Marine Corps Aviation History

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Marine Corps Aviation History Name Institution Abstract The USMC had its humble beginnings in May 1912 when Lt Cunningham reported to duty in the newly created aviation camp in Annapolis. Since then, the force has undergone notable changes. Its initial operations were in the WW 1, which were marred by inadequate personnel and equipment. However, in the inter-war years, it managed to improve its strength in minor operations launched in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and China. In the WW11, upon assault from the Japanese, the naval air force demonstrated its strength through the defeat and subsequent occupation of Okinawa. Further combat prowess was demonstrated in the Korean War, which marked the first time helicopters was used for evacuation purposes, as well as in the Vietnam wars. In the modern times, while the Marine Corps aviation strength has grown tremendous in terms of technology and personnel, the force faces significant logistical challenges due to budgetary cuts on military expenditure. Marine Corps Aviation History Introduction: Lt Alfred A. Cunningham and Early Marine Aviation The army was a pioneer in the use of aviation services in its operations with the establishment of the Aeronautical Division, a branch of Signal Corps in 1907 (Johnson, 1977). The first army plane was procured from the Wright Brothers. In 1910, the Navy created a platform located on the cruiser Birmingham that saw the flight of a civilian plane and in the following year, it received the first three planes (Johnson, 1977). The arrival of these panes saw the pioneering attempt of the first marine to fly. This mariner, Alfred Austell Cunningham, had been in service as a corporal during the Georgia Infantry in the Spanish American war volunteer programs at the tender age of 16 (Condon, 1989). When he returned

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