The United States Marine Corps's Advanced Base Force was a coastal and naval base defense force that was designed to set up mobile and fixed bases in the event of major landing operations within, and beyond, the territorial United States. Established in the beginning of the 20th century, the Advanced Base Force was the United States's first combined task force that was built on the concept of the Marine Corps's traditional role in expeditionary warfare. The slow development of the advanced base force played a significant role in the controversy over the removal of the ships guards in 1908—1909.
Relying on the full projection capabilities of their naval counterpart, the Advanced Base Force enabled the United States Navy to meet all the demands for its use of naval services within its own sphere of maritime operations. It also allowed independence, without the cooperation of the United States Army for troops and military supplies, for such force may not be available. The Advanced Base Force had been concluded by the General Board that one or two regiments were highly adequate in defending naval bases against cruiser raids and were able to land with thirty emplaced naval guns, high-angled field artillery, machine guns, infantry, and water and land minefields.
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