Lightsped
Member
I was watching a TV show about Marines and they showed some Marines with a small bright red square on the front of their camouflaged caps (cover). What does the small bright red square mean?
USMC Uniform question
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UnknownSailor
Member
It is also on the trousers, at knee level outboard. As to what it means, no clue. I asked once, but I wasn't given a straight answer. After all, I'm just a sailor. 
MarineTech
Member
I don't remember the exact term for them, but they're Landing Support Specialists. They're in charge of making sure everything gets on the beach in the proper order and then is sent in the proper direction from there. The red flashes are to designate them as somebody that is to be listened to in a beach landing.
Archie
Member
They used to be called...
"Shore Party".
What Marine Tech said.
"Shore Party".
What Marine Tech said.
Snaps
Member
Actually kids, I believe it is now called TSB instead of LSB
Lightsped
Member
I was told that the red square means they are Combat Engineers? Strange thng, this is the first time I have ever seen this red square thing. Is it a new part of some USMC uniforms? I looked for a pic online, but was unable to find any pics of any Marine with this red square......
cookhj
Member
no, they're not combat engineers. that's what i do. marine tech is right. they're landing support specialists. the red patches are used because back during WWII there were men who got on the beach and decided that they didn't want to fight, so they would pretend that they were landing support specialists so they wouldn't have to go inland and continue the fight. so they decided to make the LSS guys wear a patch to designate who they were so pvt snuffy couldn't pretend he was someone that he wasn't.
MarineTech
Member
Here's a sight that a member of 4th LSB (Reserves) put up.
http://www.eskimo.com/~ktlange/storm.html
Some good info and if you look closely in some of the close-up pictures of the Marines, you'll see the red flashes on covers and on the outside of each leg at about knee height.
http://www.eskimo.com/~ktlange/storm.html
Some good info and if you look closely in some of the close-up pictures of the Marines, you'll see the red flashes on covers and on the outside of each leg at about knee height.
another okie
Member
Do they wear these patches all the time? It seemed like I saw some on that Marine Survival School show the other night, but obviously they were not hitting a beach in the mountains.
MarineTech
Member
Depends on the particular Marine in question. The flashes are required for landings and practice landings, but I don't believe that they must be worn all the time. Usually, they'll have 2 or 3 pairs of cammies with the flashes sewn on, and a couple without.
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