The mission of the Marine Corps, in so far as the participation of that arm of the naval service is involved in a naval expedition overseas, is to provide and maintain forces to assist the fleet in establishing and maintaining American sea-power in the theater of war by land operations in the seizure, defense, and holding of temporary advanced bases until relieved by the Army, and by such other land operations as may be essential to the prosecution of the naval campaign. In the furtherance of this mission, the Marine Corps normally will provide the landing forces in any naval expedition organized for a task in which the use of such landing forces is contemplated. Chapter I: general discussion of landing operations. Chapter II: landings, ship-to-shore movement, shore combat, employment of naval supporting groups aviation, and field artillery in landing operations general considerations. Chapter III: defense of advanced bases, organization and disposition, sectors and sector defense, beach defense, special defensive measures, advanced base defense phase, employment of forces afloat, artillery in base defense, aviation, antiaircraft artillery base defense, chemical agents and smoke, intelligence, and communications in defense of a base. Chapter IV: staff principles and functions. Chapter V: logistics and other administrative arrangements. Chapter VI: training. Chapter VII: plans and orders.

N17315.492 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.