Does the US Marine Corps have any airborne units?

Answer 1

The U.S.M.C. does not have any units strictly designated as "Airborne" like the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps had some parachute battalions in the early part WW2 in the Pacific. The usefulness and performance of the units was limited in the island hopping fighting scenario. The bravery of the Para-Marines and similar Marine Raiders of the Second World War is still legendary. These Para-Marines and amphibious Marine Raider Battalions were sadly disbanded after a short time in WW2.

After WW2 the U.S.M.C. had some small marine units dedicated to the deep recon mission and pathfinder mission trained in static line parachuting. Fast forwarding to today however, the Marine Corps does have people on jump status and who do attend the U.S. Army's basic static line course, jump master course, pathfinder course and the Special Operations Military Free Fall Course. The Marine Corps has the new Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) with 2500 or so Marines and Sailors, many who are on jump status. The Marine Corps Special Operations Training Groups also may have had and have parachute trained instructors. The Marine Corps has several rigger parachute/air delivery units. There are also marines assigned to the U.S. Army training schools who teach parachuting. There are Marines on jump status in the two Marine Reserve companies of the five the Air Naval Gun Fire Companies (ANGLICO) based throughout the United States and the world. The former "Marine Force Recon Companies" were static line parachute and military free fall parachute units.

Force Recon no longer exists as separate units. The Marine Corps Force Recon deep recon platoons are now in the Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions as marine divisional level assets. The In-Extremis Direct Action Platoons no longer exist and that set of capabilities now exist in MARSOC. The Marines assigned to the Radio Reconnissance (Signal Inetellignece/Electronic Warfare) Platoons, and SCAMP Sensor Platoons receive basic and advanced airborne training. Marines assigned to the elements within the intelligence community, such as U.S.M.C. Officers serving with or in special assignment to CIA Para-Military Division and Special Activities Division in Afghanistan early on may have have received parachute training. At least one Marine Officer assigned to the CIA was killed in combat early on in Afghanistan.

Additionally individual Marines from time to time were able to obtain slots for airborne school courses in the past. Marines in some Scout-Sniper Platoons, Marine ROTC and similar organizations could and did attend the basic static line courses. I have no information on the current status of the individual Marine who may attend jump school. For such individuals with no connection to a unit that requires parachute training, such training was for leadership development and served as a kind of gut check and a type of adventure training.

The Marine Corps may have additional elements that contain parachute trained marines who are not public knowledge and whose missions are sensitive in nature. An example of such a unit was proposed several years ago for a deep penetration sniper cell capability in the Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). I have no knowledge of the actual existence of such units currently or in the past . However, such grey or black operations type units exist or have existed in the other services of the armed forces in the past. I see no reason why the U.S.M.C. could not have or had them. There may also be marines assigned to the so called Naval Special Warfare command's "Black Operations/Counter Proliferation/Counter Terrorist" unit known as Development Group in supporting roles such as counter-intelligence. Such marines may be on jump status. To the U.S.M.C. parachuting is just another way to get to work. It is an additional skill such as combat diving that allows them to reach their objective mission and take the war to the enemy.

Answer 2

The US Marine Corps has its own air units. There are two purposes, one is transportation, a large fleet of helicopters for moving troops and planes to deliver materials and jump teams. They have attack aircraft to provide close in air support for the Marine Ground Units.

Answer 3

yes, the marine corp does have an airborne division, they have to send the marines who want to do the airborne into the army to train with them, you can talk to your recruiter for more information regarding it.