On June 6, 2010, we celebrated the 66th anniversary of D-Day in Europe. It was the largest amphibious operations of all time. More than 170,00 troops landed on a 50-mile stretch of beach on the French Normandy Coast paving the way for the liberation of Europe.

It was a classic example of modern amphibious warfare - land where the enemy least expects it.

Unfortunately, this exceptional major U.S. capability is lost on many in Washington, D.C., who think we have seen the last of amphibious landings. 

To quote a famous Greek philosopher “only the dead have seen the last to war.”

Only the blind have seen the last of amphibious warfare.

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According to Defense News the Navy’s top admiral – CNO – is pleased to see the QDR say that the Marine Corps needs only 29 to 33 amphibious ships. While the Commandant says the Marine Corps needs 38.

This is not surprising because the Navy budget and QDR is not very predisposed to the Navy routine request.

So, it seems to the CNO that amphibious warfare will take a back seat to the Navy quest for more platforms and more non-essential items that are irrelevant to the wars we are currently fighting or the wars that may be on the horizon on the littorals.

While the Marine Corps is heavily involved in Afghanistan, because the Army cannot fill all the needs, the Navy leadership sees an opportunity to enrich its needs at the expense of the Marine Corps.

Short sightedness is not always an easy excuse when the next war comes along and the U.S. is ill prepared, e.g. Korea.

The “forgotten war?”

Those who will not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Who said that – a philosopher named Santana.

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