Marine Force Recon - Special Operations

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. The precursor of Force Recon was the World War II, the Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion commanded by Captain James L. Jones.

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.

Recon Marines
An excellent book for the real military enthusiast. The book shows what the roll of Force Recon is in todays CORPS and what its future missions will be. There are tons of photos of weapons and equipment to use as reference.

Marine Force Recon
In this first ever published account, learn what it takes to be an elite Recon soldier in America’s toughest military service the Marine Corps. Enter the unknown world of Marine Force Recon and follow new recruits as they descend into the hell of "indoc"- a grueling 48-hour test where physical and mental failure lead to elimination and through the completion of advanced Jungle Environment Survival Training at Camp Schwab, Okinawa. Find out how these men are trained to carry out missions with stealth, speed, and accuracy; how they infiltrate enemy lines to gather intelligence and/or conduct search and destroy missions that only the finest of America’s troops could accomplish.

Delve into the history and uncover the founding origins of this elite unit. Read about the ten different training grounds, including the mentally challenging eight week Amphibious Recon School and the dangerous Combat Dive Training, just to name a few.

The Power series has been rather variable in quality, with some excellent books (like the Navy SEALs book) and some wretched ones (tha SAS book comes to mind). This one is first-rate. It takes the time to discuss the context of Force Recon, talking not just about them (although they make up the majority of the book) but what a MEU is, what the difference is between Force Recon and Battalion Recon, etc. Be aware that it is an overview book, so you're not getting 300 pages of info like, say, "Brave Men, Dark Waters" does for the SEALs. Hopefully, someday somebody will write such a book but until then, this is all that you've got and it's pretty darned good.

For someone who wants to know the basics of Force Recon or how Force Recon is different than the Navy SEALs, this is a great choice. There are other good books on Force Recon, such as the excellent "Inside Force Recon: Recon Marines in Vietnam" by Michael Lanning, but they are more memoirs than overviews so often don't explain the basics that people might be interested in.

Inside Force Recon
Operating on four-to-eight-man teams, the heroic patrols of Force Recon ventured far into the very backyard of the enemy, using tacics associated more with their adversaries than with the U.S. military. They were the eyes and ears of the units they served, and their operations were marked by close combat, extraordinary bravery, and nearly unbelievable survival despite overwhelming odds.

I can honestly say "it's like being there" because I was. As a member of 1st Force Recon '70-'71 I filed operations reports after each mission and to see them printed as a book has blown me away. It was an honor to serve with these men and in our unit, now it's part of USMC history. Cpl. M.A.Hobbs (I'm in the book) 1st. Force Recon, Da Nang '70-'71

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