Historians of the Marine Corps have conducted significant research on the development of the Fleet Marine Force's amphibious assault mission. However, little has been written about the evolution of the defense battalion. From 1900 until 1940, advanced base defense's significance in Naval strategy surpassed or equaled amphibious assault. During 1940 and 1941, establishing defense battalions fell to the Corps' second priority. Likewise, few studies have examined Thomas Holcomb. As Commandant from 1936 through 1943, he installed the Corps as the premier seaborne support force and supervised its...