Holes 4-6 – Warriors Choice Foundation

Hole 4 – “Storming the Castle”

Year(s):
1846–1848

Key Historic Moment:
Marines storm Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City, inspiring the blood stripe on the dress blues.

On-Course Activation:
Climbing wall station symbolizing Chapultepec; QR code linking to the history of the blood stripe.

Facts (1–18)

Marines took part in amphibious and land operations during the Mexican-American War.
The storming of Chapultepec (1847) is a signature Marine action tied to later Marine identity.
Marines served aboard ships supporting General Scott’s campaign to capture Mexico City.
The conflict showcased Marines’ ability to fight in combined amphibious and urban environments.
The attack on Chapultepec highlighted courage in uphill urban assaults.
The famous image of young cadets (Niños Héroes) contrasts with Marine assault narratives — important historic context.
Marines secured seaports and beachheads crucial for supply and follow-on forces.
The war provided experience in expeditionary logistics and coastal operations.
Marines held forward positions that protected naval gunfire support platforms.
The campaign added to Marine lore of charging fortified positions under heavy fire.
Marines tested new small-arms and skirmish tactics used in mixed terrain.
The Mexican War influenced U.S. military thinking about joint forcible entry.
Many Marines earned reputations for steadiness in close combat during city fighting.
The war increased public recognition of Marine battlefield contributions.
Veteran Marines from this war later influenced training and discipline standards.
The experience at Chapultepec became part of the Corps’ collective memory of urban assault excellence.
The Corps’ performance in Mexico highlighted adaptability across climates and terrains.
The campaign demonstrated the strategic value of sea-to-shore forces for power projection.

Hole 5 — “Civil Resolve”

Year(s):
1861–1865

Key Historic Moment:
Marines fight at both Bull Run battles and defend Washington Navy Yard during the Civil War.

On-Course Activation:
Split-rail fence with Civil War encampment visuals; reenactor sharing letters from Marines.

Facts (1–18)

During the Civil War, Marines primarily served in naval roles guarding ships, prisons, and shore installations.
The Corps was relatively small but critical for shipboard security and boarding actions.
Marines enforced blockades that choked Confederate trade and logistics.
Marine detachments were often assigned to ironclads and riverine vessels.
Marines guarded naval yards and ordnance depots against saboteurs and raids.
They took part in amphibious landings and supported riverine operations in the Gulf and rivers.
The conflict underscored the value of Marines in combined Navy-Army operations.
Marines maintained discipline aboard ships where law and order were paramount.
The Corps experienced logistical challenges but preserved operational effectiveness.
Several Marines earned distinction for bravery in boarding and coastal engagements.
Civil War service helped preserve the institutional continuity of the Corps.
The Marines’ small size allowed flexible deployment where needed.
Postwar, many Marine experiences fed into reforms of naval infantry doctrine.
Marines guarded sensitive prisoners and war materiel, a critical security role.
The Corps’ actions helped maintain Union naval superiority in littoral zones.
Civil War river and coastal operations offered lessons for later amphibious campaigns.
Marine engineering and ordnance support improved through wartime demands.
The war reaffirmed the Corps’ role as an adaptable naval force-in-readiness.

Hole 6 — “Island Outposts”

Year(s):
1898

Key Historic Moment:
Marines secure Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, during the Spanish-American War—establishing a lasting U.S. foothold.

On-Course Activation:
Miniature Cuban fort display; cigar box-style scorecard holder giveaway.

Facts (1–18)

In 1898, Marines landed at Guantánamo Bay, establishing a key forward operating base.
The seizure of Guantánamo showcased rapid expeditionary landing capability.
Marines often led shore party operations to secure ports and anchorages.
The war marked a shift toward overseas expeditionary responsibilities.
Marines supported the Navy in blockades and amphibious assaults in the Caribbean and Pacific.
Actions in Cuba and the Philippines expanded U.S. global reach.
Marines’ performance in tropical climates demanded new medical and logistical approaches.
The conflict accelerated modernization of small arms and ship-to-shore procedures.
Guantánamo later became a long-term strategic naval and Marine presence.
Marines’ rapid response to landing reconnaissance set templates for future assaults.
The Corps’ reputation as a seaborne assault force grew significantly.
The war influenced the development of permanent amphibious doctrine.
Marines learned to operate in joint command with larger expeditionary forces.
The success of Marine landings encouraged expansion of the Corps’ expeditionary role.
Tropical disease management became a new operational consideration.
The war produced notable individual acts of valor that entered Marine lore.
Marines’ experience in 1898 laid groundwork for 20th-century amphibious warfare.
The Spanish-American War marked the Corps’ shift from coastal defense to global expeditionary missions.