1953 Topps Fighting Marines trading card consist of 96 cards divided into five categories. The set is a mix between actual photography and the pulp-style artwork that was popular at the time. The categories are as follows:
| # | Category | Image Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1-23 | Marines in Training | Photo |
| 24-48 | Marines in the Pacific | Paint |
| 49-70 | Marine Heroes | Paint |
| 71-90 | History of the Marines | Paint |
| 91-96 | Marine Uniforms | Paint |
This set was released in two configurations: single cards and dual-perforated cards which could be separated. Despite the packaging stating the title of this set as “Fightin’ Marines” (which would have paired with a pulp comic of the same name which was published between 1951 and 1984) the card backs are branded as “Fighting Marines” which has become the common nomenclature for this release.
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1953 Topps Fighting Marines Checklist
Base Set – 96 Cards
ACC# – R709-1
| 1 | Firing the Howitzer |
| 2 | On the March |
| 3 | Landing a Tank |
| 4 | Riding the Tank |
| 5 | Bayonet Practice |
| 6 | Firing Instructions |
| 7 | Night Combat |
| 8 | Obstacle Course |
| 9 | Flame Thrower |
| 10 | Storming Ashore |
| 11 | House to House Combat |
| 12 | Clashing Steel |
| 13 | Into the Surf! |
| 14 | Bazooka! |
| 15 | Communications Personnel |
| 16 | Woman Marine |
| 17 | Careful Aim |
| 18 | Mortar Sight |
| 19 | Automatic Rifle |
| 20 | Set for Action |
| 21 | Howitzer Crew |
| 22 | Throw That Grenade! |
| 23 | Light Machine Guns |
| 24 | Final Instructions |
| 25 | Take Off! |
| 26 | Scouting the Beach |
| 27 | Officer in Action |
| 28 | Pushing Forward |
| 29 | Get That Plane |
| 30 | Paratrooper |
| 31 | Jungle Wire |
| 32 | Wash Day |
| 33 | Rescue at Sea |
| 34 | Landing Signal |
| 35 | Rush for the Gun |
| 36 | Hit the Beach |
| 37 | Gunnery Sergeant |
| 38 | Supplies for Battle |
| 39 | Down They Go! |
| 40 | Battle for Tarawa |
| 41 | Into the Night |
| 42 | General A. A. Vandergrift |
| 43 | Iwo Jima! |
| 44 | Marine Fighter |
| 45 | Target Ahead! |
| 46 | Attack from the Skies |
| 47 | Back from the Front |
| 48 | Lowering a Bomb |
| 49 | The Last Moment |
| 50 | In the Face of Death |
| 51 | Forcing an Entrance |
| 52 | Dangerous Landing |
| 53 | Riding the Tail |
| 54 | Flying Leathernecks |
| 55 | Raging Sea |
| 56 | Into the Flames |
| 57 | Marine Engineers |
| 58 | Staying with a Pal |
| 59 | Bare-Handed Attack |
| 60 | Under Fire |
| 61 | Iwo Jima Hero |
| 62 | Single-Handed Battle |
| 63 | Life Saver! |
| 64 | Dead Shot! |
| 65 | Fearless Leader |
| 66 | Exposed to Fire |
| 67 | Dodging Bullets |
| 68 | Grenade Attack |
| 69 | Rear Guard |
| 70 | Saving the Wounded |
| 71 | From the Halls of Montezuma – 1847 |
| 72 | Against the Indians |
| 73 | World War I – 1917-18 |
| 74 | Boxer Rebellion – 1900 |
| 75 | Raiding the Bahamas – 1776 |
| 76 | Into Korea – 1871 |
| 77 | To the Shores of Tripoli – 1805 |
| 78 | Civil War – 1861-1865 |
| 79 | First Marine Aviator – 1912 |
| 80 | Spanish-American War – 1898 |
| 81 | Belleau Wood – 1918 |
| 82 | In the Philippines – 1900 |
| 83 | In the Caribbean |
| 84 | Sumatra – 1831 |
| 85 | Wake Island – 1941 |
| 86 | Solomon Islands – 1942 |
| 87 | Iceland – 1941 |
| 88 | Inchon – 1950 |
| 89 | Pusan – 1950 |
| 90 | Wonsan – 1950 |
| 91 | U. S. Marines – 1775 |
| 92 | U. S. Marines – 1805 |
| 93 | U. S. Marines – 1847 |
| 94 | U. S. Marines – 1861 |
| 95 | U. S. Marines – 1898 |
| 96 | U. S. Marines – 1918 |