Edson Range

Edson Range is a firing range complex at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, near Oceanside, California. It is named for Marine Major General "Red Mike" Edson, "a World War II Medal of Honor recipient and a distinguished small arms marksman proponent."[1] This rifle-qualification complex is home to four of the largest firing ranges on the base.[2] The range became operational on August 21, 1964, the same day that Camp Calvin B. Matthews, in La Jolla, Calif., was closed and turned over to the University of California. Camp Matthews had previously been used for rifle training.[3][4][5]

Marine takes aim at Edson Range

While located at Camp Pendleton, Edson Range is organized as an annex of the MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot), in San Diego and serves as the rifle qualification range where Marine recruits receive field and rifle training during boot camp. Two weeks of marksmanship training followed by one week of infantry field skills take place at Edson Range,[6] which is known as "up north" by recruits and drill instructors alike (the Recruit Depot in San Diego being "down south"). The Crucible, a three- to four-day combat simulation with little food or sleep, also takes place here.[7]

Edson Range is also home to the "Swift Intruders", the U.S. Navy's Assault Craft Unit 5 who operate the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), and train on the Edson Range beaches and the adjacent Pacific Ocean.[8][9]

Recruit live fire training

Marine recruits undertake two different courses of fire while learning how to use the M16 series rifle. During their first week of weapons training (known as Grass Week), recruits learn in a classroom setting with instruction coming from a PMI (Primary Marksmanship Instructor). On the second week (known as Firing Week), recruits will go to one of the three KD (known distance) ranges to fire Table 1A, their first course of fire.[10] The three live fire ranges aboard Edson Range where Table 1 is fired are the "world famous" Bravo Range, Charlie Range, and Delta Range. The week after qualifying on Table 1 is spent on Alpha Range where the recruits will fire Table 2, which is the introduction to the Marine Corps' Combat Marksmanship Program.[11]

See also

References
  1. "MCB CAMP PENDLETON Tenant Organizations". www.mybaseguide.com. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  2. "HISTORY OF CAMP PENDLETON". Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  3. "Camp Matthews". www.militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  4. "Marine Corps News -> Pendleton Marines aim for new range starting Oct. 1". 2006-03-01. Archived from the original on 2006-03-01. Retrieved 2017-03-29.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. Levens, Lance Cpl. Jess N. (May 12, 2003). "Through the Early Years at the Depot". Marine Corps News.
  6. Droze, Rachel. "Transformation from civilian to Marine: Rifle Qualification". Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  7. Kovach, Gretel C. "Crucible - journey from civilian to Marine". sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  8. "MCB CAMP PENDLETON Tenant Organizations". www.mybaseguide.com. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  9. "EDSON". www.med.navy.mil. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  10. "Recruits learn the basic fundamentals of marksmanship". Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  11. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2010-06-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)


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