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Argentine Marine Corps

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The Argentine Marine Corps, in Spanish Infanteria de Marina Armada Republica Argentina, or IMARA, The Naval Infantry of the Argentine Armada, also Commando of the Infantry of Marina of Argentine Navy, (COIM), is one of the four operational commands of the Navy.

History

The Marines trace their origins in Spanish Marine Corps, at the time of the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata. After the Argentine War of Independence, it was under joint administration administration of the Argentine Army and the Argentine Navy. A 1946 law placed the marines solely under the jurisdiction of the Navy.

Battles and interventions

Under Spanish dominion:

Reconquest of the Falklands Islands in 1767.

Falklands Crisis (1770)

Defense of the East Coast 1776.

British invasions of the Rio de la Plata 1806 and 1807.

During independence:

seizure of Martin Garcia Island in 1814.

Landing in Monterey, California, now part of the United States (1817 - 1818): Forces commanded by Hipolito Bouchard, 200 men of which 130 were armed with guns and 70 with lances, disembarked to one league from the fort of Monterrey, in a hidden creek from the heights. The resistance of the fort was very weak, and after one hour battle the Argentine flag was raised.

Argentine confederation:

War of Costa Bravo (1842), against the forces under the control of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Argentina-Brazil War. (1820's)

Battle of Vuelta de Obligado (1845)

War of the Triple Alliance. (1845)

Argentine Republic

Dirty War (1976 to 1983)

Landing in the Falklands and the Battle of Mount Tumbledown(1982), Falklands War.

Gulf War. (1990)

UN Peacekeeper, observers/peace missions in Cyprus, Western Sahara, the Balkans and Haiti.

Fleet Marine Force (FAIF)

The FMF was formerly called the Brigada de IM No. 1.

2nd Marine Corps Battalion

1st Amphibious Vehicles Battalion

Amphibious Engineers Battalion

Command and Logistical Support Battalion

1st Communications Battalion

1st Field Artillery Battalion

Anti-aircraft artillery Battalion

Amphibious Commandos Group (APCA)

Southern Marine Force (FAIA)

The SMF was formerly called the Fuerza de IM No. 1.

4th Marine Corps Battalion

5th Marine Corps Battalion - The 5th Battalion of the Infanteria de Marina suffered -but also inflicted- substantial casualties when attacked by the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards in the Falklands War at Mount Tumbledown.

Naval Detachment Rio Grande

River Operations Unit

3rd Marine Corps Battalion

Marine Security Forces

Navy General Staff Security Battalion

Puerto Belgrano Naval Base Security Battalion

Auxiliary Units

The Marine Corps also maintains 15 Security Companies at Naval and Naval Air Bases.

Current Deployments

IMARA has two Infantry Coompanies deployed in Haiti and Cyprus under the auspices of MINUSTAH and UNFICYP respectively in joint operations with the Argentine Army and Argentine Air Force. A small platoon was also deployed in Kosovo, attached to Argentine Engineers Coy, which was in turn attached to the Italian Brigade.

Several Marine Officers and NCO's are routinely deployed as military observers for the UN.

Weapons and Vehicles

LVTP-7 Amphibious APC (local name VAO Vehiculo Anfibio a Orugas)

LARC-V Amphibious Truck (local name VAR Vehiculo Anfibio a Ruedas)

ERC-90F1 6x6 "Lynx" Recon. Vehicle

Panhard VCR/TT 4x4 APC

VCR/AA 4x4 AAA

VCR/AT wheeled armoured recovery vehicle

American Motors M35A3 2-1/2 ton cargo truck

Mercedes-Benz MB1720 truck

M-997/1025 HMMWV

Bofors 40 mm L 70 radar guided AAA

RBS-70 man-portable SAM

M-101 105 mm Howitzer

M-56 105 mm Pack Howitzer

M-114A1 155 mm Howitzer

SOLTAM 81 mm Mortar

Mk.19 AGL

Browning 12,7 mm HMG

FN MAG GPMG

M-249 LMG

M16A2 AR

3rd Naval Helicopter Sqn. (Bell UH-1H) is usually attached to the Fleet Marine Force.

External links

Argentine Navy Official website

Argentine Marines official website

Argentine Marines Unofficial website

Organization and equipment

Argentine Marine Corps Association

Argentine Marine Fallen in Malvinas

World Navies

As part of his journey of reconciliation Mike Seers travels to Argentina to interview Marine artillery gunners whom he fought against

Reassessing the Fighting Performance of the Argentine 5th Marines

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Argentine Marine Corps