified in World War II’s Pacific campaigns, when “Reserve Marines endured extreme tropical conditions, scarce supplies, and the fanatical tactics of their Japanese adversaries. As the Pacific Campaign progressed, the Marines seized crucial strategic targets, such as the Solomon, Marshall, Marianna, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa Islands. Reserve Marines performed valiantly throughout the war, as 44 of the 82 Marine Medal of Honor recipients were Reservists. Twenty Reserve Marines received the Medal of Honor for actions in the Battle of Iwo Jima alone.” You can learn much more history of the Marine Corps Force Reserve at MARINE101.
The photo above was taken by Cpl Robert Knapp at a Friday Evening Parade, 5 May 2017, at Marine Barracks, Washington DC. More information regarding that event can be accessed at MARINE BARRACKS.
Naval Order of the US - Northwest 