Forging the Fighting Fifth

In 1916, the Marine Corps was small, scattered, and barely on the Navy's radar for large-scale war. This episode shows how that changed. We dive into the Corps' explosive growth, the birth of its aviation wing, and the fight for combat relevance in Europe. From Parris Island tents to French trenches, we track how thousands of volunteers turned into hardened Marines. We also look at the tension between Navy leadership and the Corps over where Marines should serve, and how that tension shaped everything from battlefield assignments to post-war legacy.