On November 10, 1775 the United States Marine Corps came into being:
“Resolved, That two Battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one Colonel, two Lieutenant Colonels, two Majors, and other officers as usual in other regiments; and that they consist of an equal number of privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken, that no persons be appointed to office, or inlisted into said Battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea when required: that they be inlisted and commissioned to serve for and during the present war between Great Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress: that they be distinguished by the names of the first and second battalions of American Marines, and that they be considered part of the number which the continental Army before Boston is ordered to consist of.”
You cannot exaggerate about the Marines. They are convinced to the point of arrogance, that they are the most ferocious fighters on earth- and the amusing thing about it is that they are.
Father Kevin Keaney
1st Marine Division Chaplain
Korean War
Thanks for that Don.
This event occurred when I was nearly 3 yrs old, as my dad was being sent home on a hospital ship from the Italian theatre. My other recolection was the movie “Sands of Iwo Jima”, starring I think, John Wayne, which I saw in around 1965 ??
Sandy & I had the unique privilege of being invited to the anniversary celebrations of the US Marine Corps in Wellington NZ in 1971. A very good freind of my wife and I whom we were staying with while I was completing a contract there, had developed a strong freindship with several of the young marines stationed at the US Embassy. It was a very memorable evening, including the post formality beer and Canadian Club whisky, in vogue at the time.
I have a good friend who was in the NZ SAS back in the early 60’s, and after his service which included counter insurgency action in Indonesia during the Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia in the early 60’s, resigned the SAS and went to Vietnam and worked for the Americans there, initially flying choppers and C40 transports, then when the “gooks” got too accurate with thei weaponry, returned to a ground job working for an American transport company. Some of the stories he still tells of those days are pretty hairy.
But one thing Des was and still is very strong on, is that you never messed with the “leathernecks”. He came from a fighting unit that has an awesome reputation, but he still maintains, ” You don’t mess with a Marine.”
To know this man, this friend of mine, you would understand, that this is high praise indeed.
God Bless and keep the Marines.
Happy Birthday Marine Corps!
I remember watching a Vietnam documentary and the Viet Cong/NVA were told that in order to be a U.S. Marine you had to kill your parents.
That is hyperbole, but it represented the reputation the U.S. Marines had even among their enemies.
The Japanese said the same thing about Marines in World War II Tito. The Germans in World War I called them Devil Dogs.
Thank you for your comments Don! Coming from a Kiwi with your country’s proud military tradition, that is high praise. As for John Wayne, here is a story about how the movie the Sands of Iwo Jima helped save the Marine Corps.
http://www.tothepointnews.com/content/view/2297/2/
John Wayne wrote a short poem which summed up his love for the Corps:
I never knew that John Wayne’s birthday was May 26th. – that happens to be my birthday also. But not 1907, mine was 1942.
Catchy little poem 🙂