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I believe the Marine Raider concept was good in 1942 and would be good now.

Evans Carlson, “Red Mike” Edson and Lew Walt were great examples.

Marines are given the best training in our 4 branches of service.

But it takes a special individual to use a knife to kill his enemy... quietly.

The old Raider battalions had a lot of southern boys who knew how to shoot before they were weened.

They could sneak up on you from behind without stepping on a twig.

It was a good concept then... it's a good concept now.

All true, but those skills are no longer present in the current recruits. As someone who was a trainer in close order combat (hand to hand, knife fighting, stalking, pistols, and MOUNT, I can tell you that most recruits make so much noise walking through woods that they can be heard up to 100 yards away.

This has a lot to do with the junk that loads them down. Most conventional officers work from the mind set of better carry it just in case you might need it. I've seen officers order their troops to carry 60 lbs rucksacks loaded down with cold weather gear (it was summer), tents, sleeping bags, etc. for an assault on a hill that would take at most 2 hours of movement and 1 hour of assualt and fortification. This, dispite having trucks available to carry their duffle bags for excess gear.

Few if any conventional officers see the need to train their troops for stealth or close combat. Stand back and let the artillery and Air Force pound the enemy to pieces and then we will pick through what is left is the motto of most officers today. While that works in a hot and heavy war, it often does not work with unconventional forces. Just my .02

Funny you should mention Carlson--one of my favorite topics! Here's a buncha info on Carlson that I recently posted to another board--if you are interested you can click back to numerous webpages I have written on the subject. CLICK-HERE!!!!!

Dick Gaines, GySgt USMC (Ret.)
1952-72