thumb|right| San Marco Regiment Insignia
thumb|right|250px|The ''San Marco'' parading in Roma, on 2 June 2007
The '''San Marco regiment''', located in in Brindisi, are the Marines of the Italian Navy. Until the middle  of the 90's it was called the “San Marco battalion”, it was later expanded because of the new geopolitical situation after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the increasing number of international missions.

== History ==
=== Beginnings ===

In the 19th Century the Italian navy contained small units of infantry trained navy sailors, who were permanently stationed on warships. These units were, however,  soon again dissolved. 

===WWI===
During Karfreit (October November 1917), to help stop the collapse of the Isonzo - front and during the retreat to Piave, forced the Italian general staff to get sailors from the warships to lower Piave against the German and Austria-Hungarian army. The Naval Brigade (Brigata Marina) was formed. After the end of war the grateful city lent a flag with Lion of Saint Mark to the soldiers organized into one regiment. The regiment was designated after patron the lagoon city Marina Reggimento "San Marco".

===Interwar===
Between the two world wars only a “San Marco battalion” existed. A special Unit of the Battalion was deployed to Shanhaikwan, China in 1924 and it stayed there until it was interned by the Japanese in 1943. They also saw service during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War.

===WWII===
In the Second World War again to the regiment rose to the occasion, it fought particularly hard at Tobruk and Tunisia, where it stubbornly defended the Mareth line in April/May 1943, the last positions  that the Axis forces in North Africa maintained. It should be recalled that it was the 3rd Battalion of the 'San Marco' Regiment that repelled the British Commando landings that took place at Tobruk on the night of 13/14 September 1942 aimed at retaking the town from the Italian garrison. The San Marco Marines were responsible for taking over 200 Royal Commandos prisoner on this occasion. The Regiment had expanded to seven battalions before the final desert battles in 1943, including one which was parachute (the Battaglione Nuotatori) trained in 1941. German General Hans-Jürgen von Arnim later said of the San Marco Marines' fighting abilities in Tunisia in 1943, that they were "the best soldiers I ever commanded." *[http://www.avalanchepress.com/Italy_marines.php]

From autumn 1943 to 1945 both the Allies and the Salo Republic had a San Marco Regiment. The battalions served as assault battalions or as anti-landing units.

The British raised a three battalion regiment which was deactivated after the war while the Germans created a San Marco Division (aka the 3rd Marine Division) for the Salo Republic in 1944.

=== Post WWII ===

On 1 January 1965 it was again set up as a battalion (Marina Battaglione "San Marco") in Venice with 750 personnel from both the navy and army.

During the Italian-Yugoslav tensions because of Tito in the middle of the fifties, asked Italy for the departure of this elite unit from Venice . Tito's opinion was that it served as aggressive instrument against Yugoslavia and was not necessary for the defense of Italy against Warsaw Pact. The battalion was then shifted to Brindisi in Southern Italy and was integrated completely into the Italian navy. 

In Venice the Italian army reconstituted its Lagunari troops. From 1982 to 1984 the battalion took part in international peacekeeping missions in Lebanon.

=== Today ===

Today the “San Marco regiment” consists of the Amphibious Battalion “Grado” and Support Battalion “Golametto” and contains approximately 1,500 soldiers. Together with the Logistics and Training Regiment “Carlotto”, a landing boats and helicopters, they can conduct assaults and landings. Also, if necessary the San Marcos can be reinforced by the Spanish marines and concerns themselves today particularly with international peace employments.

The San Marco regiment and the Lagunari were used together for the first time in operation UNIVERSITY-FELL after 2006 Lebanon war in a peacekeeping mission as the “Initial entry Force”, September 2006.

== Organization ==
thumb|right|320px|Structure of the command amphibious forces (COMFORSBARC).
*Naval Disembarkation Force
** San Marco Regiment 
*** Assault Battalion Grado ( Degree )
*** Logistic Battalion  '' Golametto ''
*** Naval Operations Company
*** Special Operations Company
** Carlotto Regiment
*** Logistic Battalion '' Cortellazzo ''
*** Battalion schools '' Caorle ''.
** Disembarkation Group 

=== Support Elements ===

The support elements of the regiment include a telecommunications centre, a coordination center for fire support, air observer and coastal defense forces belongs beside the staff.

=== Special Forces ===

Le '''San Marco''' est le nom traditionnel de la Force de débarquement italienne, qui relève de la Marina militare.
C'est l'héritier des traditions de l'navires d'assaut de type LPD qui sont la ''San Marco'', la ''San Giorgio'' et la ''San Giusto''. C'est la composante amphibie des Forces armées italiennes.

Elle porte le nom de saint Marc, le saint patron de Venise en remerciement de la ville pour ces fusiliers qui l'avaient défendue pendant la Première Guerre mondiale. Dans les années cinquante, la marine italienne se retire de la Vénétie.

Elle est stationnée à Chine pendant la révolte des Boxers).

Depuis le  1999, elle porte le nom de ''Forza da sbarco della marina militare'', structurée comme une brigade et qui comprend :
* le régiment San Marco ;
* le régiment Carlotto ;
* le groupe Moyens de débarquement (Mezzi da sbarco).
Le commandement de la Force est tenu par un contre-amiral.

Le régiment San Marco, commandé par un capitaine de vaisseau, est l'élément opérationnel projetable tandis que le régiment Carlotto assure le soutien technique et logistique ainsi que la formation.
Le groupe Moyens de débarquement, commandé par un capitaine de frégate, a la charge de fournir des engins navals mineurs qui permettent le débarquement et le transport entre les navires et la plage de débarquement.

Les deux régiments sont basés dans la caserne Carlotto.

La Force dispose d'une aire d'entraînement située sur l'îlot de Pedagne, dans la périphérie de Brindes.

La Force dispose d'environ 2 100 marins (dont 6 % d'officiers, 30 % d'officiers mariniers et 64 % de troupe).

Le régiment San Marco est composé :
* du bataillon d'assaut Grado
* du bataillon logistique (de combat) Golametto
* d'une compagnie d'opérations navales
* d'une compagnie d'opérations spéciales

Le régiment Carlotto est composé :
* d'un bataillon logistique Cortellazzo
* d'un bataillon école Caorle