The year 1944 saw a great deal of Marine Corps activity. The early defeats suffered by America in the Pacific were past; the pivotal naval battle for Midway had been won, and the Solomon Islands had fallen once again to the Allies. As 1944 dawned, a new Marine Corps - organised, trained and armed for the coming battles - prepared to launch itself into the outer defenses of a still defiant Japan. In this book, the 1944 re-organisation of Marine units is studied in detail, including the implementation and history behind the "fire team" concept that is still a key factor in Marine organisation and tactics today.

Consultant editor: Duncan Anderson