NOVEMBER 10

On this date in 1775, the United States Marine Corps was founded.  The Few, The Proud, The Marines!

President Eisenhower used this date in 1954 to dedicate the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery.  This memorial is the statue showing four marines planting our flag on Iwo Jima.  Iwo Jima is a little speck of an island just south of Japan where so many died in World War II.



Here are the lyrics of the Marine Corps Anthem.

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 to 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 should know that the Halls of Montezuma refers to a decisive battle the Marines won in the Mexican-American War in 1847 and the Shores of Tripoli refers to a decisive victory during the First Barbary War in 1805.  This was the first overseas land battle the U.S. took part in.  About 50 Marines and 500 mercenaries defeated 4,000 Ottoman soldiers in a 2-week siege.

Semper Fidelis  (Always Faithful)

o.o