Videos

The Marine Corps isn’t waiting for the future of warfare to arrive. They’re building it now.

Ground Combat Element 2040 represents the Marine Corps’ strategic vision for transforming how expeditionary ground forces will fight, adapt, and win in contested environments. It’s not just about new weapons. It’s a fundamental reimagining of warfare combining artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, advanced sensors, and human-centered innovation.

GCE 2040 is built on a single theory of success: “We will fight as an agile, technologically enabled, and human-centered force.” The focus is clear: equip the Marine, not the machine.

By integrating five critical functions (locate, close, destroy, defend, and command and control), the Marine Corps will generate decision-making speed that outpaces any adversary. This ensures American expeditionary forces remain the world’s most lethal, adaptable ground force.

Every year, more than 30,000 recruits arrive at Marine Corps boot camp. They step off buses at night, confused and uncertain. Then they’re invited to stand on yellow footprints painted on the ground.

Those yellow footprints are symbolic. They mark the moment civilian life ends and Marine Corps life begins. Everything changes. Hair is cut. Individuality is erased. Everything recruits knew—their routines, their freedoms, their sense of self—is stripped away.

But something more powerful replaces it: a warrior culture built on honor, courage, and commitment. For 12 weeks, recruits aren’t just trained in combat skills. They’re immersed in a 230-year tradition of warriors who believe that service to the nation is the highest calling.

This is what makes Marines different.

Every year, 38,000 new Marines enter the U.S. Marine Corps School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton—a grueling 59-day graduate school of combat that transforms civilians into battle-ready warriors. After surviving boot camp, the real training begins.

Marines master weapons from the M240 machine gun to shoulder-fired rockets, face live-fire room clearing exercises, and coordinate with attack helicopters overhead. Standards are unforgiving. Competition is brutal. Only the strongest survive.

But this isn’t just about weapons. It’s about transformation. Young men learn to work as teams, think tactically, and trust their brothers-in-arms with their lives.

After three months of intense training, Marines face their ultimate test: Mojave Viper—a 30-day combat exercise in the Mojave Desert with live ammunition, real explosions, and the weight of responsibility.

They emerge as warriors.

What would you do if a grenade landed at your feet? Twenty-one-year-old Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter didn’t hesitate. He threw himself on it to save his best friend. This is the incredible true story of how a split-second decision of pure selflessness led to the Medal of Honor—and a journey of recovery that defies belief.

Surrounded by 120,000 Chinese troops and fighting in temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero, the Marines of the 1st Marine Division faced one of the toughest battles in American military history. Learn how the Battle of Chosin Reservoir became a defining chapter of the Korean War through extraordinary leadership, relentless determination, and the legendary resilience of the Frozen Chosin.

From the Boxer Rebellion and Belleau Wood to Guadalcanal, Chosin Reservoir, Iwo Jima, and Vietnam, these five legendary Marines left an enduring mark on American military history. Learn how Smedley Butler, Chesty Puller, Daniel Daly, John Basilone, and Carlos Hathcock earned their place among the greatest Marines ever to wear the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor.

In May 1946, a violent escape attempt at Alcatraz Prison turned into one of the most unusual operations in Marine Corps history. As armed inmates seized control, prison guards fought for their lives until the United States Marine Corps was called to retake the island. Learn how the Battle of Alcatraz unfolded and why this little-known mission helped reaffirm the Marine Corps’ place in America’s military.

Marine veteran Alvin Hockaday shares his firsthand account of serving as a United States Marine sniper during the Vietnam War. From Operation Starlite and jungle patrols to combat leadership and the injuries that ended his tour, this powerful oral history preserves the experiences, sacrifices, and legacy of a Marine whose story deserves to be remembered.

Discover the remarkable story of Sergeant Major Dan Daly, one of only two Marines to receive the Medal of Honor twice. From standing alone against hundreds during the Boxer Rebellion to inspiring Marines at Belleau Wood with his legendary battle cry, Daly’s courage, leadership, and determination cemented his place as one of the greatest Marines in United States history

Founded in 2016, Heroes of the Second World War is a nonprofit 501©(3) organization. (EIN/tax ID number: 81-3064351). 100% of Heroes of the Second World War’s expended resources are devoted entirely to interviewing interview with the majority of money going to travel costs.