Advisory· World War II
USMC RAF Observer programs
Before and during the early part of World War II, the Marine Corps sent officers and enlisted men to learn from the British, who were already fighting Germany.
Marine leaders wanted to study how the Royal Air Force defended against German aircraft and how British commandos trained and fought. The goal was to bring those lessons home and improve the Marine Corps. Marines took part in this work in several ways. Aviators traveled to England, Scotland, and Egypt to observe RAF tactics, radar, and night fighting, and what they learned shaped the Marine Corps' first night fighter squadrons. Ground officers studied British amphibious and commando methods, which helped lead to the creation of the Marine raider battalions. One group completed a tough British commando course in Scotland, then carried those skills back to units in the Pacific.
Podcast episodes on World War II
Record no. 596