On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress resolved to create two battalions of Continental Marines for the War of Independence from Britain. In 1798, President John Adams signed the Act establishing the United States Marine Corps. The 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General John A. Lejeune, issued Marine Corps Order No. 47, directing that on November 10 every year, in honor of the Corps’ birthday, the Order’s summary of the history, mission, and tradition of the Corps be read to every command.
The Marine 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.
While the Marine Hymn is most often performed at a rapid cadence, there is a solemn and reflective version here.
Watch the latest Marine Birthday tribute from the Commandant here.
Visit our tribute to our resident Marine writers, “The Heroic Helle Brothers,” and a tribute to our favorite Patriot Post Marine columnist, Thomas Sowell.
Revisit our farewell to the last of the World War II Medal of Honor recipients, Iwo Jima veteran Woody Williams. Listen to this account from the youngest Marine recipient of the Medal of Honor, Kyle Carpenter.
Historic words from and about Marines:
“The Continental ship Providence, now lying at Boston, is bound on a short cruise, immediately; a few good men are wanted to make up her complement.” Capt William Jones, USMC (1779)
“A ship without Marines is like a garment without buttons.” Admiral David Porter, USN (1863)
“Come on, you sons of bitches-do you want to live forever?” GySgt Daniel Daly, USMC (twice a Medal of Honor recipient) (1918)
“Retreat Hell! We’ve just got here!” Marine Officer, Belleau Wood (1918)
“I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold.” 1stLt Clifton Cates, USMC (1918)
“You’ll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!” Capt Henry Crowe, USMC (1943)
“Casualties many; Percentage of dead not known; Combat efficiency; we are winning.” Col David Shoup, USMC (MoH) (1943)
“The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years.” SecNav James Forrestal (1945)
“Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.” Fleet Admiral Adm Chester Nimitz, USN (1945)
“The bended knee is not a tradition of our Corps.” Gen lexander A. Vandergrift, USMC (1946)
“I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the front, and there is not a finer fighting organization in the world.” Gen Douglas MacArthur, USA (1950)
“Don’t you forget that you’re First Marines! Not all the communists in Hell can overrun you!” Gen Lewis B. Puller, USMC (1950)
“Retreat Hell! We’re just attacking in another direction.” Gen. Oliver Smith, USMC (1950)
“You cannot exaggerate about the Marines. They are convinced to the point of arrogance, that they are the most ferocious fighters on earth – and the amusing thing about it is that they are.” Cpt Kevin Keaney, Chaplain, USMC (1951)
“The safest place in Korea was right behind a platoon of Marines. Lord, how they could fight! MGen Frank Lowe, USA (1952)
"I couldn’t leave without knowing I had every Marine with me. … I figured we would all stay in that valley forever or we would all walk out together.” Col Wesley Fox, USMC (MoH) (1970)
“Once a Marine, always a Marine!” MSgt Paul Woyshner, USMC (1970)
“Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in this world. The Marines don’t have that problem.” President Ronald Reagan (1983)
“I can’t say enough about the two Marine divisions. If I use words like brilliant, it would really be an under-description of the absolutely superb job they did in breaching the so-called impenetrable barrier…Absolutely superb operation, a textbook, and I think it’ll be studied for many, many years to come as the way to do it.” Gen Norman Schwarzkopf, USA (1991)
“I love the Corps for those intangible possessions that cannot be issued: pride, honor, integrity, and being able to carry on the traditions for generations of warriors past.” Cpl. Jeff Sornig, USMC (1994)
“Marines I see as two breeds, Rottweilers or Dobermans, because Marines come in two varieties, big and mean, or skinny and mean. They’re aggressive on the attack and tenacious on defense. They’ve got really short hair and they always go for the throat.” RAdm Jay Stark, USN (1995)
“For over 221 years our Corps has done two things for this great Nation. We make Marines, and we win battles.” Gen Victor H. Krulak, USMC (1997)
“We are United States Marines, and for two and a quarter centuries we have defined the standards of courage, esprit, and military prowess. … Marines are built through the ethos of struggle and sacrifice.” Gen. James Jones, USMC (2000)
“Marines are gung ho no matter what. They will all fight to the death. They are bad-ass, hard-charging mothers.” CPO Chris Kyle, USN (2010)
“Most of us that are alive are alive because of the actions of somebody else.” CWO4 Woody Williams, USMC (MoH) 2015
“In the Marine Corps, there is no individual effort, we’re all a big team.” Cpl Kyle Carpenter, USMC (MoH) (2020)
And finally, a collection of quotes from an exemplary Marine leader, Gen. James Mattis, which best sum up the USMC today: “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet. … There are some assholes in the world that just need to be shot. … Fight with a happy heart and strong spirit. … There is nothing better than getting shot at and missed. It’s really great. … I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you f-ck with me, I’ll kill you all. … You are part of the world’s most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. … The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears. … No war is over until the enemy says it’s over. We may think it over, we may declare it over, but in fact, the enemy gets a vote. … I’m going to plead with you, do not cross us. Because if you do, the survivors will write about what we do here for 10,000 years. … For the mission’s sake, for our country’s sake, and the sake of the men who carried the Division’s colors in past battles — ‘who fought for life and never lost their nerve’ — carry out your mission and keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world there is ‘No Better Friend — No Worse Enemy’ than a US Marine.”
And last but not least: “Find the enemy that wants to end this experiment (American Liberty) and kill every one of them until they’re so sick of the killing that they leave us and our freedoms intact.”
Join our editors and staff in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform and veterans — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coastguardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of American Liberty , and for their families. “Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
Semper Fi!
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Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776
Join us in prayer for our Patriots in uniform and their families — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way, and for our nation’s First Responders. Please lift up your Patriot team and our mission to support and defend our Republic’s Founding Principle of Liberty, in order to ignite the fires of freedom in the hearts and minds of our countrymen. Thank you for supporting our nation’s premier online journal of Liberty.
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