July 25, 2023
Northern Watch: Marines and the Iceland Mission
Most people don't think of Iceland when they think about Marines in World War II. No battles, no amphibious landings, no dramatic last stands. Just a wind-battered volcanic island, frozen mud, sideways rain, and Marines pulling security in a place where the sun never set—and nothing ever happened. This episode dives into the forgotten deployment that tested morale more than marksmanship. We'll talk about the midnight sun landings, the endless working parties, and how Marines turned an unglamorous garrison mission into a blueprint for readiness. There were no medals for standing watch on a glacial ridge—but the small-unit leadership, the discipline, and the quiet grit these Marines showed laid the foundation for what came next in the Pacific.
References
- Bars in downtown Reykjavík ran out of beer serving thirsty US sailors and marines. (n.d.). Icelandmag. https://icelandmag.is/article/bars-downtown-reykjavik-ran-out-beer-serving-thirsty-us-sailors-and-marines?fbclid=IwAR0WclNelg-s7MtW8hti4zbQvKg7iUcds_wq_T4hXGOz58-GqzCLmtOti_Q
- Bittner, D. F. (1983). The Lion and the White Falcon: Britain and Iceland in the World War II Era. United States: Archon Books.
- Clifford, K. J. (1970). The United States Marines in Iceland, 1941-1942. United States: Historical Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.
- Fairchild, B. (1960). Decision to Land United States Forces in Iceland, 1941. United States: Center of Military History, U.S. Army.
- Forestry in a treeless land: Trees now cover nearly 2 percent of the country. (n.d.). Icelandmag. https://icelandmag.is/article/forestry-a-treeless-land-trees-now-cover-nearly-2-percent-country
- G. J. G. (2021). Iceland in World War II: A Blessed War. Iceland: Sæmundur.
- Kluger, M., Evans, R. J. (2021). Roosevelt and Churchill: the Atlantic Charter: A Risky Meeting at Sea That Saved Democracy. United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Books Limited.
- Matloff, M., Snell, E. M. (1953). Strategic Planning for Coalition Warfare, 1941-1942. United States: Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Grand_Alliance/tuHNCBDpQSQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover
- Milestones: 1937–1945 - Office of the Historian. (n.d.). https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/atlantic-conf#:~:text=The%20Atlantic%20Charter%20was%20a,U.S.%20and%20British%20war%20aims.
- Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, as Amended [1942].. (1942). United States: U.S. Government Printing Office.
- Wren, G. R. (1996). Iceland in World War Two: A G.I.'s Memoirs. United States: G.R. Wren.
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