Okla-homey
11/10/2006, 07:46 AM
Nov 10, 1775: Birth of the U.S. Marine Corps
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/5741/9999999999999999iwojimafi6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
On this day, 231 years ago during the American Revolution, the Continental Congress passes a resolution stating that "two Battalions of Marines be raised" for service as landing forces for the recently formed Continental Navy.
The resolution, drafted by future U.S. president John Adams and adopted in Philadelphia, created the Continental Marines and is now observed as the birth date of the United States Marine Corps.
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1492/99999999999999999999999gr3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Model of a Revolutionary War officer of Marines saluting. They wore green coats in that period.
Serving on land and at sea, the original U.S. Marines distinguished themselves in a number of important operations during the Revolutionary War. The first Marine landing on a hostile shore occurred when a force of Marines under Captain Samuel Nicholas captured New Province Island in the Bahamas from the British in March 1776.
Nicholas was the first commissioned officer in the Continental Marines and is celebrated as the first Marine commandant. After American independence was achieved in 1783, the Continental Navy was demobilized and its Marines disbanded.
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/8917/99999999999999flags1iq4.gif (http://imageshack.us)
In the next decade, however, increasing conflict at sea with Revolutionary France led the U.S. Congress to establish formally the U.S. Navy in May 1798. Two months later, on July 11, President John Adams signed the bill establishing the U.S. Marine Corps as a permanent military force under the jurisdiction of the Department of Navy.
Interestingly, those early shipborne Marines often wore thick leather "stocks" around their necks to guard against sword cuts when engaged in naval combat during boarding operations. Thus the enduring moniker for Marines: Leatherneck
U.S. Marines saw action in the so-called Quasi-War with France and then fought against the Barbary pirates of North Africa (on the "shores of Tripoli") during the first years of the 19th century. Subsequently, Marines participated in the 1847 Mexican War, especially the capture of Mexico City (the "halls of Montezuma.") Marines were present during John Brown's abortive attempt to end slavery in the pre-Civil War South when they stormed the building in which Brown's force was holed-up.
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8832/99999999999999999999902jr4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A battalion of the Marine Corps. Washington Navy Yard. April, 1864. This detail showing the Marine Band may provide the best available record of the instrumentation of the band at the time.
Since then, Marines have participated in all the wars of the United States and in most cases were among the first forces to fight. In all, Marines have executed more than 300 landings on foreign shores.
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9232/99999999999999999ii0709ze4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Landing craft air cushioned vehicles and landing craft utility ships ferry the Marine Expeditionary Unit and its vehicle and gear to the beach in Kuwait, July 6, 2004.
Today, there are more than 200,000 active-duty and reserve Marines, divided into three divisions stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Camp Pendleton, California; and Okinawa, Japan. Each division has one or more expeditionary units, ready to launch major operations anywhere in the world on two weeks' notice. Marines expeditionary units are self-sufficient, with their own tanks, artillery, and air forces.
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1567/9999999999999999285pxsecr7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
For 231 years, whenever Bad Guys need killin', or Americans need savin' --Marines saddle-up and git-r-done.
The motto of the service is Semper Fidelis, meaning "Always Faithful" in Latin.
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/3188/999999999999valormp8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Once a Marine, Always a Marine
As an aside, the word Marine should always be capitalized because it is a proper noun. Also, a cultural phenomenon among Marines relatively unique among them is the notion of "once a Marine, always a Marine." IOW, there are no former Marines. Just Marines. Except for Lee Harvey Oswald of course. That's a joke. Please don't kill me.:D
So, raise your glasses tonight as Marines around the world celebrate their birthday. They do so at birthday parties held wherever they are. Some are more formal than others, depending on the situation and the Marines available to celebrate.
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7656/999999999999marinelg4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A Marine gunnery sergeant and his lady at one of the hundreds of Birthday balls held around the world on the occasion of the Marine Corps birthday. Chicks dig Marines!:D
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/9571/99999999marinebdayta3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
An interesting tradition has evolved at these parties in which the youngest and oldest Marine present cut the cake.
The United States Marine Corps. They have been, and truly are, "Always Faithful."
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5403/insane7zole4.jpg
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/5741/9999999999999999iwojimafi6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
On this day, 231 years ago during the American Revolution, the Continental Congress passes a resolution stating that "two Battalions of Marines be raised" for service as landing forces for the recently formed Continental Navy.
The resolution, drafted by future U.S. president John Adams and adopted in Philadelphia, created the Continental Marines and is now observed as the birth date of the United States Marine Corps.
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1492/99999999999999999999999gr3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Model of a Revolutionary War officer of Marines saluting. They wore green coats in that period.
Serving on land and at sea, the original U.S. Marines distinguished themselves in a number of important operations during the Revolutionary War. The first Marine landing on a hostile shore occurred when a force of Marines under Captain Samuel Nicholas captured New Province Island in the Bahamas from the British in March 1776.
Nicholas was the first commissioned officer in the Continental Marines and is celebrated as the first Marine commandant. After American independence was achieved in 1783, the Continental Navy was demobilized and its Marines disbanded.
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/8917/99999999999999flags1iq4.gif (http://imageshack.us)
In the next decade, however, increasing conflict at sea with Revolutionary France led the U.S. Congress to establish formally the U.S. Navy in May 1798. Two months later, on July 11, President John Adams signed the bill establishing the U.S. Marine Corps as a permanent military force under the jurisdiction of the Department of Navy.
Interestingly, those early shipborne Marines often wore thick leather "stocks" around their necks to guard against sword cuts when engaged in naval combat during boarding operations. Thus the enduring moniker for Marines: Leatherneck
U.S. Marines saw action in the so-called Quasi-War with France and then fought against the Barbary pirates of North Africa (on the "shores of Tripoli") during the first years of the 19th century. Subsequently, Marines participated in the 1847 Mexican War, especially the capture of Mexico City (the "halls of Montezuma.") Marines were present during John Brown's abortive attempt to end slavery in the pre-Civil War South when they stormed the building in which Brown's force was holed-up.
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8832/99999999999999999999902jr4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A battalion of the Marine Corps. Washington Navy Yard. April, 1864. This detail showing the Marine Band may provide the best available record of the instrumentation of the band at the time.
Since then, Marines have participated in all the wars of the United States and in most cases were among the first forces to fight. In all, Marines have executed more than 300 landings on foreign shores.
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9232/99999999999999999ii0709ze4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Landing craft air cushioned vehicles and landing craft utility ships ferry the Marine Expeditionary Unit and its vehicle and gear to the beach in Kuwait, July 6, 2004.
Today, there are more than 200,000 active-duty and reserve Marines, divided into three divisions stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Camp Pendleton, California; and Okinawa, Japan. Each division has one or more expeditionary units, ready to launch major operations anywhere in the world on two weeks' notice. Marines expeditionary units are self-sufficient, with their own tanks, artillery, and air forces.
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1567/9999999999999999285pxsecr7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
For 231 years, whenever Bad Guys need killin', or Americans need savin' --Marines saddle-up and git-r-done.
The motto of the service is Semper Fidelis, meaning "Always Faithful" in Latin.
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/3188/999999999999valormp8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Once a Marine, Always a Marine
As an aside, the word Marine should always be capitalized because it is a proper noun. Also, a cultural phenomenon among Marines relatively unique among them is the notion of "once a Marine, always a Marine." IOW, there are no former Marines. Just Marines. Except for Lee Harvey Oswald of course. That's a joke. Please don't kill me.:D
So, raise your glasses tonight as Marines around the world celebrate their birthday. They do so at birthday parties held wherever they are. Some are more formal than others, depending on the situation and the Marines available to celebrate.
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7656/999999999999marinelg4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A Marine gunnery sergeant and his lady at one of the hundreds of Birthday balls held around the world on the occasion of the Marine Corps birthday. Chicks dig Marines!:D
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/9571/99999999marinebdayta3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
An interesting tradition has evolved at these parties in which the youngest and oldest Marine present cut the cake.
The United States Marine Corps. They have been, and truly are, "Always Faithful."
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5403/insane7zole4.jpg