When President Roosevelt ordered the invasion of Martinique, the United States had not yet entered the Second World War. The U.S. Marines had conducted amphibious training, but did not yet possess the ubiquitous ramped “Higgins Boats” used in landings in Europe and the Pacific. The Marines would have to come ashore in ships’ boats provided by the invasion fleet transports and escorting warships.

The Marines stormed ashore from their boats, unable to bring any heavy weapons with them. It didn’t matter much; the French had numbers but far less will to fight, and by mid-morning the invaders had secured their beachhead and nearby towns, but many of the French defenders escaped to fight again.