On the 12th of September, 1945, the 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion arrived at
Camp Catlin, Territory of Hawaii at he finish of WWII. On the 17th of September,
1945, the battalion was disbanded and most of the men were sent to a replacement battalion
at the Transient Center.
On the 4th of October, 1945, they arrived in San Diego late in the afternoon and were
required to stay aboard LST-761 that night.
On the 5th of October, 1945, the men disembarked the ship, tranferring to Marine Corps
Base San Diego ( now MCRD San Diego) and thus marking the end of the 1st Amphibious
Reconnaissance Battalion as the Marine Corps down-sized for peacetime.
In the 1950's, Amphibious Reconnaissance was reborn. During the Korean Conflict
there were two Amphibious Reconnaissance units: 1st Amphib Recon Company - west coast and
2nd Amphib Recon Company - east coast. These two companies would use the submarines,
ASSP # 313 Perch (west coast) and ASSP #315 Sea Lion (east coast) to conduct training in
amphibious reconnaissance, raids, etc.
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| Officers and NCO's 1st Amphib Recon early
50's |
Individuals with known whereabouts
highlighted in yellow. |
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| 25 September 1950, Burial at sea of Peter R.
Jones MNE, Royal Marines "Commando Unit" Korea. USS Perch # 313 Sub
Captain LCdr. Robert Quinn. |
19 November 1951, USSP Perch #313 used in
Alaska for raiding U.S. Navel bases' security and defenses. |
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| 1st Amphib Recon in the Phillippines 51-52 |
1st Amphib Recon (see photo) |
The lessons learned in WWII and Korea showed that the Marines selected for training in
Amphibious Reconnaissance should posess superior mental and physical characteristics,
swimming ability and known courage; in addition, the training would include physical
fitness, swimming, scaling cliffs, long hikes, patrols with light rations for several days
duration, crossing streams and rivers, map reading, compass, military signs and symbols,
semaphore, blinker, use of radios, ability to observe and remember closely and accurately,
make detailed reports of observations, sketching, camera use, hydrography, beach study,
rubber boat training and handling for a day and night and weapon knowledge.
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| Base Commander inspecting UDT team. 1st
Amphib Recon in rear. |
Surf Training |
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| Periscope used to tow boats |
SCUBA Sccool 1955 Converted Gas Mask |
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| Surf Training |
Surf Training |
In 1953, or so, the "A"
Cpmpany 1st Amphib Recon is thought to be credited with the birth
of "AARUGHA!", or, as said now by some, " OOORAH!".
When Recon Marines were aboard the submarine ASSP Perch # 313 (WWII
vintage) when it was about to dive, they would hear the words, "Dive!
Dive! Dive!" followed by the Klaxon horn sounding the "AARUGHA,
AARUGHA, AARUGHA" (just like on the old model A cars).
Sometime between 53 and 54, while on a conditioning run and singing
out our cadence chants, someone in the company formation initiated
the Klaxon Horn dive sound, "AARUGHA", and it was a natural
for the Amphib Recon men from then on.
Former Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, John Massaro, was the Company
Gunny of 1st Force Recon in the late 50's when he was transferred
to MCRD, San Diego as Instructor at the DI school. He took "AARUGHA"
with him and passed it on to the DI students as they ran and they,
in turn, passed it on to the recruits. So, now you have the
whole story.
In the following pages will be pictures from the early 50's era to
1957, when 1st Amphib Recon joined with MCTU #1 (or Test Unit #1)
to form the basis for Force Recon as known today.
I would like to give credit and my thanks to CMDR Ray Willian Stubbe
who wrote the manuscript of "AARUGHA" for the history of
Force Recon from the beginning to the Vietnam War.
Wayne Pilny, 1st Amphib Recon 53/54
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| Picking up boat teams for extract - 51/52 |
Plowed under from current |
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| Shove off. 51/52 |
Coming aboard the USS Greenfish #351 |
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| Inspectioin by base commander |
Bunks on a sub |
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| USSP Perch #313 1955/56. Pfc. Strosmydea in
galley. |
Sub pens at Pearl Harbor |
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| USS Gato #212 getting repairs. Used by
Amphib Recon units. |
USS Gato # 212 |
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| USS Sea Lion # 315 used by 2nd Amphib Recon
during the 50's. Also a troop carrier. |
1955 Jose Garcia, Jerry Brentari, Jim Webb
(Jose later killed in a dive accident) |
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| Pearl SCUBA School Dive Barge 1955 - Jerry
Brentari |
Ed NcCourt checking the lashings that secure
explosive charges |
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| Ed McCourt (far right) preparing to place
charges on LVT's sunk out in Kaneohe Bay |
See photo |
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| USMC Recon patrol Korea 1951 |
USSP Perch # 313 51/52 |
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| Unknown |
12 man boat used for raids during WWII.
Note patches on boat. 8 paddlers, 1 bowman, 1 coxswain |
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| Article on boat training |
Pictures of Bellows Field |
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| Night training launch from USS Greenfish |
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