Monday, November 10, 2008

Happy 233rd Birthday, U.S. Marine Corps!

From the U.S. Marine Corps press, in honor of their birthday:

The U.S. Marine Corps is the United States' military band of brothers dedicated to warfighting. The proud Brotherhood of Marines is guided by principles, values, virtues, love of country, and its Warrior Culture. This brotherhood of American Patriots has no song. Instead, Marine Warriors have a hymn. When The Marines' Hymn is played, United States Marines stand at attention. They silently show their pride in their fellow Marines, their Corps, their Country, their heritage, and their hymn.

The Marines' Hymn is a tribute to Warriors. Marine Warriors stormed fortress Derna, raised the American flag, and gave us "the shores of Tripoli." Marines fought their way into the castle at Chapultepec and gave us the "halls of Montezuma." Marines exist for the purpose of warfighting. Fighting is their role in life. They "fight for right and freedom" and "to keep our honor clean." They fight "in the air, on land, and sea." The Marine Corps is Valhalla for Warriors. U.S. Marines need no song. They have a hymn.

Ironically, no one knows who wrote the hymn, which was in widespread use by the mid-1800s. Col. A.S. McLemore, USMC, spent several years trying to identify the origin of the tune. In 1878 he told the leader of the Marine Band that the tune had been adopted from the comic opera Genevieve de Barbant, by Jaques Offenback. Yet, others believe the tune originated from a Spanish folk song. Whatever! Regardless of its origin, The Marines' Hymn has remained a revered icon of the United States Marine Corps for almost 200 years.

In 1929 The Marines' Hymn became the official hymn of the Corps. Thirteen years later in November 1942 the Commandant approved a change in the words of the first verse, fourth line. Because of the increasing use of aircraft in the Corps, the words were changed to "In the air, on land, and sea." No other changes have been made since that time. When you have attained absolute perfection, there is no need for further modification:

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 MARINES.

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.

7 comments:

Cynical Counsel said...

Each and every year I call my father, step-father, friends and family who have served on Veterans day. Please do so as well.

And, every year, my father reminds me that I missed the Marine birthday by one day. As an ex-army ground pounder that doesn't bug me too much, but maybe this year I will call dad on two days.

Thanks for the reminder Maggie.

TAHL

navyvet said...

Semper Fi....

Timothy W Higgins said...

Maggie,

I would like to share two quotes on the walls inside the Marine Corp Museum at Quantico that stuck with me during my last visit:

"At Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue."
Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz

"Come on you sons of bitches, you want to live forever."
First Sergeant Dan Daly, a Marine who twice won the Medal of Honor.

Chuck Greer said...

Tomorrow will be the first Veterans Day that I won't be able to call my Dad and wish him a happy Veterans Day, but last month he had a terrific military funeral. Happy Veterans Day, Dad. In other news, I am STILL STEAMED about a certain midwestern mayor who kicked the Marines out of Toledo. I walked with several of those who served and who walked in the freezing *ss cold ALL DAY to protest the treatment this proud branch of the service received here. Semper Fi. Happy 233rd Devil Dogs!!!

Cynical Counsel said...

Please call, write, e-mail or personally thank veterans and their families today for their service. Continue to support, defend and believe in our Constitution, and respect the office of the President.

TAHL

Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny) said...

Semper Fi Ladies and gentlemen, your service to the corps honors us and everyone back to our founding fathers!

JTB said...

Toledo has some fine Marine veterans in its company. Although, I cannot name them all, the formidable ones that come to mind are: Don Mooney, Korea; Bob Romaker, Iwo Jima; Don Elliott, a doc at Iwo Jima; Ted Jenkins, Korea; Tom Kaufman, Viet Nam, Desert Storm.

Walking among us are a host of younger ones that have followed and continued to distinguish the Marine Corps as those who have so costly before.

Look for the Marine Corps Emblem: The eagle, globe and anchor. It is affixed to many a car, truck, cap, jacket, and just about anything else that is still long enough people included.

Thanks to all those who have, do, and will bear the fine title of Marine!

Thanks Maggie and all those who have posted and read them.

Semper Fi,

J.T. Brooks

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