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• Origins of Marine Corps Aviation
• Proving Ground: Haiti, 1915-1934
• Advance to Maturity, 1919-1935
• Marine Corps Aviation Comes of Age: Nicaragua, 1926-1933
• Conclusion.

Unlike the relative uniformity of conventional warfare, the peculiarities of small wars prevent a clear definition of rules and roles for military forces to follow. During the small wars era, aviation was still in its infancy, and the US military had only recently begun battling in the skies. The US Marine Corps recognized that flexibility and ingenuity would be critical to the successful conduct of small wars and thus employed the new technology of aviation. In Biplanes at War: US Marine Corps Aviation in the Small Wars Era, 1915--1934, author Wray R. Johnson provides a riveting history of the marines' use of aviation between the world wars, a time in which young soldiers were volunteering to fly in combat when flying itself was a dangerous feat. Starting with Haiti in 1915, Biplanes at War follows the marines' aviation experiences in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, China, and Nicaragua, chronicling how marines used aircraft to provide supporting fires (e.g., dive-bombing) to ground troops in close contact with irregular opponents, evacuate the sick and wounded, transport people and cargo (e.g., to assist humanitarian operations), and even support elections in furtherance of democracy. After years of expanding the capabilities of airplanes far beyond what was deemed possible, the small wars era ended, and the US Marines Corps transitioned into an amphibious assault force. The legacy of the marines' ability to adapt and innovate during the small wars era endures and provides a useful case study. Biplanes at War sheds light on how the marines pioneered roles and missions that have become commonplace for air forces today, an accomplishment that has largely gone unrecognized in mainstream histories of aviation and air power.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

• Origins of Marine Corps aviation
• Proving ground: Haiti, 1915-1934
• Advance to maturity, 1919-1935
• Marine Corps Aviation comes of age: Nicaragua, 1926-1933.

Unlike the relative uniformity of conventional warfare, the peculiarities of small wars prevent a clear definition of rules and roles for military forces to follow. During the small wars era, aviation was still in its infancy, and the US military had only recently begun battling in the skies. The US Marine Corps recognized that flexibility and ingenuity would be critical to the successful conduct of small wars and thus employed the new technology of aviation. In Biplanes at War: US Marine Corps Aviation in the Small Wars Era, 1915--1934, author Wray R. Johnson provides a riveting history of the marines' use of aviation between the world wars, a time in which young soldiers were volunteering to fly in combat when flying itself was a dangerous feat. Starting with Haiti in 1915, Biplanes at War follows the marines' aviation experiences in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, China, and Nicaragua, chronicling how marines used aircraft to provide supporting fires (e.g., dive-bombing) to ground troops in close contact with irregular opponents, evacuate the sick and wounded, transport people and cargo (e.g., to assist humanitarian operations), and even support elections in furtherance of democracy. After years of expanding the capabilities of airplanes far beyond what was deemed possible, the small wars era ended, and the US Marines Corps transitioned into an amphibious assault force. The legacy of the marines' ability to adapt and innovate during the small wars era endures and provides a useful case study. Biplanes at War sheds light on how the marines pioneered roles and missions that have become commonplace for air forces today, an accomplishment that has largely gone unrecognized in mainstream histories of aviation and air power.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

• "Smedley Butler's air corps: the first Marine aviators in China" / Gabrielle M. Neufeld and James S. Santelli
• "The genesis of air support in guerrilla operations" / General Vernon E. Megee, USMC (Ret.)
• "Ace in a day" / Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, USN (Ret.)
• "Marine Corps aviation, an infantryman's opinion" / Major J.N. Rentz, USMCR
• "Right on the button: Marine Corps close air support in Korea" / Admiral John S. Thach, USN (Ret.)
• "Marine aviation in Vietnam, 1962-1970" / Lieutenant General Keith B. McCutcheon, USMC
• "Marine air operations in Northern Europe" / Major Robert J. O'Rourke, USMC
• "Stop quibbling and win the war" / Major John E. Valliere, USAF
• "Who really needs Marine TacAir?" / Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Linn, USMC.

The U.S. Naval Institute Chronicles series focuses on the relevance of history by exploring topics like significant battles, personalities, and service components. Tapping into the U.S. Naval Institute's robust archives, these carefully selected volumes help readers understand nuanced subjects by providing unique perspectives and some of the best contributions that have helped shape naval thinking over the many decades since the Institute's founding in 1873. Famous as "boots on the ground, " U.S. Marines have long played a vital role in the air as well. In these pages, readers will find both history and analysis as Naval Institute authors record and assess this lesser-known but significant aspect of "Leatherneck" combat over the last century.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)