Happy Birthday USMC

[Snigbert]

"On November 10, 1775, the 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. "


Marine Trivia:

Marines' Hymn. Whenever the Marines' Hymn is played or sung, all Marines rise to their feet and remain standing during the rendition of the music.

Serenading the Commandant. Commencing with the last New Year's Day of the Civil War, on the morning of 1 January of each year the Marine Band serenades the Commandant of the Marine Corps at his quarters and received hot buttered rum and breakfast in return.

Wetting Down Parties. Whenever an officer is promoted, he customarily holds a "wetting-down party." At this time the new commission is said to be "wet down." When several officers are promoted at the same time, they frequently have a single wetting-down party.

Wishes of Commanding Officer. When the commanding officer of a Marines says, "I wish" or "I desire," these expressions have the force of a direct order and should be acted upon as if he had given a direct order.

Now accepted by Webster as a synonym for Marine, the term "Leatherneck" was derived from a leather stock once worn around the neck by both American and British Marines--and soldiers also. Beginning in 1798, "one stock of black leather and clasp" was issued to each U. S. Marine annually.

In the Belleau Wood fighting in 1918, the Germans received a thorough indoctrination in the fighting ability of Marines which they could have used to forewarn their axis partner, Japan, in 1941. Fighting through supposedly impenetrable woods and capturing supposedly untakeable terrain, the men of the 4th Marine Brigade struck terror in the hearts of the Germans. The persistent attacks delivered with unbelievable courage soon had the Germans referring to Marines as the "Teufelhunden" meaning "fierce fighting dogs of legendary origin" or as popularly translated "Devil Dogs."

During the Guadalcanal Campaign, the following Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor:

BAILEY, KENNETH D (Posthumous) USMC 1st Marine Raider BN
BASILONE, JOHN USMC 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division
BAUER, HAROLD WILLIAM (Posthumous) USMC VMF-212
CASAMENTO, ANTHONY USMC 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division
DAVIS, CHARLES W. US Army 25th Infantry Division
EDSON, MERRITT AUSTIN USMC 1st Marine Raider BN
FOSS, JOSEPH JACOB USMC VMF-121
FOURNIER, WILLIAM G. (Posthumous) US Army 35th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division
HALL, LEWIS (Posthumous) US Army 35th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division
MUNRO, DOUGLAS ALBERT (Posthumous) US Coast Guard
SCOTT, NORMAN (Posthumous) US Navy
VANDEGRIFT, ALEXANDER ARCHER USMC Commanding General, 1st Marine Division

[Snigbert]

Most of this info comes from www.grunts.net

[Ron Saueracker]

Ever read "Fighter Squadron at Guadalcanal" by Max Brand. Tells the story of Bauer and VMF 121 from April 1942 to November 1942. Manuscript was written in 1943 but published in 1996. Really quite good.

Woohoo! 1000 posts since April 2002. What a bigmouth I am.