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Advanced Base Force
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<p>The <a href="/facts/United_States_Marine_Corps/J8JDlJG2">United States Marine Corps</a>'s Advanced Base Force (Advance Base Force in some references) was a <a href="/facts/Seacoast_defense_in_the_United_States/t1S3HeV0">coastal and naval base defense force</a> that was designed to set up mobile and fixed bases in the event of major <a href="/facts/Landing_operation/BzUYrbWs">landing operations</a> within, and beyond, the <a href="/facts/Territories_of_the_United_States/NYfp1J30">territorial United States</a>. Established in the beginning of the 20th century, the Advanced Base Force was the United States' first combined task force built on the concept of the Marine Corps' traditional role in <a href="/facts/Expeditionary_warfare/dz9YH99n">expeditionary warfare</a>. The slow development of the advanced base force played a significant role in the controversy over the removal of the ships' guards (Marines on Navy ships) in 1908–1909. </p><p>Relying on the full projection capabilities of their naval counterparts, the Advanced Base Force enabled the <a href="/facts/United_States_Navy/xYK0fUou">United States Navy</a> to meet all the demands for its use of naval services within its own sphere of maritime operations. It also allowed operational independence, without the cooperation of the <a href="/facts/United_States_Army/WACWBEK9">United States Army</a> for troops and military supplies, as such a force might not be available. The <a href="/facts/General_Board_of_the_United_States_Navy/mg9q0QDC">General Board</a> had concluded that one or two <a href="/facts/Regiment/cBBUAaKg">regiments</a> of the Advanced Base Force were more than adequate to defend naval bases against cruiser raids, and were also able to land with thirty emplaced naval guns, high-angle field artillery, machine guns, infantry, and water and land minefields. The Advanced Base Force is the ancestor of today's <a href="/facts/Fleet_Marine_Force/YMXgt13v">Fleet Marine Force</a>. </p>