I learned long ago, great military leaders exhibit not only strategic brilliance but also the humility to acknowledge and rectify their mistakes.
When they make a bad decision, admitting their shortcoming and apologizing demonstrates strength of character and fosters trust among the ranks.
Once a great leader acknowledge the bad decision, the leader quickly reorient towards mission accomplishment . This reorienting allows for a renewed focus on the mission with lessons learned, ultimately enhancing their leadership. A historical example is General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who took full responsibility for the failure of Operation Market Garden during World War II. His candid admission and subsequent adjustments helped maintain the morale and cohesion of Allied forces, paving the way for future successes. Imagine the outcome otherwise!
As Marine and now a civilian leader, I have always lived up to this simple etho. I have never shied away from admiring wrong and accepting responsibility. I wish today’s Marine Corps leaders admit their mistake concerning FD and work hard to restoring our Marine Corps to its former fighting strength before it is too late.
In today’s global chaos Marine Aviation F35’s could be out fitted w Stealth Hypersonic missiles similar to those rumored to have been used by the IDF in their recent demonstration to Iran after Iran’s 300 plus barrage of missiles and drones that IAF had the capability to eliminate the Russian Supplied AAD array guarding their nuclear weapons development compounds. Our F35s could be given a nuclear role. Wake up current USMC leadership…read your Intel and learn from Ukraine and Israel. Improvise Adapt Overcome now or once again become irrelevant Seagoing Bell Hops.
General HM Smith in this book details the struggles against Navy Brass to achieve the Marine Corps of WWII. He does not mince words. FD has neutered the Mighty Marine Corps describe by General’s Boomer and Conway. Could we assembly a 2 Division MEF to invade Iran? Before operation Internal Look we were focused on Iran in Our MarCent Role? What is the One Trick Pony that is today’s Marine Corps’s role in CentCom? We are Marine Officers and Leaders (active duty and retired)not Naval Officers. To understand how Marines emerged from under the thumb of the USN you must read “Coral and Brass”. Regarding “Full Spectrum Warfare”….during the Cold War US Marine Attack Aircraft A6 had a nuclear attack capability.
PURPOSE. Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication (FMFRP) 12-37, Coral and Brass, is published to ensure the retention and dissemination of useful information which is not intended to become doctrine or to be published in Fleet Marine Force manuals. FMFRPs in the 12 Series area special category: reprints of historical works which are not available elsewhere.
SCOPE. This reference publication is an autobiography of General Holland "Howling Mad" Smith that details his experiences in the Pacific during World War II. This book is written as a tribute to the Marines who served him so gallantly in the Pacific and, more importantly, to point out mistakes made during the island campaigns in order to prevent these errors in future conflicts. General Smith's style makes for enjoyable reading and his description of the Pacific battles is a valuable asset to any military library.
CERTIFICATION.
Reviewed and approved this date.
BY DIRECTION OF THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
Operation Forager….Major Spooner ,Globe and Laurel Founder, LtGen Smith is Corps Commander, gives primary source details. Battle of Saipan June 15, 1944. Just over a week after the D-Day invasion of Normandy, on the other side of the world, 70,000 US Marines stormed ashore on the Pacific island of Saipan. See more in Season 1, Episode 5, "Saipan."
#PacificTheLostEvidence
Subscribe for more from Pacific: The Lost Evidence and other great The HISTORY Channel shows:
I learned long ago, great military leaders exhibit not only strategic brilliance but also the humility to acknowledge and rectify their mistakes.
When they make a bad decision, admitting their shortcoming and apologizing demonstrates strength of character and fosters trust among the ranks.
Once a great leader acknowledge the bad decision, the leader quickly reorient towards mission accomplishment . This reorienting allows for a renewed focus on the mission with lessons learned, ultimately enhancing their leadership. A historical example is General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who took full responsibility for the failure of Operation Market Garden during World War II. His candid admission and subsequent adjustments helped maintain the morale and cohesion of Allied forces, paving the way for future successes. Imagine the outcome otherwise!
As Marine and now a civilian leader, I have always lived up to this simple etho. I have never shied away from admiring wrong and accepting responsibility. I wish today’s Marine Corps leaders admit their mistake concerning FD and work hard to restoring our Marine Corps to its former fighting strength before it is too late.
Sadly the current CMC may be suffering from extreme paradigm paralysis.
In today’s global chaos Marine Aviation F35’s could be out fitted w Stealth Hypersonic missiles similar to those rumored to have been used by the IDF in their recent demonstration to Iran after Iran’s 300 plus barrage of missiles and drones that IAF had the capability to eliminate the Russian Supplied AAD array guarding their nuclear weapons development compounds. Our F35s could be given a nuclear role. Wake up current USMC leadership…read your Intel and learn from Ukraine and Israel. Improvise Adapt Overcome now or once again become irrelevant Seagoing Bell Hops.
General HM Smith in this book details the struggles against Navy Brass to achieve the Marine Corps of WWII. He does not mince words. FD has neutered the Mighty Marine Corps describe by General’s Boomer and Conway. Could we assembly a 2 Division MEF to invade Iran? Before operation Internal Look we were focused on Iran in Our MarCent Role? What is the One Trick Pony that is today’s Marine Corps’s role in CentCom? We are Marine Officers and Leaders (active duty and retired)not Naval Officers. To understand how Marines emerged from under the thumb of the USN you must read “Coral and Brass”. Regarding “Full Spectrum Warfare”….during the Cold War US Marine Attack Aircraft A6 had a nuclear attack capability.
Correction “exercise “ not “operation”.
“Coral and Brass”…7 April 1989
PURPOSE. Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication (FMFRP) 12-37, Coral and Brass, is published to ensure the retention and dissemination of useful information which is not intended to become doctrine or to be published in Fleet Marine Force manuals. FMFRPs in the 12 Series area special category: reprints of historical works which are not available elsewhere.
SCOPE. This reference publication is an autobiography of General Holland "Howling Mad" Smith that details his experiences in the Pacific during World War II. This book is written as a tribute to the Marines who served him so gallantly in the Pacific and, more importantly, to point out mistakes made during the island campaigns in order to prevent these errors in future conflicts. General Smith's style makes for enjoyable reading and his description of the Pacific battles is a valuable asset to any military library.
CERTIFICATION.
Reviewed and approved this date.
BY DIRECTION OF THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
M. P. SULLIVAN
Major General, U.S. Marine Corps
Deputy Commander for Warfighting
Marine Corps Combat Development Command
Quantico, Virginia
Operation Forager….Major Spooner ,Globe and Laurel Founder, LtGen Smith is Corps Commander, gives primary source details. Battle of Saipan June 15, 1944. Just over a week after the D-Day invasion of Normandy, on the other side of the world, 70,000 US Marines stormed ashore on the Pacific island of Saipan. See more in Season 1, Episode 5, "Saipan."
#PacificTheLostEvidence
Subscribe for more from Pacific: The Lost Evidence and other great The HISTORY Channel shows: