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MARINE CORPS U LIBRARY 3000087893 '«s P^BS m'K^!^!^ ^:m^ ,3^^ The History of Marine Corps Competitive Marksmansliip by Major Robert E. Barde, USMC Marksmanship Branch, G-3 Division Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps Washington, D. C, 1961 CO DSA LIBRARY. Lu Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 61-60039 Preface It is not the noise we make, it is thehitsthatcount. Marines haveforgedan internationalreputation forexcellencein marksmanship—in getting hits. Our reputation was gained in competitive marksmanship on rifle ranges and in the more deadly competition of battle. The former has contributed in no small measure to the latter. My own interest in competitive marksmanship began on the China Station early in my career. That interest has never waned. Nor have I lost insight of the Corps' competition-in- arms program: to stimulate interest in marksmanship and thereby to increase the standard of performance in the use of individual small arms by all Marines. This history is dedicated to those Marines who played a dramatic role in the colorful early chapter in the history of Marine Corps marksmanship. The triumphs and the defeats at Camp Perry, Wakefield, and Sea Girt played a fundamental part in the training and molding of combat Marines. Thefiring linesof these famous ranges produced shooters and techniques that augured well the successful battles of France, Nicaragua, Haiti, the Pacific Isles and Korea. As Marines representing the Corps in competitive shooting contributed to our battlefield success in the past so new 111 shooters will in the future. In the final analysis it is the individual who will close with the enemy and destroy him. It is here that the word "Distinguished" is realized in its most honored sense. DAVID M. SHOUP General, U. S. Marine Corps Commandant of the Marine Corps IV Contents PAGE PREFACE iii CHAPTER I The Competitive Shooter 1 CHAPTER n The Early Days 7 m CHAPTER Consolidation 78 CHAPTER IV The Glorious Twenties 128 CHAPTER V The Golden Thirties 186 CHAPTER VI The Challenge 261 CHAPTER NOTES 348 APPENDICES A. Bibliographical Notes 368 B. Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Shot Marine Corps Competition 371 C. Lauchheimer 405 D. Elliott Trophy 409 E. San Diego Trophy 416 F. Lloyd Trophy 423 G. Holcomb Pistol Trophy 425 PAGE APPENDICES-Continued H. Edson Pistol Trophy 427 I. Shively Pistol Trophy 429 J, Marine Corps Rifle Match 431 K. Marine Corps Pistol Match Matches of the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice 434 L. National Trophy Rifle Team Match 437 M. National Trophy Individual Rifle Match 446 N. National Trophy Pistol Team Match 449 O. National Trophy Individual Pistol Match 454 VI