Evening star., 1938-12-01
Marine Corps Belongs
In Forward Line Of
Defense, Report Says
Gen. HoIeomb Says Force
Is Not Adequate at
Present to Meet Need

The Marine Corps, to be of value
In emergency, must be prepared
for immediate service in the for
ward echelon of national Defense"
Maj. Gen. Thomas Holcomb, COM
mandant Of the corps, said in his
annual report to Secretary Of the
Navy Swanson, made public today.
Although his report contains no
recommendations, Gen. Holcnmb
made it clear that the total force
of $1,000 officers and men author
lied in the current appropriations
act Is not adequate to keep pace
with the growth of the Navy and
the increasing requirements OF ma
tional defense.
During the last fiscal year the
corps had an average daily strength
Of little more than 1900. Cur
rent appropriations provide for an
average strength during the year
of 1850 officers and men, starting
with 1900 and reaching the au-
thorized strength Of $4,000 by June
80, 1899.
THE mission assigned the corps
requires a force in immediate readi-
ness for service with the fleet in
the forward echelon of national
defense" Gen. Holcomb said. THE
very essence of that mission is mo-
bility and calls for force prepared
for field service much sooner than
the slower process of mobilizing our
national resources in man power
and material.
Watches for Emergency.
"The Marine Corps has, by exer-
cising the strictest economy IN the
use of its limited numbers, en-
deavored to maintain the maximum
force available for service with the
feet in case of national emergency"
Stating that specific recommended
tions will be submitted later, Gen.
Holcomb said in his report that it
Is believed to be essential that the
Marine Corps should have an or
derly, progressive increase of per-
sonnel in order to provide neceS-
sary marine detachments and guards
for new ships and expanding naval
activities and to carry out the mis-
sions assigned by the Navy in basic
plans
A strong, efficient, active reserve
also is required, Gen. Holcomb said.
The total reserve strength at the
close of the fiscal year, he reported,
was 946 officers and 1894 enlisted
men, composed of 385 fleet and 561
volunteer officers and 5,948 fleet and
1896 volunteer enlisted men.
The Reserve showed satisfactory
gains in efficiency during the year,
Gen. Holcomb reported, despite the
fact there has been no general i'm
provement in armory facilities dur
ing the year.
Anti-Aircraft Outfit.
During the year q new Marine
Corp anti-aircraft outfit, the I'd
Anti-aircraft Battalion, Fleet Ma
rine Force, was organized at the
Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va,
trained ct Paris Island, S. c., and
sent to join the I'd Marine Brigade
at San Diego, Calf.
Marine Sietachments were main
tanned on 81 ships of the Navy,
and detachments were organized for
five new cruisers and the aircraft
carrier Yorktown. All Marine Corps
posts and stations within the con-
tinental limits of the United States
and at st. Thomas, Virgin Islands,
were inspected during the year and
found to be ''in excellent condition"
In order that force may be in
readiness for an emergency requir-
ing the maximum peacetime effort
OF the Marine Corps, the major
general commandant reported, emer-
gency quotas of approximately half
the authorized peacetime compile
ment have been assigned to the
various posts and stations in the
United States. This nucleus of ap-
proximately so per cent of each
regular organization will in event
of emergency be filled to full
strength by reserves or recruits
who have completed recruit train
ing, he explained. The emergency
quotas from each post are organized
into squads ahd larger units and
are regularly trained as combat
units.
During the year 1900 officers and
enlisted men OF the corps fired the
rifle record practice, and 1859, or
80 per cent, qualified as marksmen
or better. A total of 5,178 officers
and elisted men fired the pistol
record practice, 1862 qualifying as
marksmen or better.