With the Marine Corps celebrating its 250th birthday Nov. 10 and Veterans Day on Nov. 11, we look at the birth of the corps.
Continental Marines land at New Providence during the Battle of Nassau.
On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia passed a resolution stating that “two Battalions of Marines be raised” for service as landing forces with the fleet. This resolution established the Continental Marines and marked the birth date of the United States Marine Corps.
Serving on land and at sea, these first Marines distinguished themselves in a number of important operations, including their first amphibious raid into the Bahamas in March 1776, under the command of Captain Samuel Nicholas. The first commissioned officer in the Continental Marines, Nicholas remained the senior Marine officer throughout the American Revolution and is considered to be the first Marine Commandant.
The Treaty of Paris in April 1783 brought an end to the Revolutionary War and as the last of the Navy’s ships were sold, the Continental Navy and Marines went out of existence.
According to the U.S. Marine Corps History Division, from 1798 to 1921 the birthday of the Corps had been celebrated in July. On July 11, 1798, President John Adams approved a bill that recreated the Corps, thereby providing the rationale for this day being commemorated as the birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Marines saw action in the quasi-war with France, landed in Santo Domingo, and took part in many operations against the Barbary pirates along the “Shores of Tripoli.”
Marines took part in numerous naval operations during the War of 1812, as well as participating in the defense of Washington at Bladensburg, Maryland, and fought alongside Andrew Jackson in the defeat of the British at New Orleans.
Changing the birthday
In 1921, Major Edwin McClellan, Officer-in-Charge, Historical Section, Headquarters Marine Corps, sent a memorandum to Major General Commandant John A. Lejeune, suggesting that the original birthday on Nov. 10, 1775 be declared a Marine Corps holiday to be celebrated throughout the Corps. Major McClellan further suggested that a dinner be held in Washington D.C., to commemorate the event. Guests would include prominent members of the Marine Corps, Army, and Navy and descendants of the Revolution.
Motto
“Semper Fidelis” (“Always Faithful”) is the motto of the Corps. It was adopted about 1883. Before that there had been three mottoes, all traditional rather than official. The first, antedating the War of 1812, was “Fortitudine” (“With Fortitude”). The second, “By Sea and by Land,” was obviously a translation of the Royal Marine’s “Per Mare, Per Terram.” Until 1848, the third motto was “To the Shores of Tripoli,” in commemoration of O’Bannon’s capture of Derna in 1805. In 1848, after the return to Washington of the Marine battalion that took part in the capture of Mexico City, the motto was revised to: “From the Halls of the Montezumas to the Shores of Tripoli,” which was modified in the Marines’ Hymn.
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country’s battles
In the air, on land, and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine.
Our flag’s unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
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 tropic scenes,
You will find us always on the job
The United States Marines.
Here’s health to you and to our Corps
Which we are 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.
You can learn more about the Marines’ Hymn at the Marine Corps Band’s site here.
The official flag is scarlet with the Corps emblem in gray and gold. It was adopted on Jan. 18, 1939, although Marine Corps Order 4 had established scarlet and gold as the official colors of the Corps as early as 1925. The indoor/parade version is bordered by a gold fringe while the outdoor version is plain.
According to the Marine Corps History Division the emblem is a story related to the history of the Corps itself. The emblem of today traces its roots to the designs and ornaments of early Continental Marines as well as British Royal Marines. The emblem took its present form in 1868. Before that time many devices, ornaments and distinguishing marks followed one another as official marks of the Corps.
On June 22, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an Executive Order, which approved the design of an official seal for the Marine Corps. The order basically changed the eagle in the emblem from a crested eagle found all over the world to an American bald eagle. The anchor indicates the amphibious nature of Marines’ duties. It is a foul anchor (A foul anchor is an anchor with chain or rope around it symbolizing trails and tribulations of life at sea). It also has an image of the Western Hemisphere.
Sources: National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, The Associated Press, The American Legion, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Marine Corps History Division