Chapter I: Front Matter

THE MARINES
HAVE LANDED

By
LIEUT.-COL. GILES BISHOP, JR.

United States Marine Corps

Illustrations by
Donald S. Humphreys

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY
PHILADELPHIA
1920

Copyright 1920
by The Penn Publishing Company

The Marines Have Landed

_To_
MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE BARNETT,
_Commandant, United States Marine Corps,_

_who, while holding the chief position of honor in that organisation since nineteen hundred and fourteen, has accomplished so much in furthering its efficiency and its prestige, and who has at all times and in all ways endeared himself to his officers and men, this volume is respectfully dedicated_

Introduction

How many of our boys, in times past, while glancing through the morning paper have read the following statement: "The United States Marines have landed and have the situation well in hand." The cable message may have come at any date, and from any part of the world. If those words caused any comment on the part of the young American, it was probably a mild wonder as to just who the marines were. Sometimes he may have asked his father for enlightenment, and the parent, being no better informed than the son but feeling a reply was necessary, would say in an off-hand manner, "Oh, they are just a lot of sailors from one of our battleships, that's all," and there the subject rested.

It is the author's desire in this volume to explain just who the marines are, what they do, where they go, so as to make every red-blooded American boy familiar with the services rendered by the United States Marine Corps to the nation in peace and war. And if in this endeavor you suspect me of exaggeration I ask that you will get the first real marine you meet to tell you where he has been and what he has done. Then, if at the end of a half hour you are not convinced that the adventures of Dick Comstock, in this and the books to follow, are modest in comparison, I shall most humbly apologize.

THE AUTHOR.

Contents

I. A Bitter Disappointment
II. "The Oldest Branch of the Service"
III. Uncle Sam's Uninvited Guests
IV. Semper Fidelis--Always Faithful
V. A Drummer in the U. S. Marines
VI. A Queer Conversation
VII. Off for Treasure Island
VIII. An Adventure Ashore
IX. Historic Battlefields
X. Winning His First Medal
XI. A Republic in Distress
XII. Senor Perez Asks for Aid
XIII. Circumstantial Evidence
XIV. Dick Makes The Acquaintance of Columbus
XV. The Escape from the Barrio
XVI. The Attack on the Consulate
XVII. A Map-Making Expedition
XVIII. Mexican Pete Again
XIX. A Brave Act and a Clever Ruse
XX. "To the Ditch at Panama"
XXI. The Marines Have Landed
XXII. Dick is Left Behind
XXIII. Dick Makes a Flying Leap
XXIV. The Situation Well in Hand

Illustrations

The Thin Brown Line of Marines . . . . . . _Frontispiece_

How the Accident Occurred

The Marine Orderly Answered the Summons

The Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal

"Look, There is Your Horseman!"

The Sampson Medal

Medal for Campaign in the West Indies and for Spanish War

A Leaf From Dick's Score Book

Marksman's Badge

Sharpshooter's Badge

Expert Rifleman's Badge

"Hands Up!"

Map Showing Position of Hut in Which Boys Took Refuge

Dick's Map of Camp Pendleton

"Do You Ride?"

Map Showing Position of Rock and Track

The Marines Have Landed