Brig. Gen. Edwin Howard Simmons, USMC (Ret.), served in the Marine Corps for thirty-six years, from 1942 to 1978, and is a decorated veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He also served the Corps for seventeen years as a civilian, including many years as Director of Marine Corps History and Museums. Brigadier General Simmons passed away in May 2007.Lt. Col. Charles P. Neimeyer, USMC (Ret.), began his twenty-year active-duty service as a Marine Corps officer, having held roles in all three Marine Corps divisions. He served as a strategic plans officer at Headquarters Marine Corps and was part of the White House staff for Presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton. After retiring in 1996, he became a professor at the Naval War College and later served as Director of Marine Corps History from 2006 to 2018. Upon completion of federal service, he received the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Civilian Service Award and the Marine Corps University Foundation Chapman Medallion. He is the author of War in the Chesapeake and editor of On the Corps. He lives in Stafford, Virginia.

“Brigadier General Simmons’s classic account needed an update, and Marine historian Charles Neimeyer was just the person to do it.  Neimeyer has enhanced the original work with new material, more historical context, more recent research, and helpful citations, ensuring that it will remain one of the most popular and reliable histories of the United States Marines.”—Col. Rod Andrew, USMCR (Ret.), professor of history, Clemson University, author of The Marines’ Fight for Survival: War, Politics, and Institutional Crisis, 1945-1952 “With the fifth version adding the Global War on Terror, this foundational classic continues to offer a timeless primer on the Marine Corps' history.”—Dr. Heather Venable, author of How the Few Became the Proud“In his conclusion to the 3rd Edition of The United States Marines: A History, legendary Marine and Historian BGen Edwin Simmons concludes with, ‘as the new century approached, it did not appear that the United States Marine Corps would be underemployed.’ Now the equally distinguished historian, Dr. Charlie Neimeyer, grabs the baton with this fresh, updated edition, exploring the human cost of the Corps’ extended commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq.  This timely book emphasizes the challenges of fighting while engaging with culturally different populations under duress and the indispensable role of positive leadership and tactical adaptation in these demanding campaigns.”— LtGen William J. Bowers, United States Marine Corps  “Simmons and Neimeyer present a comprehensive history that integrates major conflicts and institutional challenges into a coherent account of the Marine Corps’ development over nearly 250 years, demonstrating how operational experience and doctrinal innovation have continuously shaped the Marine Corps as a modern expeditionary force-in-readiness.”—Steven-Paul Lapid, USN (Ret.), DODReads, and author of Helm & Horizon: Daily Leadership Principles for the Motivated Sailor “The fifth edition of The United States Marines: A History by Edwin Howard Simmons and Lt. Col. Charles Patrick Neimeyer stands as the definitive single-volume chronicle of America’s amphibious force-in-readiness. Spanning from the Continental Marines of 1775 through modern conflicts, this Naval Institute Press publication demonstrates why certain military histories endure, comprehensive scope, narrative clarity, and institutional insight that respects both the Corps’ fighting traditions and its capacity for adaptation.”—Defense.info “This operational and institutional history is well organized and is remarkably detailed for such a broad account such that it will satisfy most readers, who will gain an appreciation of the nation’s Marine Corps and why its history is so inspiring.”—Seapower Magazine