Marines never leave their dead,' said Jack Dornan of the Marine Raider Association, which is composed of veterans of the raiders, the elite of the elite corps. Worse, the raiders left behind 19 of their dead comrades and nine living Marines. 'This thing was a real screwup, a mess,' said Ben Carson, a retired Forest Service officer who was a private in the raid. The raid also alerted the Japanese enemy to American capabilities, and the Japanese took vigorous countermeasures with serious and bloody consequences. Yet the Makin raid was a victory that never was, a muddled and confused affair in which the Americans nearly surrendered to a defeated enemy. There was even a hit movie, with Randolph Scott playing Carlson. The Raiders' motto 'Gung Ho!' - a Chinese expression meaning 'work together' - became part of the American vocabulary. The raid electrified the country: It was hailed as the first successful Allied ground attack against the Axis.

James Roosevelt, son of the president of the United States. The leader was the lean, leathery and tough as nails Lt. It was a daring operation, conducted in great secrecy 2,000 miles behind enemy lines. They were killed in a raid on the Japanese-held Makin atoll in the Gilbert Islands in the summer of 1942. Clyde Thompson, of Atlanta, the first enlisted Marine to win the Medal of Honor, were among those recovered. 5th Fleet area of operations.The remains of Sgt. Makin Island is the flagship of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Commander, Amphibious Squadron Five, is conducting maritime security operations and supporting theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Any Makin Island sailor who already has a Battle 'E' award from a previous command can now add an additional 'E' device to the ribbon. Makin Island sailors who were members of the crew any time during 2016 are now eligible to wear the Battle 'E' ribbon on their uniforms. “No big deck has done that in a long time, and the men and women aboard this ship should be proud of that accomplishment.” “The crew’s efforts sustained the health of the ship, and we were able to support a range of critical maritime security operations without stopping for ,” Melson said. 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation. Due to the crew’s accomplishments, Makin Island departed Naval Station San Diego on time for deployment to the U.S. Makin Island spent the first three quarters of 2016 working through the basic and integrated training phases, and successfully completed a Board of Inspection and Survey assessment. Makin Island was recognized for excellence in maritime warfare (Black “E”), command and control (Green “E”), logistics management (Blue “E”), and ship safety (Yellow “E”). Ships and squadrons competing for the Battle “E” must attain at least four of the five Command Excellence Awards throughout the competitive period.

The sailors of this great warship should wear their ribbons with pride.” With every inspection, this crew demonstrated that they were the waterfront standard and their performance on a combat deployment continues to inspire me. “It is a testament to the crew’s hard work and ownership that make this the best ship in its class. Mark Melson, the Makin Island’s commanding officer. “The Battle ‘E’ means more than just a pat on the back,” said Navy Capt. Pacific Fleet, released the naval message announcing the award, which recognizes a command’s ability to perform efficiently in an operational environment and sustain superior overall performance in each department. Thomas Rowden, commander of Naval Surface Force, U.S.