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{{Infobox Military Unit
|unit_name= Advanced Base Force
|image= 
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|dates= 1913— 
|country=[[United States]]
|allegiance=[[Navy Department]]
|branch=[[United States Marine Corps]]
|type= Advanced base operations<BR>
|role= 
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The [[United States Marine Corps]]'s '''Advanced Base Force''' was a [[Seacoast defense in the United States|coastal and naval base defense force]] that was designed to set up mobile and fixed bases in the event of  major [[landing operation]]s within, and beyond, the [[Territories of the United States#Classification of current U.S. territories|territorial United States]].<ref name="Jackson, GB File 408">Commander [[Richard H. Jackson]], USN, ''"History of the Advanced Base''" (May 15, 1913) and ''"The Naval Advanced Base''" (May 29, 1915); '''Subject File 408, Records of the General Board'''.
*General Board to SecNav, ''"Letter to the Secretary of the Navy (LSSN)"''; August 13, 1906.
*General Board memo; May 29, 1915.</ref>  

Established in the beginning of the [[20th Century]], the Advanced Base Force was the United States's first combined task force that was built on the concept of the Marine Corps's traditional role in [[Expeditionary warfare|expeditionary warfare]].  The slow development of the advanced base force played a significant role in the controversy over the removal of the ships guards in 1908—1909.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis">Allan R. Millett, ''"Semper Fidelis: The History of the United States Marine Corps"'', (New York City, NY: The Free Press, 1991).</ref>

Relying on the full projection capabilities of their naval counterpart, the Advanced Base Force enabled the [[United States Navy]] to meet all the demands for its use of naval services within its own sphere of maritime operations.  It also allowed independence, without the cooperation of the [[United States Army]] for troops and military supplies, for such force may not be available.<ref name="Jackson, GB File 408"/>  The Advanced Base Force had been concluded by the General Board that one or two [[regiment]]s were highly adequate in defending naval bases against cruiser raids and were able to land with thirty emplaced naval guns, high-angled field artillery, machine guns, infantry, and water and land minefields.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis" />



==Definitive history==
{{see also|General Board}}

The concept of the Advanced Base Force was first conceived in [[Alfred T. Mahan]]'s well-known treatise, ''"[[The Influence of Sea Power upon History]]"'', whom many of the true believers of Mahan's doctrines were convinced that international affairs were dominiated by economic rivalries and the grasp for territory.


===Organization===

The Advanced Base Force was "officially" created on 23 December 1913 by Commandant [[William P. Biddle]].  Momentarily, two regiments, the Fixed Defense Regiment and the Mobile Defense Regiment were designated.  They both are the forebearers of the Marine [[regiments]] that exist today;  the 1st Regiment of the Advanced Base Force subsequently became the [[2nd Marine Regiment (United States)|2nd Marine Regiment]], whereas the 2nd Regiment of the Advanced Base Force became the [[1st Marine Regiment (United States)|1st Marine Regiment]].  An aviation detachment was established a few years before in 1911, under command of the United State's sixth [[naval aviator]], Lieutenant [[Bernard L. Smith]], not to be confused with the much later "permanent" Aviation Company, which was under command of the United State's fifth (and Marine Corps's 'first') naval aviator, [[Alfred A. Cunningham]].

====Fixed Defense Regiment====

On 19 June 1913, the Fixed Defense Regiment, under command of Lieutenant Colonel [[Charles G. Long]], was formed at the [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]].  The Fixed Defense Regiment was the forerunner of the Marine [[Marine defense battalions|Defense Battalions]] that were responsible for [[Seacoast defense in the United States|coastal defense]] of various naval bases throughout the Pacific during [[World War II]].<ref name="Simmons, Marine History">Edwin H. Simmons, ''"The United States Marines: A History"'', (Annapolis, MD: Naval Press Institute, 1974).</ref>

On 23 December 1913, both the Fixed and Mobile Defense Regiments formed the Advance Base Force Brigade, under the command of Colonel [[George Barnett]], who previously commanded the Marine Barracks at the Philadelphia Yard and the Advanced Base School.

On 3 January, 1914, the Fixed Defense Regiment at [[Culebra Island]], along with the Mobile Defense Force, formed the '''Advanced Base Force Brigade'''.  By 18 February 1914, it was redesignated as the 1st Regiment, Advance Base Brigade.  For the next two months, the regiment operated onboard ship off [[New Orleans]] and [[Algiers, Louisiana]].

In 1915, The [[regiment]] consisted of:
*[[Headquarters and Service Company|Headquarters company]]
*C Company, was the [[minelaying]] company trained to handle harbor defense mines.
*E Company, the signal company trained in radio, telephone, telegraph, buzzers, and visual signalling.
*F and I Companies were responsibilities for the fixed batteries to be mounted in harbor defense.
*H Company which was trained both as combat engineer company and as a heavy automatic weapons company
*a field artillery battery which manned 3-inch field piece

The Aviation Company was established by [[Alfred A. Cunningham]] at the [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]] on 26 February 1917.  The company's strength consisted of ten officers and forty men for billets as aviators and as staff personnel.  The Advanced Base Force's aviation company became the first permanent [[Aviation combat element|aviation element]] in the Marine Corps.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>

====Mobile Defense Regiment====

Commandant Biddle assembled the Mobile Defense Regiment at the [[Naval Air Station Pensacola|Pensacola Navy Yard]], from the expeditionary battalions that were stationed abroad the Mexican territorial waters;  Commandant Biddle assigned Lieutenant Colonel [[John A. Lejeune]] as the commanding officer.  The regiment was composited of four rifle companies, a machine gun company, and a field gun battery.  These composited into infantry/artillery battalion landing forces, the antecessors to the Marine [[Battalion Landing Team|Battalion Landing Teams]] (BLT) that performed [[landing operation]]s in the [[Pacific Theatre]] of [[World War II]].

Between 2—3 January 1914, the Mobile Defense Regiment sailed aboard the ''[[USS Prairie (1890)|USS Prairie]]'' and rendevouzed with the Fixed Base Regiment at [[Culebra Island]], forming the "first" operational advanced base force brigade, the '''Advanced Base Force Brigade'''.

===Institution===
====''1900—1905''====

In late 1901, a four-company [[battalion]] was formed at [[Annapolis]] and [[Newport]] by then-[[Commandant of the Marine Corps]], Major General [[Charles Heywood]] for expeditionary and advanced base training.  General Heywood had been pressured by both the General Board and [[Secretary of the Navy]], [[John D. Long]], to create such a force that was placed on naval transport and were well-drilled and equipped for duties given at short notice to any of the territories annexed by the United States, without having to rely on the slower and demanding process of deploying the Army.<ref>Commandant Col. Charles Heywood to Representative E. Foss, December 12, 1898, HQMC, ''"Letters Sent, 1884-1911"''; '''Record Group 127, National Archives and Administration'''.</ref>

A brilliant naval intelligence officer, Marine Captain [[Dion Williams]], who was serving in the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]], wrote an extensive thesis in 1902 stressing that America's safetly rested on the Navy's ability to coal its vessels, if in time of war.  He endorsed that any war the United States will enter in the future will first be conceived through a "naval war".  Dion, however, differentiated between fixed and mobile defense forces.  He announced that the fixed defense force should be a permanent regiment of 1,312 Marines to man artillery and establish necessary minefields and barriers; the mobile defense force should be a regiment of two [[infantry battalion]]s and one [[field artillery]] [[artillery battery|battery]], which could be formed quickly from Marine naval base detachments.  He urged stockpiling equipment and weapons, assigning transport permanently to the force, and holding annual maneuvers.<ref>Dion Williams, ''"Report on Men, Material, and Drills Required for Establishing a Naval Advanced Base"'', November 2, 1909; '''GB File 408'''.</ref>

The summer of 1902, the Secretary of the Navy [[William H. Moody]] ordered the advanced base force battalion to be prepared an upcoming fleet exercises during the winter in the Caribbean Islands.  This exercise has proven to the Marine Corps the necessity naval gun emplacement and setting up base defenses.  Also, the expeditionary battalion that was stationed in Cavite, Philippines at already been exercising in Subic Bay and had emplaced eight heavy guns at the bay's entrance.<ref>Captain G. C. Thorpe to Major H. C. Haines, April 25, 1902, ''"Historical Division Letters Received"'', '''Record Group 127, National Archives and Administration'''.</ref>  Even though the battalion in the Philippines were not of the advanced base force concept; it was marking the new idealism for the Marine Corps.

The first advanced base exercises had taken place on [[Culebra, Puerto Rico]] in 1903, proving the General Board how well the Marines can perform the ideals and concepts that were conceived.  It opened many new perspectives for the future of the Marines; and it sparked the harsh beginning of [[interservice rivalry]].<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis" />  The captain of the ''[[USS Panther (1889)|USS Panther]]'' demanded that the Marines perform their same initial duties, ship security and a [[Provost Marshal|provost marshal]] by acting as a deterrence tool against mutiny, if any.  This unencouraged act forcibly neglected the advanced base force battalion's training schedule and defense planning.<ref>Commander J. C. Wilson, to William H. Moody, Secretary of the Navy, ''"Letter to the Secretary of the Navy, dtd 5 March 1903."'' '''GB File 432'''.</ref>  Even ashore the naval officers had little understanding of the problems of moving heavy weaponry and equipment across broken terrain,<ref>Brigadier General George F. Elliot, Commandant of the Marine Corps, to William H. Moody, Secretary of the Navy, ''"Letter to the Secretary of the Navy, dtd 4 December 1903, HQMC."''; '''Report Group 127, National Archives'''.</ref> the advanced base force languished by 1903 due to the large number east coast Marines were deployed to Panama and Cuba.  Only then, the Marines in the Philippines were effected by the General Board's the advanced base force concept.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>

====''1905—1910''====

In an exercise in 1907 at Subic Bay, a battalion commanded by Major [[Eli K. Cole]] emplaced forty-four heavy guns in a ten-week period due to the [[Eight-eight fleet]] war scare with Japan in 1907, which convinced the [[Navy Department]] that it should organize the [[matériel]] for an advanced base force to be available in the Philippines and one that is well-prepared and trained in [[Philadelphia, PA]].<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis" />  The Marine Corps at that time recorded a strength increase of two thousand men since 1903, the General Board considered it a favorable quota to proceed in the organizing a "permanent" advanced base force; thus making further cooperation with the Army unnecessary.<ref name="Jackson, GB File 408"/>

The General Board in 1909 reviewed the scant progress since 1900 and concluded that neither the Navy Department nor the Marine Corps had done much to make the advanced base force a reality.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>  Commandant [[George F. Elliott]] and his staff were critized by the Navy officers for not carrying out Charles Heywood's (the previous Commandant) agreements.  Admiral [[George Dewey]] reviewed disappointment and [[Commander (United States)|Navy Commander]] [[William Fullam|William F. Fullam]] even denounced Elliott for failure to use additional Marines for expeditionary duty, which was the only hope to naval reformers in creating the advanced base force.<ref name="Fullam, memos">William F. Fullam's memos, 1909:<BR>
*''"The Executive Order Withdrawing Marines from Cruising Ships."''<BR>
*''"Summary of Evidence Concerning Withdrawal of Marines from Cruising Ships."''</ref>

Many several factors helped renew the interests in the advanced base force.  The most significant factor was the appointment of the new Secretary of the Navy, [[George von L. Meyer]], in 1909, who created the Naval Aide system.  Meyer's aides were four line officers with direct responsibilities for policy in four functionable areas: operations, inspections, personnel, and matériel.  To conclude the success, the Secretary Meyer appointed [[Bradley A. Fiske]] (Aide for Operations) and William Fullam (Aide for Inspections), the Marine Corps's own rival and nemesis, to staff these posts.  The aides and the General Board improved policy matters and were very influential in behalf of war preparedness and establishing a balanced naval fleet.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>  The Aide for Operations subsequently became the titulage title of "[[Chief of Naval Operations]]".  Another factor was the increased of men available for advanced base training due to the conflicts of [[United States occupation of Nicaragua|Nicaraguan Expedition of 1912]] and the [[United States occupation of Veracruz|Veracruz landing]] in 1914.

Importantly, Colonel [[William P. Biddle]] replaced General Elliott as the Commandant of the Marine Corps, who in turn approved three important reforms that strengthened the Corp's ability to respond to advanced base missions; one of which, was the establishment of an [[Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps|assistant]] to the Commandant.  The Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps was responsible for the military training and prepareness of the Marines.  Lieutenant Colonel Eli K. Cole became the first assistant to the Commandant.  Secondly, the creation of permanent expeditionary companies to each Marine Barracks.  And third and last, the institution of mandatory three months' [[United States Marine Corps Recruit Training|recruit training]].  In addition, Biddle continued Elliott's policy of assigning a few Marine officers to Navy and Army advanced officer schools for further training in large unit maneuvers, artillery, communications, and contingency planning.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>

====''1910—1915''====

In March 1910, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, [[Beekman Winthrop]], sent Commandant Biddle a direct order to take custody of the advanced base materials and take the necessary steps to instruct the officers and enlisted in the use of the materials.  Assessing the experiences learned to 1911, a Marine officer by the name of Major Henry C. Davis argued that the advanced base force was the Corps's "true" mission and is should be embraced as such.<ref>Henry C. Davis, ''"Advanced Base Training''", (Annapolis, MD: U.S. Naval Institute, 1911); U.S. Secretaries and Treasurers Philip R. Alger and W. B. Wells, '''''"Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute,"'' Volume 37''' (Baltimore, MD: The Lord Baltimore Press, 1911); pgs 95—99.</ref>  By next summer, the [[Advanced Base Force#Training#Advanced Base School|Advanced Base School]] was transferred to the [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]].

Two new revolutions to the Marine Corps also helped established the legitimacy of the Advanced Base Force; the first was the formation of the [[Marine Corps Association]] (MCA) and the ''"[[Marine Corps Gazette]]"'', founded by [[John A. Lejeune]] in 1911, and second, the new innovative avenues of [[United States Marine Corps Aviation|Marine/Navy Aviation]].<ref>Thomas T. Craven, ''"History of Aviation in the United States Navy,"'' (1920); '''File ZGU, Subject File, 1911—1927, RG 45'''.</ref>  The Marine Corps's first aviator, Lieutenant [[Alfred A. Cunningham]], saw a role for aircraft in the advanced base force.<ref>James W. Jacobs, '''"Alfred Austell Cunningham, 1882—1939,"'' ''A. A. Cunningham Papers''', Marine Corps Personal Paper Collection (MCPPC).</ref>  Joined at Annapolis by Lieutenant Bernard L. Smith, the Marine Corps's second aviator, both learned to fly planes from civilian instructors; which both later reported to the Advanced Base Force in 1913, to create an aviation section within the force.

June 1913, the Advanced Base Force brigade was formed, composed of two permanently organized regiments, the fixed defense and mobile defense regiments.  Each regiment was tailored to its specific part in the advance base force concept.  At the same time, numerical designations for companies were adopted to alleviate the problem of having more than one company A, for example, in any one of the expeditionary force.

Despite the efforts in the creation of the Advanced Base School, too much energy had been spent on academic arguments over the advance base concept; it was time to fully test the concept in fleet maneuvers.  By December 1913, the Marine Corps had done more to make the advanced base force a reality in one year than it had in the last twelve years.<ref>William F. Biddle, Letter to the Secretary of the Navy (LSSN), (December 18, 1918); '''GB File 432.</ref>

By 1914, the advanced base force would utilize [[reconnaissance]] seaplanes for the force.  The fortunes of Marine aviation from its infancy were associated with the advanced base operations.<ref>Edward C. Johnson and Graham A. Cosmas, ''"A Short History of Marine Aviation,"'' (HQMC, Washington, D.C.: History and Museams Division, 1976); pgs. 1—10.</ref>

In July 1914, a Marine Colonel, [[Joseph Pendleton]], encamped his Marines onto the fairgrounds in [[Balboa Park, San Diego, California|Balboa Park]] in [[San Diego, CA]].<ref name="Simmons, Marine History"/>  On 19 December 1914, he established the [[Marine Corps Base San Diego|Marine Barracks]] to house the advanced base/expeditionary forces.  However, the status of a permanent base was debated in the federal government.

During the time the [[Panama-Pacific Exposition]] opened in July 1915, the Marine Corps received enough money to develop its new bases on the [[West Coast of the United States|west coast]], in [[San Diego, CA]]; and a similar training base, [[Marine Corps Base Quantico]], was formed on the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]].<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>  Also, the funding provide the necessary materials to establish an [[Advanced Base Force#Fixed Defense Regiment#Aviation Company|aviation company]] of ten officers and forty men, which subsequently grew larger in proportions shortly after, due to the reorganization in increasing personnel strength that was ordered through the [[General Board]] and the [[Navy Department]].

After [[George Barnett]] became Commandant, HQMC transferred the Advanced Base School [again] to [[Newport, Rhode Island]], adding to the [[Navy War College]] curriculim.  This move unbeknownst became the fulcrum of the advanced base force's successful future.  The earliest scholars and missionaries of the Navy War College were [[Dion Williams]], [[Eli K. Cole]], [[John H. Russell]], and [[Robert H. Dunlap]], all who pioneered the advanced base force concept since the very beginning.

A brilliant and well-decorated Marine [[intelligence officer]], Lieutenant Colonel [[Earl H. Ellis]], a fellow patron of the Navy War College during 1912—1913, was influenced by the advanced base operations concept.  In his tenure as a student, and later as an instructor, he scholarized and instrumented war plans and procedures that became vital to the success of the United State's [[Pacific]] [[island-hopping]] campaign that would occur 25-years in [[World War II]].  He also plotted accurate charts, based on his ability in [[hydrographic survey]]ing and topography; pointing that seizing a well-defended island rested upon the integral advanced base force, and that the Marine Corps's future fully relied upon of the advanced base force, for both defense and assault.  Ellis even impressed [[John A. Lejeune]] of his brilliance, who soon became his patron as well as a coadvocate of the advanced base force concept.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>

Ellis participated in drafting war plans against Japan that later became the vital major thesis on which the Pacific Theatre during the [[World War II]] was based on.  Ellis covertly spied on the japanese, disguised as a civilian seeking business interest in [[Micronesia]], and surrounding nearby islands.  He opined that seizing a well-defended island rested upon the integral advanced base force, and that the Marine Corps's future fully relied upon of the advanced base force, for both defense and assault.  Ellis even impressed [[John A. Lejeune]] of his brilliance, who soon became his patron as well as a coadvocate of the advanced base force concept.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>

Also in 1915, Colonel Eli K. Cole continued his own advocacy upon the moment he was appointed as the Commandant of the Advanced Base School and the commander of the 1st Regiment (Fixed Defense), (ending his tenure as the "first" [[Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps]], 1911—1915), by emphasizing in the procurement, plus the necessary technical training, of new weapons and equipment.<ref>Eli K. Cole, ''"Advanced Base Force"'', lecture, (Philadelphia, PA: Marine Barracks, 19 June 1915); '''File 1975-10, HQMC, General Correspondence, 1911—1938, RG 127.</ref>

Next to serve as the next assistant to [[George Barnett|Commandant Barnett]] was Colonel [[John A. Lejeune]].  During his tenure of 1915—1917, he spoke for the Commandant, stressing the missions of the Advanced Base Force.  He argued that the Marine Corps's organization needed reconstructing, urging that the Marine Corps as a "whole", not just 'particular' regiments assigned to advanced base duty; this reorganization should be the Marine Corps's primary function to the United States's naval services.  Col. Lejeune even supported the article printed in the ''Marine Corps Gazette'' by John H. Russell, who has drafted one of the earliest advanced base force studies.<ref>John H. Russell, ''"A Plea for a Mission and Doctrine,"'' '''Marine Corps Gazette (June 1916)'''; pgs. 109–122.</ref>

The [[Expeditionary warfare|expeditionary duties]] in the Caribbean had been one of the main causes that conflicted in the formation of a legitimate advanced base force that could be retained permanently, to serve abroad the navy bases.  While the conflicts were arising in Europe, the German and Austrian armies against the coalition of [[Great Britain]], [[France]], and [[Russia]] since August 1914.  Nevertheless, the battles of [[World War I]] in 1917—1919 would prove and test the Marine Corps new creed of maritime combat.  From 1900 through 1916, much has changed to evolve the old principle of "ship-only" duty of security guards, and the occassional landing force participants.  Insomuch, the "advanced base force concept" had emplaced itsself as the father of ''modern-''[[amphibious warfare]], another concept that would revolutionize the Marine Corps in years to follow.

===Operation===
====Panama, 1901—1902====

A [[Thousand Days War|civil war]] broke out in the [[Colombia|Republic of Colombia]] during 1901 and 1902, which eventually spreaded into the Panama isthmus.  An "expeditionary" battalion was assembled from the Marines of the east coast barracks and were shipped south in four days; an additional battalion was picked up from twelve separate posts and were placed at [[Norfolk, VA]], but were not deployed.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>  Altogether, the both forces numbered about five hundred officers and men.<ref>''"Letter to the [[Secretary of the Navy]] (LSSN),"'' [[Headquarters Marine Corps]]; '''RG 127'''<BR>
*Brig. Gen. Cmdt. [[Charles Heywood]] to SecNav [[William Moody]], 25 September 1902
*Col. G. C. Reid to SecNav [[William Moody]]</ref>  The landings on Panama was the first test of the "expeditionary" battalions, however, the Marine "ship guards" had often came ashore many times before to [[Colón]] and [[Panama City]], to protect the lives and property of the locals and the American-owned [[Panama Railway|Panama Railroad Company]] that linked the two cities.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>  Although, the expeditionary duties were shortlived as negotiations were made between the governments of the United States and Colombia as they both signed treaties.  These treaties later reflected the revolt movement that led to Panama's independence.

====Veracruz, 1914====
The Marine Corps's Advanced Base Force, and its Navy cooperatives, participated in the United States's next [[intervention]] when the late-[[President of Mexico]] [[Francisco Madero]] was executed by [[Victoriano Huerta]]'s [[Porfirio Díaz|Porfirista military]] conspirators on 22 February 22 1913.

The aviation company with the Advanced Base Force, however, missed its first chance at expeditionary duty during the 'Veracruz, Mexico' landing in April 1914 because it had not yet discovered a way to get its two aircraft, both seaplanes, to the objective area in flying condition.

====Haiti, 1915====

In addition, the crisis in Haitian affairs, which came with the assassination of the Haitian president, Guillaume, on July 27, demanded immediate and energetic action on the part of the Navy to protect American and foreign lives and property and to restore order throughout the distressed country. Our cruisers were dispatched to Haitien ports and armed guards landed. Later, an expeditionary force of about 2,000 marines was sent to complete the occupation of all open ports. This force is still in Haiti in effective control of the situation.

The force in Haiti includes the technical companies which have been engaged in '''advanced base''' training in Philadelphia. Owing to this interruption in the training of the fixed defense force, its efficiency as an advance base organization will be materially interfered with.

''"Annual Reports of the Navy Department for the Fiscal Year, 1915"'' (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1916); 12-13, 762-763.

==Training==
====Advanced Base School====

The '''Advanced Base School''' was established at [[Naval Submarine Base New London|New London, Connecticut]] by the [[Headquarters Marine Corps]] (HQMC) in April, 1910.<ref>William Biddle, Commandant of the Marine Corps, to Beekman Winthrop, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, ''"Advanced Base Force,"''; appendix C. '''GB File 432''' (April 18, 1910).</ref>  The [[General Board of the Navy|General Board]] asked the Secretary of the Navy, [[George von Lengerke Meyer|George Meyer]], to order the newly appointed-[[Commandant of the Marine Corps]], Colonel [[William P. Biddle]], to assume responsibilities for the advanced base equipment assembled at [[Philadelphia, PA]] and [[Subic Bay, Philippines]].  Moreorless, the Commandant was in charge of ensuring that all the officers and enlisted were adequately trained and embedded in the formal study of the advanced base force.<ref>William Biddle, Commandant of the Marine Corps, to George von Lengerke Meyer, Secretary of the Navy, "''Report of Board of Inspection of Navy Yard, Philadelphia, March 25—28, 1918"''; '''File 1979-10''' (HQMC: April 19, 1913).</ref>  The Marines themselves found the training more demaning than they encountered before.  Marines had in the past were restricted only to sea duty, the advanced base concept opened new revolutionary methods never thought before in the United States's naval history.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>  Labored by day and studying by night, the regiment's officers trained their men to assemble and aim the melange of [[3-inch M1902 field gun|3-inch]] and 5-inch naval guns, army [[field artillery]], [[mine]]s, seachlights, and [[automatic weapon]]s.<ref>Frederic M. Wise, ''"A Marine Tells It to You"'', (New York City, NY: J. H. Sears, 1929); pg. 119.</ref>

By March 1910, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy [[Beekman Winthrop]] in lieu sent the order to the Commandant.  The school assembed a handful of officers and men to begin the formal study of advanced base defenses.<ref>William Biddle, Commandant of the Marine Corps, to George von Lengerke Meyer, Secretary of the Navy, ''"General Correspondence, 1913—1938"''; '''RG 127'''</ref>  The next summer, the school was moved to the [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]] in order to work more closely with the actual equipment that were to be used by the Advanced Base Force.  However, training had little continuity, mostly due to the expeditionary duty that took place in the Caribbean.

:''"You will prepare for the care and custody of advanced base material and take necessary steps to instruct the officers and men under your command in the use of this material."'' —Assistant Sec. of the Navy, Beekman Winthrop to Commandant William Biddle, March 1910.

===Fleet exercises===

The Advanced Base Force Brigade, commanded by Colonel [[George Barnett]], landed on [[Culebra Island]] of [[Puerto Rico]] on 3 January 1914, with the landing forces of the [[Atlantic Fleet]], and spent a week preparing coastal defenses for their upcoming "first" advanced base exercise.<ref>Charles G. Long, CO 1st Regiment to George Barnett, CO 1st Adv Base Force Brigade, ''"Report on Maneuvers and Operations of First Advanced Base Brigade"''; 30 January 1914, '''File 1975-80'' (HQMC: General Correspondence, 1911-1938).</ref>  

The Culebra exercises became the first of many [[fleet landing exercises]] to come over the years, consisting of the occupation and defense of the island by the advanced base force brigade.  The brigade emplaced batteries of 3-inch field guns on each side of the entrance to Culebra's harbor and the laying of control mines offshore; the aggressor forces were acted by a detached Marine battalion landing force with the [[Atlantic Fleet]].  The signal company, in addition to laying mines, provided communications (telegraph and telephone) for the brigade, established radio stations, and operated day and night visual stations.  The engineers assisted the fixed gun companies in the preparation of gun emplacements, built docks, and established machine gun positions on certain parts of the harbor shore line.  The 1st 3-inch battery emplaced 4.7-inch guns in permanent positions, holding its 3-inch field pieces in reserve.

However, they found many discrepancies during the off-loading of equipment; mainly the [[landing craft]]s, both experimental [[Lighter (barge)|lighters]] and ships boats, were almost to the point of being unsuitable.  Once ashore, they discovered shortages of engineering tools and transportation, even with the use of the portable [[Decauville]] portable track system.  Nonetheless, the Marines moved into position, manning the guns, its infantry entrenched.  A counterattack force hid in the hills as the "attacking" force conducted simulated raids by [[cruiser]]s and large beach landing teams.<ref>John A. Lejeune, CO 2nd Regiment to George Barnett, CO 1st Adv Base Force Brigade, ''"Report on Maneuvers and Operations of First Advanced Base Brigade"''; 30 January 1914, '''''File 1975-80'''''; '''RG 127''' (HQMC: General Correspondence, 1911-1938) .</ref>

The Chief umpire, Rear Admiral [[William Sowden Sims|William S. Sims]], and the Navy observers (mostly from the [[Navy War College]]) offered recommendations to the Marine artillery crew in different [[naval gunfire support|naval gunfire]] techniques.  They thought that the Marines shouldn't engage the "enemy" warships in an artillery duel, risking exposure; they agreed instead that high-angle artillery and flat-trajectory naval gunfire would make the fixed defenses the absolute choice in engagements.<ref name="Millett, Semper Fidelis"/>  RAdm Sims concluded that the Marines, making up the "mock" landing force of 1,200 sailors and Marines, could not breach the island's defenses.<ref>William S. Sims, report to the Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet; January 21, 1914, '''Lejeune Papers'''.</ref>  However, amidst the smoke and the barrage of blanks, and an array of searchlights scanning the beaches, the Advanced Base Force successfully defended Culebra.  The Navy umpires officially agreed that the Marine Corps had finally refined the advanced base concepts and able to organize the operational units required by the General Board's war plans.<ref>John A. Lejeune,  report to the Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet, ''"Report on Maneuvers and Operations of First Advanced Base Brigade"''; 3 March 1914, '''GB File 432'''.</ref>

==Notes==

*Interesting key factors that evolved from the Advanced Base Force concept

===See also===
{{portal|United States Marine Corps}}
{{portal|United States Navy}}
*[[Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays]]
*[[Organization of the United States Marine Corps]]

===References===
{{reflist}}