WIKIPEDIA  and the U.S. Marine Corps
Discussion, Caveats, and Disclaimers

From:    Richard Cody
Date:     Wednesday, April 15, 2009 12:42 PM

To:        Marines

Subj:     'WIKIPEDIA' and the U.S. Marine Corp

Don't know if you use the online 'wikipedia' much. 

Even if you are familiar with 'wikipedia', you may not know that it has outstanding information about the Marine Corps - equal to, and in some ways, better than that offered by the official Marine Corps site at http://www.USMC.mil .  In 'wikipedia' you can get unit history summaries and insignia of both active and inactive units, whereas 'USMC.mil' only covers active units.  In my opinion 'wikipedia' is also more user friendly. 

So, if you haven't used 'wikipedia' to get info about the Marine Corps, here's how:

1.  To get into the basic 'wikipedia' Marine Corps site, in the browser address bar type in:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Marine_Corps

Once you're in, links are provided to many subject areas - organization, history, culture, traditions, etc..  In each area you can keep drilling down to get where you want to go.  But to save time, here's how get directly to unit information at various levels:

2.  To get to overall Marine Corps organization directly, in the browser address bar enter:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_of_the_United_States_Marine_Corps

There you can select MEFs, MEBs, and MEUs.  Next select one of the major MAGTF component types and work you way down through subordinate unit levels.  

3.  OR - You can by pass all the forgoing and go directly to smaller units.  As I'm a grunt, I'll use ground unts as an example.  Let's start with the division level.  In the browser address bar enter:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Marine_Corps_divisions

Now you can work your way down to subordinate units of each division, such as regiments and battalions, including changes that took place over the years. 

4.  OR - to bypass everything again and go directly to regiments, in the browser address bar type in:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Marine_Corps_regiments

You can get to regimental subordinate units there.

5.  AND FINALLY - To bypass everything one more time and go directly to battalions, in the browser address bar type in:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Marine_Corps_battalions

This yields a list of all types of battalions - infantry, artillery, tanks, engineers, and so on.    

Works the same way for aviation units.

Have fun.

SEMPER FI!
R.L. (Bill) Cody
LtCol USMC (Retired)

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From:    Richard Cody
Date:     Wednesday, April 15, 2009 6:25 PM

To:        Marines

Subj:     'WIKIPEDIA' and the U.S. Marine Corps

I'm forwarding a word of caution about 'wikipedia' from Colonel Walt Ford, the Editor of one of our Corps' favorite magazines, the LEATHERNECK.   He correctly points out that the accuracy of all the info in 'wilkipedia' should not be taken for granted. 

In my response I pointed out that the same applies to any unofficial electronic or 'hard-copy' historical publications.  I use as the recent book "Encyclopedia of the U.S. Marines" to make my point.

Let's continue this discussion further.  Our Corps has some colorful legends that we accept without question as truth.  A good example is the "blood stripe" worn by Marine NCOs on dress blue trousers.  Legend has it that it was awarded to honor the heroic conduct of Marine NCOs during the Battle of Chapultapec during the Mexican War.  The bravery of our NCOs, as well as the rest of the Marine battalion in that historic battle is not in question.  The reason for NCO trouser stripes is, however.  When Marines fought at Chapultapec in 1848, according to uniform regulations at the time, officers and sergeants wore distinctive trouser stripes on their uniforms.  But, Marine corporals were not authorized to do so until 1896, almost a half-century later.  Unfortuntately, the copy of the order granting the privilege to corporals that I've uncovered does not state why.  So the legend of Chapultepec, although not completely true, is not dead yet - at least when it comes to corporals.  (I'm not alone here.  Back in the 1960's the reknown uniform historian Colonel Charles Rankin, USMC, in his authoritative work, UNIFORMS OF THE U.S. MARINES, also pointed this out.)

As cautioned by Walt Ford, use 'wikipedia' with a grain of salt, your professional knowledge, and good judgment.  It's another source of information.  In my opinion, from what I've seen, it's one of the better ones.  Also use the official Marine Corps website to get the official up-to-date "CURRENT SKINNY".

There's a lot covered here.  But I love discussions like this.

Thanks Walt, for firing this up.

OOOORAH!
SEMPER FI!
R.L. (Bill) Cody LtCol USMC (Retired)

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To: bcody1775
Subject: Re: 'wikipedia' and the U.S. Marine Corps
From: W.Ford
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:59:25 -0400


Wild Bill--A word of caution you may hear from others too.

Wikipedia is edited by users. The term "Wiki-Gardening" is meant to refer to maintaining a Wiki like the Wikipedia entries--posting your additions/or making deletions, adding links. That background you use to maintain the wiki definition may be an interpretation of, or your understanding of, the facts. If you post something erroneous, someone else can correct it, but if no one notices the errors, these Internet "facts" are used by thousands until someone comes along and corrects the "facts." The stories of people purposefully using Wikipedia to push an agenda are legion. So much so that many (most) teachers at high school and university level will not allow Wikipedia as a reference.

That noted, the purposes for which you recommend Wikipedia and the references below are solid and very useful (but there are errors, e.g., 1st, 2d and 3d MEF vice I MEF, II MEF & III MEF).  I go to Wikipedia on a daily basis but always cross check.

Best regards &
Semper Fidelis
Walt Ford