Chilean Marine Corps The Chilean Marine Corps ( Spanish : Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina or CIM ) is an entity of the Chilean Navy special forces which specializes in amphibious assaults . History . The Marine Corps was born with the establishment of the first armed forces of an independent Chile : the Corps was founded by Don Bernardo O ' Higgins Riquelme on June 16 , 1818 , through a Supreme Decree . However , the predecessor of the Marine Corps in Chilean history may be found in the early efforts of patriot revolutionaries against Spain in challenging royal control of the sea . In fact , a force of twenty - five soldiers aboard the brig " Aguila " constituted the embryo of the Marines , who have since participated in all the actions to which Chilean warships have been committed . O ' Higgins ' s Supreme Decree described the role of the Marines : " these people will fire rifles from the deck , [ and ] will handle the machete in boardings and bayonet and cannon in landings . " The Marine Corps thus became an indispensable complement to the sailors of the Navy , whose primary responsibility was to properly maneuver their craft during combat . Mission and later history . " To provide the operational commander of Marines forces organized , equipped and trained , with the aim of contributing to the projection of naval power , to defend the coast and internal security and institutional . " In other words , it consists mainly of amphibious assault force , coastal defense force , special forces , support organs and garrisons . It also organizes , equips and trains them to develop in times of conflict operations and actions that are characteristic over territory or where necessary , as irreplaceable component of the naval power of the nation , contributing effectively to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity . The Marines were to move in line with the means available to the Chilean Navy . The advent of steam ships and the longer range of the artillery , and many other circumstances , ensured fighting occurred at a greater distances ; Collisions were becoming increasingly impractical and rifles on the deck , unnecessary . For that reason was the predominant role of gunner and the Marine Corps became Artillery Battalion of the Navy . In 1866 , the members of this battalion had to cover the garrisons of warships and fortifications on the ground . In such condition they all subsequently participated in all actions of the Naval War of the Pacific , displaying extraordinary courage and aggressiveness . This war highlighted the Chilean Disembark in Pisagua , the first amphibious assault of the modern era . Amphibious operations were conducted on November 2 , 1879 , where the Chilean squadron provided escort and naval fire support , while the landing forces composed by 9 , 000 men landed in Caleta Pisagua and captured the position in a fast offensive action , taking only 4 hours . The Peruvian forces , after a strong initial resistance , were defeated due to the strong and sustained aggressiveness shown by the Chilean soldiers . Since 1887 , it functions as coastal artillery . Such a definition of the mission led to the updating of Organic Regulations of the Corps , which in 1938 was defined as Coastal defense . Beginning in 1964 , the Corps was completely reorganized and refocused , being renamed the Marine Corps and constituting a modern amphibious force which has continued to evolve in line with the requirements of the institution to have a real amphibious capacity and capable of contributing on projecting naval power over hostile territory The other mission of the Marines is the protection , maintenance and monitoring of the naval facilities , the most famous being The Lions Gate with its security unit under the order and security detachment of the Marines in Talcahuano ( main naval base Chile ) is responsible for maintaining order and security inside the naval base and naval populations . Organization . The Chilean Marines are organized into two battalion - sized detachments ( Destacamento de Infantería ) , two full - time battalions plus support units . As of 2013 they are now a full division - sized formation of 2 brigades plus independent units . Expeditionary Amphibious Brigade . Formed recently , this brigade forms the amphibious component of the Corps with a mission to support the armed services in peacekeeping missions of in times of conflict and can do operations adaptable to any terrain possible . The brigade is headquartered in the Marine Corps bases in Concon and Talcahuano . Protection Forces . The two remaining Marine Detachments plus smaller independent units form the Protection Forces of the Corps . Their duty is the protection of national territory and all naval bases and installations . Other units . Each zone has a " Naval Detachment of Order and Security " ( " Destacamento de Orden y Seguridad " in Spanish ) that acts as base garrison unit and military police force . There are smaller detachments in remote areas like Puerto Williams and Isla de Pascua . The CIM also is responsible for the protection of the commander in chief of the Navy and contributes a section to the security of the facilities of the Ministry of Defense in Santiago . The corps also operates the Marine Infantry School " Commander Jaime Charles " together with the Naval Educational Command of the Navy , which fully owns and maintains the institution , and its a part of the Naval Polytechnical Academy . The Band Service of the Chilean Navy personnel are from the Marine Corps , particularly the military bands of the Naval School " Arturo Prat " , the Seaman Training School " Alejandro Navarette Cisterna " and the Naval Polytechnic Academy . Like their counterparts in the British Royal Marines Band Service , they operate not just as headquarters bands for the 5 naval zones and 4 marine battalions , plus as in - house band for the Marine Infantry School and for the BE " Esmeralda " , but also as bands for the naval educational institutions , even though in the naval bands sailors and officer / NCO cadets fill the ranks of the Corps of Drums which are attached to the bands and are composed of snare drums , fifes and bugles ( in the marine bands soldiers of the Marines fill the Corps of Drums rosters ) . They all report to Headquarters , Chilean Marine Corps . These bands date back to the mid 19th century when the Marine Artillery band was raised to provide musical support for the Navy .