Jarheads in WWII: Why wasn't the USMC in Europe?

In World War Two, I have always wondered why the United States Marine Corps never fought in Europe. Why didn't the Marines take part in the Normandy or North Africa or Sicily invasions? Was it because they were fully committed in the Pacific theatre because of their rapidly deployable nature (which was perfect for island-hopping)? Amphibious landings are the USMC's forte, so why weren't they used in any major landings in the European theatre? Were they too valuable in the Pacific?

Jarheads in WWII: Why wasn't the USMC in Europe?ballet

There were some some Marines in europe...They advised on amphibious landings from what I remember reading somewhere.. I am sure sombody with more knowledge of Marine corps history will give you more info

Jarheads in WWII: Why wasn't the USMC in Europe?globe theater opera theaterThank You Report It


I thought they landed on the beaches at Normandy
The Marine Corps is the smallest branch of the military. You only have so many of them and they are best equipped for naval to ground warfare so the pacific theatre only makes sense. There were Marines piloting some of the landing crafts and acting as advisors and trainers in the days leading up to the Normandy invasion; however, the Army was the invading force and a highly effective one at that.
They did fight in europe.
you answered your own questions... rapid ops were vital and necessary to island hop... thus the marines were used... the cumbersome army units were better suited to slug it on the continent.... but remember one thing where ever the navy goes there are marines so keep in mind that they were involved in europe just not in numbers that they were in the pacific.. marines perform many different functions... they are not just expeditionary troops...
The Army and Army Air Corps had everything under control in Europe. The Pacific theater was primarily naval in nature. You sort of answered your own question (too valuable in the Pacific).
i think you answered most of your own questions.but lit me give ya a short history lesson.ww two in the Pacific was a navel war. the Marines are the fighting branch of the Navy. they where all ready highly trained in beach assaults. since the whole Pacific war consisted of taking hundreds of islands back from the Japs.who was better for the job. old Japs. have said, that when tha Marines toke the beach the island was lost. once they had taken an island and secured a base of operations, then the Army could finish mopping up, and it was off to the next island. so ya see, they pretty well had their hands full in the Pacific.