The Organized Marine Corps Reserve in World War Two

In November and December of 1940, the twenty-three battalions and thirteen squadrons of the Organized U.S. Marine Corps Reserve were called to Active Duty as part of America's efforts to prepare itself for an expected entry into World War Two. The OMCR functioned exactly as it was supposed to, providing trained Marines to help rapidly expand the U.S. Marine Corps for war. When the U.S. finally entered the war as a result of the surprise Japanese attack on Oahu, Hawaii on 7 December 1941, these mobilized Marine Reservists were serving from the Philippines and Wake Island to Iceland and England. Over the next nearly four years, OMCR Marines fought in nearly every significant campaign and battle in the Pacific Theater. These Marine Reservists fought in some of the most brutal battles in Marine Corps history, including Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Pelelieu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. After victory was won in the Pacific, these Reservists served on occupation duty in Japan and North China. The names of some of these mobilized Reservists are recognizable today, such as James Roosevelt, Joseph Foss, Joseph Sailer Jr., Melvin Krulewitch, Melvin J. Maas, Karl S. Day, and Justice M. Chambers. Others are less recognizable, including Charles H. Cox, Gooderham L. McCormick, Joseph Knowlan, Joseph Hankins, Harry Zimmer, Harold Meek, and Joseph W. Patterson.The contributions, heroism and sacrifices of the mobilized OMCR Marines in World War Two have largely gone unrecognized and have been overlooked by histories of World War Two. Nearly 590,000 Marines served during World War Two, but less than 6,500 were Marine Reservists mobilized in 1940. This is their story.