Yearly Chronologies of the United States Marine Corps - 1987

1 January - The strength of the U.S. Armed Forces was 2,177,862, of whom 198,245 were Marines.

1 January - Marine Detachment, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) was activated at Norfolk, Virginia.

3 January - 27 March - Approximately 6,300 Marines and sailors from elements of the 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade participated in Exercise Alpine Warrior '87. The annual training exercise took place at Fort McCoy, Minnesota, and Volk Field Air National Guard Base, Wisconsin. It was designed to teach individual and unit arctic skills in preparation for cold weather contingency operations.

8 January - Medal of Honor recipient, General Christian F. Schilt, died in Norfolk, Virginia. Enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1917, he served with one of the first organized American air units that went overseas during World War I. In 1919, after being designated a naval aviator, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. While serving with Observation Squadron 7-M in Managua, Nicaragua, in 1928, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his daring rescue and resupply flights to the beleaguered Marine force at Quilali. During World War II, he participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign and the consolidation of the Southern Solomon Islands. Upon his return to the states, General Schilt commanded the 9th Marine Aircraft Wing, and later the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Korea during the Korean War. He later served as Commanding General, Aircraft Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. Prior to his retirement in 1957, the decorated aviator served as Director of Aviation at Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.

8 January - A CH-53E "Super Stallion" from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 crashed at the Salton Sea Test Range in Imperial County, California, killing all five Marines on board. Based at Marine Corps Air Station, Tustin, California, the helicopter was participating in routine training at the time of the crash.

12 January - The air station at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, was named Munn Airfield in honor of the late Lieutenant General John C. Munn during dedication ceremonies. A decorated aviator, General Munn served as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps between 1960 and 1963 and was then named Commanding General of Camp Pendleton where he served until his retirement in 1964.

14 January - An A-6E "Intruder" assigned to the Navy's Attack Squadron 128, Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Washington, crashed during a routine training mission near Naval Air Facility, El Centro, California. One Marine officer was killed and another was injured.

15 January - 6 February - More than 150 Marine and Navy marksmen from commands in Hawaii participated in the 1987 Pacific Division Rifle and Pistol Matches at the Camp Smith Training Facility. For the second consecutive year, Marine Aircraft Group 24 (MCAS Kaneohe Bay), made a clean sweep of the team awards. In addition to competing with the M-16A2 service rifle, the competitors were introduced to the 9mm Beretta pistol, which is scheduled to replace the Colt .45 caliber automatic. The matches were part of the Competition-in-Arms Program designed to enhance the combat marksmanship proficiency of the Marine Corps.

17 January - Two Marine officers were killed in the crash of an A-6E "Intruder" into the western Mediterranean Sea. The jet was attached to Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron 533 at Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina. It was operating off the Norfolk-based aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy at the time of the accident. As an outgrowth of the recent crashes, the Marine Corps' five all-weather attack squadrons temporarily grounded all older aircraft for a series of inspections.

23 January - Four Marines who were killed while serving on Marine Security Guard duty in El Salvador were honored in a dedication ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Four streets were dedicated, one each in honor of Staff Sergeants Bobby Joe Dickson and Thomas T. Handwork, and Sergeants Patrick R. Kwiatkowski and Gregory H. Weber who were killed in a terrorist attack at a sidewalk cafe 19 June 1985 in San Salvador, El Salvador. Major General Robert E. Haebel, Commanding General of Camp Pendleton, praised the fallen Marines in his remarks.

27 January - Charges were preferred against Sergea