[VOA]

A Validation of the U.S. Marines

Great thread...
but my reaction to the title (at the instantaneous spinal level) was
"the Marines don't need no steenking validation!".

[SAMWolf]

You got that right. But in the 1930's, there was some concern that the Marines were being trained for operations that were not deemed necessary. Tarawa proved that they were needed in an amphibious assault role and that their specialized training did pay off.