Photo By Lance Cpl. Jose Villasenor | U.S. Marines from C Company, 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment,...... read more read more
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HONOLULU – U.S. Marines with Headquarters and Service Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, alongside Marines from 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, participated in this year’s Bazeilles Day Ceremony on Sept. 5, 2024, in partnership with members of the Marine Infantry Regiment, French Armed Forces.
The Troupes de Marine commemorate Bazeilles Day annually as a symbol of their courage and sacrifice during the Battle of Bazeilles in 1870. The battle, fought in the French village of Bazeilles during the Franco-Prussian War, is one of the earliest examples of urban warfare and is remembered for the intense close-quarters combat and the valiant defense by French forces.
Pacific Marines have a tradition of joining the French Marines in Tahiti each year, demonstrating their respect for the shared warrior ethos and honoring the legacy of this historic battle.
“France is one of our longest standing allies, they’re a major European power”, said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Mark F. Schaefer, commanding officer, Headquarters and Service Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. “Working with the French allows us to demonstrate integrated deterrence in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.”
In the weeks leading up to the ceremony, both the U.S. and French Marines engaged in a series of tactical exercises and athletic competitions designed to foster comradery and mutual respect. These events included events such as running, truck pulls, and tug of war, where Marines from both nations competed side by side. The field training concluded with a culminating event, the Aito Commando Course, designed to increase lethality in a littoral environment and improve bilateral interoperability. “Aito” – the Tahitian word for “warrior” – embodies the warfighting ethos shared by both French Armed Forces and the U.S. Marine Corps.
“Us coming to Tahiti and integrating with the French allows at the tactical level for Marines to exchange technical training equipment and other tactics”, added Col. Schaefer. “As we look back at the operational strategic level, it demonstrates the commitment to integration amongst our forces.”
Bazeilles Day is commemorated with a formal ceremony, and this year featured a joint dinner where both the U.S. and French Marines pay tribute to the legacy of the Battle of Bazeilles. The event highlights the deepening bilateral ties between the two Allies, celebrating the shared traditions and history.
Caporal Chef Alexandre, team leader of Tahiti’s special forces, expressed his appreciation for the experience, stating, “I enjoyed this experience a lot. I made good friends with the Marines and got to see how they work differently. A very good experience.” Another participating member, Caporal Chef Vincent, emphasized the importance of these joint exercises, noting, “I think it’s important that we are used to working together in case we need to in the future.” Both French participants highlighted the value of the event in building comradery and strengthening future cooperation.
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific is the largest operational command in the Marine Corps, and the Nation’s expeditionary force-in-readiness in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Marines serve alongside the joint force and like-minded Allies and partners to preserve and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.07.2024 18:15 |
| Story ID: | 480315 |
| Location: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Pacific Marines Commemorate Bazeilles Day with French Armed Forces, by 1LT Shannon ONeill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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