The
Marines helped win the Revolutionary War, and they were disbanded
after the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783. But the new nation
wasn't without Marines for long; in the 1790s the Marine Corps was
reestablished. One thing that early Marines did was to fight against
Barbary pirates along “the shores of Tripoli.”
This
battle of Tripoli is especially famous because of the Marines' Hymn,
the oldest official song of the US military. The song starts:
From the Halls of Montezuma, To the shores of Tripoli, We will fight our country's battles In the air, on land, and sea...
The
Marine Corps birthday is celebrated with a traditional ball, a
cake-cutting ceremony, and the singing of the Marines' Hymn. At the
ball, civilians (people not in the military) will wear “black tie,”
a phrase that means men in tuxedos and women in formal evening wear.
Those who are in the military will come to the ball in military
“dress” uniforms”
Marines: Evening Dress Bor Blue Dress A
Army: Army Blue (bow tie) Navy: Dinner Dress Blue Jacket or Dinner Dress Blue Air Force: Mess Dress
Did
you know...?
The
motto of the Marines is often stated as “Semper Fi,” but the
Latin is actually “semper fidelis.” It means “always faithful”
or “always loyal.”
Also on this date:
