The Marine Raiders, established in February 1942, were the U.S. Marine Corps’ first special operations units, created to conduct amphibious raids and guerrilla warfare against Japanese forces in the Pacific during World War II. Inspired by British Commandos and Chinese guerrilla tactics, the Raiders were formed into four battalions, with the 1st and 2nd (Edson’s and Carlson’s Raiders) seeing the most action. Trained for speed, stealth, and versatility, they operated behind enemy lines, targeting key installations and disrupting Japanese operations.

The Raiders’ first major engagements came in the Solomon Islands. The 1st Raider Battalion, under Merritt Edson, spearheaded the invasion of Tulagi in August 1942, overcoming entrenched Japanese defenders in fierce close-quarters combat. Days later, Carlson’s 2nd Raiders executed the daring Makin Island Raid, destroying a Japanese outpost but struggling with a chaotic withdrawal that left nine men behind. On Guadalcanal, the 1st Raiders held Edson’s Ridge against overwhelming Japanese assaults, a pivotal defense that preserved Henderson Field, while the 2nd Raiders’ month-long Long Patrol harassed retreating enemy forces, killing nearly 500 Japanese through grueling jungle ambushes.

In 1943, the Raiders fought in the New Georgia and Bougainville campaigns. The 1st and 4th Battalions tackled fortified Japanese positions in New Georgia’s jungles, capturing key points like Viru Harbor despite rugged terrain and stubborn resistance. On Bougainville, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions helped secure a beachhead at Cape Torokina, battling through dense jungle to clear trails and repel counterattacks. These operations showcased the Raiders’ ability to strike fast and adapt, but also highlighted the physical toll of their missions, with disease and exhaustion claiming as many casualties as combat.
Despite their successes, the Marine Raiders were disbanded in February 1944, as the Marine Corps prioritized larger conventional units for the Pacific’s island-hopping campaign. Absorbed into the 4th Marines, their personnel continued fighting until the war’s end. The Raiders earned seven Medals of Honor, 136 Navy Crosses, and a lasting legacy marked by battles like Tulagi, Makin, and Edson’s Ridge—demonstrated unmatched courage and ingenuity against a determined enemy in the Pacific’s harshest environments.

Their motto, "Gung Ho!" , adopted by Lt. Col. Evans F. Carlson, came from his time observing Chinese Communist guerrillas in the 1930s, where "gūng hé" (meaning "work together" in Mandarin) was used to inspire unity and effort. Carlson brought it to his Raiders to embody their ethos of teamwork, determination, and shared hardship. The term was shouted in training and combat to rally the unit, especially during tough moments like the Makin Island Raid and the Long Patrol on Guadalcanal. It became synonymous with the Raiders’ spirit and later entered broader Marine Corps and American lexicon.