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|  | History Of Marine Corps Force Recon |  | |

Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance was first conceived in 1954, at Marine Base Camp Pendleton, outside of San Diego, California, when an experimental recon team was formed. Three years later, that team merged with an existing amphibious reconnaissance company to form the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company.
In 1958, half the Marines in 1st Force were removed from the Company and hauled over to the Eastern seaboard, forming the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company. 1st Force supplemented Fleet Marine Force Pacific (FMFPac), while 2nd, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic (FMFLant).
Force Reconnaissance received their baptism by fire during the Vietnam War, arriving first in 1965 and staying for five years. Forty-four Marines of 1st Force were killed or missing in action through the course of the war.
After US withdrawal from Vietnam, 1st Force and 2nd Force were both deactivated in 1974, and the existing Force Marines were rolled into the non-Force 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion in order to maintain Marine Corps deep recon capabilities. However, the roll-in was never completed to a satisfactory condition, and 1st Force Reconnaissance was reactivated as an individual unit in 1986, and was later deployed in the Gulf War.
Many Force Recon Companies are in existence today, and have been deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
| |  | |  |  | Marines Awarded The Medal Of Honor During The Vietnam War |  | |
* PFC James Anderson, Jr. - 1967 - 3rd Marines * * Lance Corporal Richard A. Anderson - 1967 - 3rd Recon. Bn. * * PFC Oscar P. Austin - 1969 - 7th Marines * * Lance Corporal Jedh C. Barker - 1967 - 4th Marines * 1st Lieutenant Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. - 1965 - 9th Marines 2d Lieutenant John P. Bobo - 1967 - 9th Marines * PFC Daniel D. Bruce - 1969 - 5th Marines * * PFC Robert C. Burke - 1968 - 27th Marines * * PFC Bruce W. Carter - 1969 - 3rd Marines * PFC Robert M. Clausen, Jr. - 1970 - HMM-263 * PFC Robert L. Coker - 1969 - 3rd Marines * Staff Sergeant Peter S. Conner - 1966 - 3rd Marines * Colonel Donald G. Cook - 1964-67 - Sr. Marine Advisor * Lance Corporal Thomas E. Creek - 1969 - 9th Marines * Sergeant Rodney M. Davis - 1967 - 5th Marines * * Lance Corporal Emilio De La Garza, Jr. - 1970 - 1st Marines * * PFC Ralph E. Dias - 1969 - 7th Marines * * PFC Douglas E. Dickey - 1967 - 4th Marines * * Sergeant Paul H. Foster - 1967 - 4th Marines * 1st Lieutenant Wesley L. Fox - 1969 - 9th Marines * Sergeant Alfredo Gonzalez - 1968 - 1st Marines * * Captain James A. Graham - 1967 - 5th Marines * * 2nd Lieutenant Terrance C. Graves - 1968 - 3rd Recon. Bn. * Staff Sergeant Jimmie E. Howard - 1966 - 1st Recon. Battalion * Lance Corporal James D. Howe - 1970 - 7th Marines * * PFC Robert H. Jenkins, Jr. - 1969 - 3rd Recon. Battalion * * Lance Corporal Jose F. Jimenez - 1969 - 7th Marines * * PFC Ralph H. Johnson - 1968 - 1st Recon. Battalion * * LCpl Miguel Keith - 1970 - Combined Action Platoon 1-3-2 * Staff Sergeant Allan J. Kellogg, Jr. - 1970 - 5th Marines Captain Howard V. Lee - 1966 - 4th Marines Captain James E. Livingston - 1968 - 4th Marines * PFC Gary W. Martini - 1967 - 1st Marines * * Corporal Larry L. Maxam - 1968 - 4th Marines * Staff Sergeant John J. McGinty III - 1966 - 4th Marines Captain Robert J. Modrzejewski - 1966 - 4th Marines * Corporal William D. Morgan - 1969 - 9th Marines * * PFC Melvin E. Newlin - 1967 - 5th Marines * * Lance Corporal Thomas P. Noonan, Jr. - 1969 - 9th Marines * Corporal Robert E. O'Malley - 1965 - 3rd Marines * Lance Corporal Joe C. Paul - 1965 - 4th Marines * Corporal William T. Perkins, Jr. - 1967 - 3rd Marine Division * Sergeant Lawrence D. Peters - 1967 - 5th Marines * PFC Jimmy W. Phipps - 1969 - 1st Engineer Battalion Lance Corporal Richard A. Pittman - 1966 - 5th Marines Captain Stephen W. Pless - 1967 - VMO-6 * Lance Corporal William R. Prom - 1969 - 3rd Marines * * 1st Lieutenant Frank S. Reasoner - 1965 - 3rd Recon. Bn. * * Sergeant Walter K. Singleton - 1967 - 9th Marines * * Corporal Larry E. Smedley - 1967 - 9th Marines * * Lance Corporal Karl G. Taylor, Sr. - 1968 - 26th Marines * Captain M. Sando Vargas, Jr. - 1968 - 4th Marines * Lance Corporal Lester W. Weber - 1968 - 7th Marines * * Lance Coporal Roy M. Wheat - 1967 - 7th Marines * * PFC Dewayne F. Williams - 1968 - 1st Marines * PFC Alfred M. Wilson - 1969 - 9th Marines Lance Corporal Kenneth L. Worley - 1968 - 7th Marines
| |  | |  |  | Marine Corps "Blood Stripe". |  | |
Many legends persist as to the uniform of the Marine Corps and the origin of certain traditional aspects. One frequent question raised is "Why do Marine officers and NCOs have red stripes on the blue uniform trousers?"
According to legend this commemorates the courage and tenacious fighting of the men who battled before Chapultapec in the Mexican War and whose exploits added the phrase "From the Halls of Montezuma..." to the Marine Hymn. The red stripe on the trousers of all Marine officers and NCOs is said to symbolize the blood shed by these Marines of another century.
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