Your instincts are correct, except that Marine units have been involved in many, many “special operations” over the years. For example, in Afghanistan the Marines had tracked bin Laden and had him in their sites when a few Army officers cried like spoiled toddlers that their Special Forces weren’t getting to do enough cool stuff like the Marines.
Scuttlebutt has it that several Army commanders actually threatened to resign over this perceived sleight, so the bin Laden operation was subsequently handed over to Army Special Forces who prompty lost him.
Ask your son about “Operation Anaconda”. Maybe he knows something about that.
Regards,
LH
Thanks, I will, as soon as he comes home.