MARINE CORPS HISTORY

November 10, 1775 – Marine Corps Birthday 

Birthplace of Marine Corps – Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Marine Corps Emblem – Eagle, Globe and Anchor (Adopted in 1868) 

   Eagle – Symbol of our nation

   Globe – Worldwide service

    Anchor – Shows our naval tradition

Semper Fidelis - Marine Corps Motto - Always Faithful (In Latin) 

Marine Corps Colors – Scarlet Red and Gold

“Blood Stripe” - Red stripe worn on dress blue trousers earned by NCOs and Officers commemorating the bloodshed at the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War

FAMOUS MARINES

Capt Samuel Nicholas – First unofficial Commandant of the Marine Corps.  Led the first amphibious landing at New Providence Island, Bahamas in 1776. 

Capt Robert Mullen - First Marine Recruiter and owner of Tun Tavern 

William Ward Burrows – First official Commandant of the Marine Corps and created the Marine Corps Band

Alfred Cunningham – First Marine Aviator 

Archibald Henderson – The “Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps” (served for 39 years)

Opha Mae Johnson – First woman Marine (enlisted 1918)

John Phillip Sousa – Known as the “Bandmaster”  Made the Marine Corps Band Famous

President’s Own – The Marine Corps Band

Francis Scott Key – Wrote the Star Spangled Banner

Gen John Lejeune – 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps (Camp Lejeune named in his honor).  In his Death will he left instructions for the Marine Corps to read a Birthday message provided by him to be read every year at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball Celebrations. 

Cpl John Mackie – First Marine to win the Medal of Honor 

Dan Daly and  Smedley Butler – Only Marines to have received the Medal of Honor twice. 

John Quick - Received Medal of Honor for signaling cease fire while bullets passed over his head at Havana, Cuba

Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller – Only Marine to receive 5 Navy Crosses (most decorated Marine)

Cpl Kyle Carpenter – Last Marine known to have received the Medal of Honor in Iraq

Quatrefoil – Used to identify officers from ships riggings during the War of 1812

Lt Presley O’Bannon - Was presented the Mameluke Sword for the actions of his Marines in Tripoli.  A replica of the Mameluke sword is worn by all Marine Officers.

Marine Mascot – “Chesty” an English bulldog

MARINE NICKNAMES:  

“Leathernecks” – Name given to Marines because of the leather stock which they wore around their necks to prevent enemy sword slashes and to keep their heads erect.  The collar on the Dress Blue uniform symbolizes the leatherneck.

 “Devil Dogs” – (Teuffel Hunden) Name given to Marines by the German forces in World War I for their fierce fighting at Belleau Wood, France.

“Jarhead” - Given to Marines by the civilian sector because of their haircuts; because they say it looks like someone put a bowl on their head and just cut around the bowl.

FAMOUS BATTLES:

Mexican War (1848) Veracruz and Mexico City (Montezuma and Chapultepec)

Civil War (1861–1864) Union Soldiers fought Confederate soldiers over Slavery

World War I (1914–1918) Belleau Wood in France

World War II (1941–1945) Wake, Midway, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Saipan, Tarawa

Korean War (1950–1953) Inchon, Seoul, Chosin Reservoir

Vietnam (1965–1972) Hue City Khe Sahn 

Grenada (1983)

Beirut (1982 – 1984)

Kuwait (1990 – 1991) Desert Shield/Desert Storm

Somalia (1993) Mogadishu

Afghanistan (2001 – 2021)

Iraq (2003 – 2011)

The Bill of Rights – Defined as the first 10 amendments to the U. S. Constitution.

The Flag of the United States is known as “Old Glory” 

The original flag of the United States made in 1777 consisted of 13 alternating red and white stripes and a rectangular union with a blue background and 13 white stars. 

The colors represented in the flag signify the following: 

Red- hardness and valor (from our mother country)

White- purity and innocence (stars from the heaven and stripes representing Liberty)

Blue- vigilance, perseverance, and justice (background for a new constellation)

Freedom Documents – 

(1) Mayflower Compact – Nov 11, 1620 

(2) Declaration of Independence – July 4, 1776 

(3) Articles of Confederation – 1781 

(4) Constitution of the United States of America – September 17, 1787 

(5) The Bill of Rights – December 15, 1791

3 Branches of Government – Legislative, Judicial, and Executive 

Patriot – A person who loves, defends, or supports the ideals of their Country.