Military

Bring Back These Brutal Marine Knife-Fighting Techniques From World War II

April 25, 2022Mac Caltrider
knife fighting

Marine Raiders practice knife-fighting techniques during World War II. US Department of Defense photo.

Whether armed with aircraft, rifles, or just their hands, Marines are renowned for being tough and capable fighters. The Corps’ lethal reputation stretches back to the days when Marines were tasked with boarding enemy ships, armed only with muskets, blades, and brawn. The nature of their job as a naval force charged with seizing enemy vessels and conducting small amphibious landings often placed Marines in close-quarters combat. In the 246 years of the branch’s existence, the Marine Corps has worked hard to improve upon those early hand-to-hand fighting skills.


MCMAP
Marines participate in hand-to-hand and close-quarters combat during martial arts training at Camp Pendleton, California, Oct. 2, 2018. US Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Donald Holbert.

Of all the small wars and major conflicts the Marines have been involved in, few have required such a high level of proficiency in hand-to-hand fighting as the island-hopping campaigns of World War II. Marines regularly found themselves fighting for survival in the cramped quarters of their own foxholes. In order to prepare Marines for the nightmarish scenario, the Marine Corps produced instructional videos with close-quarters techniques for killing the enemy.


In one video titled “Combat Conditioning Series Part 3: Club and Knife Fighting,” Marines are taught things like how to use a fistful of dirt to win a knife fight and how to disarm an opponent using a stick. The video places a heavy emphasis on creativity and an “any means necessary” attitude for winning in hand-to-hand combat.



“To kill your enemy from as great a distance as possible is good sense — and basic to Marine Corps tactics,” text in the video’s intro states. “But a time may come when you will engage him at close quarters and you will have to destroy him hand-to-hand with a knife or a club.”


MCMAP fighting
Cpl. Noah Casey, right, a supply chain and materiel management specialist, executes a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program technique on Cpl. William Velasquez, a Marine Air-Ground Task Force planning specialist, during a MCMAP advancement course at Camp Pendleton, California, Oct. 19, 2021. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Austin Gillam.

The Marines currently teach the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, which includes both knife- and club-fighting techniques, but proficiency in these “dirty fighting” skills is not as much of a priority as it once was. Watch the full video of WWII club- and knife-fighting techniques above.


Read Next: Salty Dogs: The Long and Proud Tradition of Tattoos in the Marine Corps



Mac Caltrider
Mac Caltrider

Mac Caltrider is a senior staff writer for Coffee or Die Magazine. He served in the US Marine Corps and is a former police officer. Caltrider earned his bachelor’s degree in history and now reads anything he can get his hands on. He is also the creator of Pipes & Pages, a site intended to increase readership among enlisted troops. Caltrider spends most of his time reading, writing, and waging a one-man war against premature hair loss.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Coffee Or Die Photo
Get Your Viking On: The Exclusive 30 Sec Out BRCC Shirt Club Design

Thirty Seconds Out has partnered with BRCC for an exclusive shirt design invoking the God of Winter.

Grizzly Forge BRCC shirt
Limited Edition: Grizzly Forge Blades on an Awesome BRCC Shirt

Lucas O'Hara of Grizzly Forge has teamed up with BRCC for a badass, exclusive Shirt Club T-shirt design featuring his most popular knife and tiomahawk.

BRCC Limited Edition Josh Raulerson Blackbeard Skull Shirt
From Naval Service to Creative Canvas: BRCC Veteran Artist Josh Raulerson

Coffee or Die sits down with one of the graphic designers behind Black Rifle Coffee's signature look and vibe.

Medal of Honor is held up.
Biden Will Award Medal of Honor to Army Helicopter Pilot Who Rescued Soldiers in Vietnam Firefight

Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.

dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2024 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved