Which branch conducted over 300 landings of foreign shores since the Revolutionary War?

• A. Army
• B. Navy
• C. Air Force
• D. Marines

Answer: (D)

Amphibious assault and expeditionary warfare shape this question. The Marine Corps is designed as a naval expeditionary force that can project power from sea to shore and rapidly establish a beachhead. That mission has driven a long history of landing operations on foreign shores—from early actions in the Revolutionary War through countless campaigns in the 20th century and beyond—totaling well over 300 landings. The Army is a land-based force, the Navy provides ships and sea lift, and the Air Force handles air power and related support; none of those roles center on conducting the beach landings themselves the way the Marines do. So the branch most associated with these numerous landings is the Marine Corps.