To all past and present Marines and members of the Marine Corps family, happy 234 years of service to our great country.
The Marine Corps dates from 10 November 1775, the day the Continental Congress authorized the formation of two battations of Marines.
The first Marine recruiting rendezvous opened at Tun's Tavern in Philadelphia, which is considered the birth place of the Marine Corps.
By early 1776, before the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Marines were ready to take the fight to the enemy and 234 Marines sailed from Philadelphia in Continential Navy warships. The mission was to take a British fort in the Bahamas and capture large supplies of munitions for General Washington's army and on 3 March 1776, for the first time in American History, the Marines had landed and the situation was well in hand.
Since the birth of the Corps, as the Marines's Hymm says,
"We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off northern lands
And in sunny trobic scenes,
You will find us always on the job-
The United States Marines."
And so to my brother and sister Marines, we few who have earned the title of Marine, as the end of our hymm proclaims, I offer this toast on our Corps birthday.
"Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we our proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines."
Semper Fidelis
Bob Haran,
USMC 1968-71
Once a Marine, always a Marine
No comments:
Post a Comment