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thedrifter
11-08-06, 07:06 AM
Exclusive: The Corps’ 231st Birthday
Col. Jeff Bearor (USMC, ret.)
Author: Col. Jeff Bearor (USMC, ret.)
Source: The Family Security Foundation, Inc.
Date: November 8, 2006

Happy Birthday USMC! Join FSM Contributing Editor Jeff Bearor as he looks back upon the history and traditions of the Marine Corps, and reveals what gift Marines want from you on November 10.

The Corps’ 231st Birthday
Col. Jeff Bearor (USMC, ret.)

On Friday 10 November in a thousand places around the globe and here at home Marines, former Marines, their families and friends will pause and celebrate the Corps’ 231st Birthday. It’s usually a simple ceremony, but for Marines it is laden with meaning.

A Marine cannot talk about the present or the future without remembering the past and all those millions of Americans who have earned the title Marine. At every Marine Corps birthday celebration a piece of cake (sometimes just a simple MRE cake from a plastic pouch) is given to the oldest Marine present then passed from the oldest to the youngest Marine there signifying the passing of knowledge and of responsibility for our Corps’ legacy. This simple act will occur this week many hundreds of times all over the world in places as different and distinct as the Grand Ballroom at the Washington Hilton, aboard US Navy ships at sea, at company outposts in Al Anbar Province in Iraq, and with Marine advisor teams in the mountains of Afghanistan.

At the birthday ceremony we read the birthday message from both the present day Commandant and that issued in 1921 by Major General Commandant John A. LeJeune. General LeJeune’s message says in part,

“In every battle and skirmish since the birth of our Corps, Marines have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term “Marine” has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue.”

“This high name of distinction and soldierly repute we who are Marines today have received from those who preceded us in the Corps. With it we have also received from them the eternal spirit which has animated our Corps from generation to generation and has been the distinguishing mark of the Marines in every age. So long as that spirit continues to flourish Marines will be found equal to every emergency in the future as they have been in the past, and the men of our Nation will regard us as worthy successors to the long line of illustrious men who have served as “Soldiers of the Sea” since the founding of our Corps.”

Again at this year’s birthday we find tens of thousands of Marines far from home carrying Freedom’s torch in tough fights against our nation’s foes. The vast majority of Marines (more than 72%) are 25 years old or less. Barely mature, they carry an awesome burden and responsibility to live up to the Corps’ near mythic legacy and to look out for the Marines on their left and right. That these young Americans continue to carry the weight and perform so superbly is a testament to their training certainly. But what is really striking is that our nation continues to produce young men and women of such high caliber and moral virtue. These kids who volunteer to be Marines could do anything they set their minds to; they are superb, as good as any men and women our country offers – yet they choose to serve you, their country, and each other before all else. What a great testament they are to the basic strengths of America.

A Marine’s greatest fear isn’t necessarily death. A Marine fears above all else that he or she might let down a fellow Marine or not live up to the legacy passed to Marines by the history of our fabled Corps. A line of dialogue heard early in the recently released movie “Flag of Our Fathers” says everything you need to know about the young Marines celebrating their Corps’ birthday this week, “Marines may fight for their country, but they give their lives for their buddies.” Remembering why we fight, and what we fight for is what the Corps’ birthday is all about.

Don’t for a minute think that young Marines don’t understand or follow the debates going on around the country about Iraq. They follow very, very closely because it is their lives on the line not those of the debaters. Despite the verbal clashes of politicians and pundits, these young Marines continue to serve with “distinction and soldierly repute” precisely because they believe in their country, their Corps, their mission, and each other.

Marines don’t need much encouragement to serve. They don’t ask for much either. In fact all they want is for us to acknowledge every so often their service. If you see a Marine this week, tell them thanks for their service and happy birthday. That will mean more to a young Marine than a chest full of medals. Happy Birthday Marines!


FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Col. Jeff Bearor (USMC, ret.) is a career Marine Corps officer, the former commanding officer of the Recruit Training Regiment at the US Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, SC, and has served as Chief of Staff, Marine Corps Training and Education Command, Quantico, VA.

Ellie

thedrifter
11-08-06, 07:10 AM
Happy birthday, Marine Corps
November 08,2006

Nov. 10, 1775, marks the birth of the United States Marine Corps, but the Corps’ birthday wasn’t officially celebrated until Marine Commandant John A. Lejeune, for whom Camp Lejeune is named, decided it was time to officially commemorate the occasion.Lejeune’s first birthday message, in 1921, says in part, “During 90 of the 146 years of it’s existence, the Marine Corps has been in action against the nation’s foes. From the battle of Trenton to the Argonne, Marines have won foremost honors in war, and in the long eras of tranquility at home. Generation after generation of Marines have grown gray in war in both hemispheres and in every corner of the seven seas that our country and its citizens might enjoy peace and security.”

Prior to 1925, when the first official birthday celebration was held, Marines in various locations around the world celebrated the Corps’ birthday with a dance or a ballgame or even a mock battle.

But 1925 was the year that saw the birthday ball cast in the tradition of today’s celebrations. Now, on the occasion of the Marine’s 231st birthday, many of those early events have become an important part of the birthday celebration.

Even more noteworthy than the birthday balls and ceremonies, though, are the additional accomplishments Marines can add to Lejeune’s list.

The former commandant had long given up the reins of command by the time World War II was fought with its history of fierce combat in the Pacific. Korea, a frozen wasteland that presented the Marine Corps with a unique challenge, was followed by Vietnam. Today, Iraq and the Middle East have become a priority for the Corps.

Commandant M.W. Hagee’s birthday message this year recognizes the unique role of Marines in modern history, as well as the past.

Hagee’s message says, in part, “This year’s celebration again finds many from our ranks, serving with distinction in harm’s way. As we have for the past 231 years, our Corps is answering the Nation’s call. I can report first hand that our Marines fighting on the front lines of the Long War on Terror are performing brilliantly, acquitting themselves with honor, dedication, and dignity in difficult and dangerous environments.”

Hagee also honors Marines stationed elsewhere, the sailors who serve with them and the military families who support them.

As a community with a large number of military families, no one knows better than Onslow County residents how vital the military is to the safety and defense of this nation. But it’s also recognized how much a stable and supportive home life can mean for the men and women who go forth to protect the freedoms enjoyed by this nation and its citizens.

The Marine Corps has been doing its job for 231 years, and it hasn’t missed a step.

Whether Marines are fresh young recruits or seasoned veterans, there’s no fighting unit on the face of the Earth more trustworthy, dedicated or honorable.

Happy birthday, Marines.

Ellie

thedrifter
11-08-06, 07:11 AM
Young Marine joins birthday ball tradition
November 06,2006
ANNE CLARK
DAILY NEWS STAFF

A month and five inspections later, his uniform is ready for the birthday ball. His noncommissioned officers made sure the fit was good and the emblems were placed correctly.

“If I was an NCO, I’d want my Marines’ uniforms to look more squared away than mine,” said Pfc. Joseph Christian. “I’d put them ahead of me.”

Christian was prepping for his first birthday ball Nov. 3; it’ll be his first formal event, outside of family weddings.

It’s been 231 years since the Marine Corps was born in a Philadelphia tavern. Legend has it that the bar’s owner was the Corps’ first recruiter.

In 1921, Gen. John Lejeune issued an order honoring the Nov. 10 birthdate; within a few years, different installations were celebrating the occasion — some with a formal dance, others with a battle re-enactment.

Today’s birthday ball is equal parts somber remembrance, proud reflection, and a real good party.

“I want to see what the whole ceremony is like,” said Christian, 23. “It should be an exciting time.”

His unit, Headquarters and Support Battalion, is having their ball at a Wilmington hotel. Christian and his buddies have planned post-party fun in Wilmington’s nightclubs.

But first he’ll make some memories: posing for a formal portrait in his service alphas (he’ll send pictures to his mother and his girlfriend back home); listening to the stirring military marches; hearing the Commandant’s birthday message.

Christian and the other guests will likely watch a short film linking Marines of history to those who are fighting today.

“I’ll see them and think, ‘How can I help them, my brothers out there?’” Christian said. He’s currently attached to Camp Lejeune, but could be deployed sometime during what he plans to be a 20-year career.

Since it’s a birthday celebration, there will be cake. Traditionally, the youngest and oldest Marines present get the first slices. Christian hopes to meet some of the veterans there.

“That’s going to be me one day, passing that knowledge on,” he said.

Christian liked the Corps for its camaraderie, something he witnessed in high school as a member of the Junior ROTC.

“There’s a brotherhood, a tight bond,” said Christian. “I could call someone at 3 a.m. to give me a ride, and a Marine would come.”

He’s the son of Indian immigrants who moved to the U.S. in the 1970s.

“They wanted something better for the family they were going to raise,” said Christian. They settled in New York.

He was driving to school in Staten Island on Sept. 11 when he watched the hijacked plane plow into the second trade center tower.

“I almost drove off the road,” said Christian. “That changed my outlook.” Lost for several hours in the chaos were one of his uncles and a cousin, but they were found safe.

Christian enlisted exactly nine months before the Marine Corps’ birthday — Jan. 10 of this year — because he wanted to do something better for his life, he said.

Though the music will be lively at the ball, and the women beautiful, the service members gathered there will remember those who will celebrate Nov. 10 from the desert.

“I’ll pray for the troops out there to get home safe,” said Christian. “I’d want someone to look out for me, too.”

Ellie

sgtrock1970
11-08-06, 08:34 AM
a little early but, Happy Birthday Brothers and Sisters

OLE SARG
11-08-06, 09:21 AM
I'll Second The Happy Birthday Brothers And Sisters!!!!!!!!!!
God Bless All Of You And Especially Our Brothers And Sisters In Harm's Way!!!!!!!!

Semper Fi,

FistFu68
11-08-06, 11:47 AM
:usmc: SEMPER~FI~THAT!!!LAND OF THE FREE~BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE :usmc: THE FEW~THE PROUD~THE MARINES!!! :iwo:

thedrifter
11-08-06, 02:02 PM
Marines run around Hansen to celebrate Corps’ birthday

By Cindy Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, November 9, 2006

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa — Running and Marines go hand-in-hand, say Marines with the 3rd Marine Division here, so what better way to celebrate the Marine Corps’ 231st birthday than with a division formation run?

More than 1,200 Marines hit the pavement early Tuesday morning for a 3-mile formation run around the perimeter of Camp Hansen.

Marines bused from Camp Courtney and Camp Schwab were ready to go by the time a 6 a.m. cadence rang through the air on a football field.

Once all were assembled, Division Sgt. Maj. Evins McBride addressed the runners: “This is meant to be fun. There should be no mental blocks of pain coming from your bodies.”

The run was intended for motivation, he said, and “I wish we could do this once a month.”

After running the Hansen perimeter, Marines headed to the United Service Organizations for a “Warriors Breakfast” of pancakes and sausages.

Running is a Marine Corps tradition, so it’s only natural to celebrate the Corps’ birthday this way, said Capt. Morina Foster, part of division staff.

Cpl. Vick Wang agreed with the weight of the tradition, but “I would rather do a field meet — pugil sticks and stuff like that,” he said.

But Lance Cpl. Glenn Stein said the event was the best possible way he could have celebrated his first Marine Corps birthday.

“This is something I won’t forget, and I’m looking forward to next year,” said Stein.

Ellie

thedrifter
11-08-06, 02:04 PM
U.S. Marines celebrate 231 years
The Town Talk

This weekend, the U.S. Marine Corps celebrates 231 years of continuous service to our nation. The celebration will occur everywhere Marines are on duty. Marines will hoist a glass to those who served before them and for those serving on the battlefield today.

Even Cenla will be caught up in this grand event, and Marines of our area will host celebrations complete with dress blues worn with honor. If you are a civilian and are invited to a Marine Corps Ball, you will be amazed by the pageantry. You will find a unique dedication to the Marine Corps, the country and our flag.

The birth of the U.S. Marine Corps and the 231 years of dedicated service is plenty of reason to celebrate, but there are other reasons, as well. Marine Corps Depot, San Diego, Calif., is where I became a man and took responsibility for my own actions. It was there I learned about respect for myself and my fellow man. I am not unusual; all Marines have similar stories to tell. Marines have a certain pride in the Marine Corps and their personal service. We trained hard to become Marines. We trained hard to be at the forefront in our nation's actions, and even in the later years, many of us stand ready to answer the call again.

When the Marines of Easy Company 28th Marines raised the American flag on Iwo Jima, James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy said, "The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years."

Those Marines simply raised a flag, yet to the world, a battle had been won; an enemy defeated. Each generation of Marines has distinguished itself through the blood and sacrifice necessary to preserve a nation. To say we are proud to wear the title, U.S. Marine, is an understatement. The U.S. Marine Corps will continue to protect and defend our nation. It is only right we celebrate our birth as a corps because it is also the birth of our own beginning.

If you see a Marine, thank him for his service. Let him know it is truly appreciated. Shake his or her hand and allow that single touch to be an honor. You are protected by the few, the proud, the U.S. Marines.

Kenneth Clark
Natchitoches, La.

thedrifter
11-08-06, 02:09 PM
Camp Hansen Marines on birthday run

By Cindy Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, November 9, 2006

More than 1,200 Marines hit the pavement early Tuesday morning for a 3-mile division formation run around the perimeter of Camp Hansen, Okinawa, to celebrate the Corps’ 231st birthday in fitting Marine fashion ("Marines run around Hansen to celebrate Corps’ birthday").

www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=41357

Ellie

6yrforMar
11-08-06, 03:05 PM
Happy Birthday Brother and Sister Marines a few days early.By the way anyone who lives in or near Philly should know about the annual Marine Corps.Birthday Bash at Cookes bar in South Philly.Its a Blast! Semper Fi

thedrifter
11-08-06, 06:55 PM
11/08/06
The Marine Corps Celebrates It's 231st Birthday
A branch of our Military is soon going to be another year older.

Marines at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort held a special celebration Wednesday to mark the Marine Corps 231st Birthday coming up this Friday.

As part of the traditional ceremony, the Commanding Officer cut two pieces of cake. One for the oldest and the other for the youngest Marine at the Air Station. A celebration, Marines cherish.

"It's a time when I get to sit back and reflect on everyone that's came before me, striving to be like they were and be the best I can be," said Cpl Kyle Taylor.

Marines on Parris Island and throughout the globe will also be taking time out to celebrate the Corps Birthday. In fact, besides the cake cutting ceremony, marines also hold balls.

Reported by: Jaime Dailey, jdailey@wtoc.com

http://wtoc.images.worldnow.com/images/5652860_BG1.jpg

thedrifter
11-08-06, 07:04 PM
The few, the proud

Ken Elliott, Boiling Springs
Published November 7, 2006

On Friday, the United States Marine Corps will celebrate 231 years of serving this nation. Marines everywhere will toast those who served before and those who are in battle today.

In cities everywhere, the birthday celebration culminates months of preparation. Our Marines will host celebrations wearing dress blues. If you are invited to a Marine Corps Ball, enjoy the pageantry of this observance. Proudly observe men and women dedicated to their country and the Marine Corps.

The Marine Corps birthday and centuries of dedicated service are reasons to celebrate, but others exist. At Parris Island, I was reborn. There I became a man and took responsibility for my own actions. There I learned respect for myself and my fellow man.

I'm not unusual; all Marines experience this. Marines exhibit pride in their service to the Marine Corps. We trained hard to become Marines. We are proud to be first in our nation's actions, and many stand ready if called again.

From Iwo Jima to Saigon to Baghdad, each Marine generation distinguished itself by sacrificing to preserve a nation. Saying we are proud to be United States Marines is understated because we forever defend our nation.

If you see a Marine in uniform or a veteran displaying the Marine symbol, thank him. Give him reason to walk proudly, knowing your appreciation. Shake his or her hand, and make that touch an honor. You're protected by the few, the proud, the Marines.

Ellie

semperfiman
11-08-06, 09:59 PM
happy birthday to the Corps and us Semper Fi

eniram
11-09-06, 06:50 AM
Happy 231st Birthday Marines.
Photos of CMC cutting cake at Bethesda Naval Hospital at http://www.oohrah.net under photograph links. Enjoy!
Semper Fi
Don

maspotente2
11-09-06, 06:58 AM
Happy Birthday MArines!

thedrifter
11-09-06, 07:56 AM
Marines celebrate another birthday <br />
Published Thursday November 9 2006 <br />
By AMY RIGARD <br />
The Beaufort Gazette <br />
<br />
George Papciak said he used to joke with people, telling them that his mother wouldn't...

thedrifter
11-09-06, 07:57 AM
On their holiday, Marines have a ball <br />
Published Thursday November 9 2006 <br />
By LORI YOUNT <br />
The Beaufort Gazette <br />
<br />
A Marine Corps Birthday Ball is where precise military ceremony meets prom night...

Old Marine
11-09-06, 08:15 AM
"Happy Birthday" to all Marines and give them hell wherever you are.

thedrifter
11-09-06, 08:18 AM
Happy semper fi, Marines
By GEOFF OLDFATHER
Martin County columnist
November 9, 2006

This is about Marines and the birthday they all share.

Friday is the 231st birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps. Marines around the world will commemorate the date in 1775 when the Continental Congress authorized the raising of two battalions of Marines for the Continental service.

For Marines, it's one of the most important dates on the calendar.

I thought a good way to recognize a birthday most Americans aren't aware of would be to talk to a couple of local Marines: Staff Sgt. Alex Caraballo, 30, of Palm City, and retired Marine Ron Stark, of Hobe Sound.

Caraballo is a member of the 4th ANGLICO Marines and has done a tour of duty in Iraq.

Stark fought in Korea in 1951-52. He's a member of the Marine Corps League, Martin County, Detachment 1045.

Caraballo's is one of the few Marine units whose members are "jump qualified," or trained to jump out of airplanes.

Their unique mission often puts them behind enemy lines as scouts and to call in naval artillery and air support to support Marines on the ground. ANGLICO stands for "Air/Naval Gunfire Liaison Company," and the 4th ANGLICO is based in West Palm Beach.

"I went to Iraq in Sept. of '03 as a scout observer," Caraballo said.

He was part of a squad of seven Marines supporting a 300-man Polish unit that was part of the multi-national deployment at the time.

Caraballo, a Marine reservist, has been married three years. He and his wife, Angelica, have a 2-month-old daughter, Jasmine. He works full time as a firefighter-paramedic for Palm Beach Gardens — unless he's called up for duty. It could happen again at any time.

"Our mission was to observe and provide fire support for the Polish units," Caraballo said. "We would go out in front of them or way ahead of them when they were patrolling. We were the eyes to find the enemy, any danger areas and would radio back to let them know what was there.

"We took fire, luckily not too many times. Most of the time it was in our own camp. We'd be mortared or most of the time it was RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) fired at us."

Stark joined the Marines when he was 19, went through boot camp and was sent directly to Korea.

"I became an engineer because when I got over there the engineer battalions, they were taking 75 percent casualties going through the 'Punch Bowl,' that was a battle over there," Stark said.

At one point he was digging up mines.

"After that I became an electrician running generators and up on the line with a spotlight unit. We'd shine the lights up on the clouds so they'd reflect back down on the enemy so we could shoot them," Stark said.

Stark and Caraballo haven't met, but they have a bond that makes them brothers: the bond of being Marines.

"Talk to any Marine whether he was World War II or Korea or Vietnam, whatever. It's an immediate bond," Caraballo said. "The birthday? It's a time to recognize the traditions of the Corps, think of the sacrifices Marines before you have made."

Stark put it this way.

"The Corps birthday is more important than my own," he said. "Once a Marine, always a Marine. It's a union that's absolutely unbelievable."

Semper Fi.

Martin County columnist Geoff Oldfather can be reached at (772) 221-4217 or geoff.oldfather@scripps.com.

MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY

• Formal commemoration of the birthday of the Marine Corps began on Nov. 10, 1921.

• The date was chosen because on that day in 1775 the Second Continental Congress resolved to raise two battalions of Continental Marines.

Ellie

thedrifter
11-09-06, 10:13 AM
Happy Birthday Marines!

Tun Tavern: (excerpt from Warrior Culture of the U.S. Marines, copyright 2001 Marion F. Sturkey)

Ask any Marine. Just ask. He will tell you that the Marine Corps was born in Tun Tavern on 10 November 1775. But, beyond that the Marine's recollection for detail will probably get fuzzy. So, here is the straight scoop:

In the year 1685, Samuel Carpenter built a huge "brew house" in Philadelphia. He located this tavern on the waterfront at the corner of Water Street and Tun Alley. The old English word tun means a cask, barrel, or keg of beer. So, with his new beer tavern on Tun Alley, Carpenter elected to christen the new waterfront brewery with a logical name, Tun Tavern.

Tun Tavern quickly gained a reputation for serving fine beer. Beginning 47 years later in 1732, the first meetings of the St. John's No. 1 Lodge of the Grand Lodge of the Masonic Temple were held in the tavern. An American of note, Benjamin Franklin, was its third Grand Master. Even today the Masonic Temple of Philadelphia recognizes Tun Tavern as the birthplace of Masonic teachings in America.

Roughly ten years later in the early 1740s, the new proprietor expanded Tun Tavern and gave the addition a new name, "Peggy Mullan's Red Hot Beef Steak Club at Tun Tavern." The new restaurant became a smashing commercial success and was patronized by notable Americans. In 1747 the St. Andrews Society, a charitable group dedicated to assisting poor immigrants from Scotland, was founded in the tavern.

Nine years later, then Col. Benjamin Franklin organized the Pennsylvania Militia. He used Tun Tavern as a gathering place to recruit a regiment of soldiers to go into battle against the Indian uprisings that were plaguing the American colonies. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and the Continental Congress later met in Tun Tavern as the American colonies prepared for independence from the English Crown.

On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress commissioned Samuel Nicholas to raise two Battalions of Marines. That very day, Nicholas set up shop in Tun Tavern. He appointed Robert Mullan, then the proprietor of the tavern, to the job of chief Marine Recruiter -- serving, of course, from his place of business at Tun Tavern. Prospective recruits flocked to the tavern, lured by (1) cold beer and (2) the opportunity to serve in the new Corps of Marines. So, yes, the U.S. Marine Corps was indeed born in Tun Tavern. Needless to say, both the Marine Corps and the tavern thrived during this new relationship.

Tun Tavern still lives today. And, Tun Tavern beer is still readily available throughout the Philadelphia area. Further, through magazines it is advertised to Marines throughout the world.

Ellie

mike christy
11-09-06, 07:21 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL WHO SERVED BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER MY TIME IN THE CORPS.
SEMPER FI

artymarine
11-09-06, 07:54 PM
''It's a funny thing, but, as years go by, I think you appreciate more and more what a great thing it was to be a United States Marine...I am a U.S. Marine and I'll be one till I die.''
Ted Williams, Baseball Hall of Famer...U.S. Marine

Semper Fi My Brothers

BigPhil
11-09-06, 10:18 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES

Semper Fi

Rowdy1948
11-09-06, 11:03 PM
Happy Birthday Marines!! And Semper Fi.

RLeon
11-09-06, 11:59 PM
Happy Birthday, Semper Fidelis.

Ploft
11-10-06, 04:28 AM
Happy Birthday Marines

Ploft

Sharri
11-10-06, 04:50 AM
Happy Birthday sister & brother Marines!!!

yellowwing
11-10-06, 06:03 AM
To every Marine in every clime and place,

To every Marine still carrying a gun,

To every Marine gone on to guarding Heavens scenes,

Happy Birthday United State Marines!

tntmondy
11-10-06, 06:11 AM
Happy Birthday Devil Dogs

helen25
11-10-06, 06:16 AM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all Marines and happy birthday dad i love you and miss you you were /are one proud Marine Semper Fidelis in loving memory helen

Butskie51
11-10-06, 06:39 AM
Happy 231 yrs of oohraah and a-- kicking butt, everyone!!!
Dan Fischer

thedrifter
11-10-06, 06:41 AM
Pendleton Marines celebrate Corps' 231st birthday

By: SHANNON WINGARD - For the North County Times

The Marines at Camp Pendleton kicked off their 231st birthday celebration a day early Thursday with a color guard, a symbolic cake-cutting ceremony, and a traditional pageant featuring period uniforms.

The Marine Corps was established Nov. 10, 1775. Hundreds of Marines wearing camoflage or dress blue uniforms, veterans, family members and other guests attended Thursday's celebration, which detailed the long history of Marine Corps tradition.

For the pageant, men and women wore period Marine uniforms ---- from the Revolutionary War to the Iraq war ---- and gave a firsthand description of the history of that period.

Their stories illustrated how the Marine Corps grew to six divisions and five air wings in 1941, and how women, or "Marinettes," were approved to enlist during World War I. Other stories highlighted facts like the first woman to serve in a "combat theater" in 1967 and how the Marines earned the "First to Fight" slogan.

Afterward, Brig. Gen. Mark Bircher, the senior ranking Marine at the ceremony, said the "pageant members tell us about change ---- change in weapons and change in uniforms."

However, he said some things haven't changed throughout the years, including the Marine characteristics of "honor, courage, commitment and duty."

Other Marine traditions Thursday included a symbolic cake-cutting ceremony, with the first piece given to Bircher, the honored guest. The next pieces were given to the oldest active-duty Marine and the youngest, respectively, as is a part of the tradition.

According to Sgt. Major Wayne Bell, who enlisted in the Marines in 1977, the pageant is a way to "preserve our history."

"We love tradition in the Marine Corps," he said.

Robert Murlless, 58, a chief warrant officer, was honored as the oldest Marine at the pageant. He said being a Marine today is "the same, exactly the same" as when he enlisted in 1966.

As the youngest Marine, Pfc. Todd Kelly, 18, said the pageant highlighted the actions of many people who preceded him.

"It is an honor to be surrounded by this. There is a lot of history," said Kelly, who will deploy to Iraq for the first time next year. "It definitely shows me how much I have to represent to uphold the whole history of the Marine Corps."

Anthony Arrum, a member of the local Chapter 493 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, said the pageant helped him reminisce of his years as an active-duty Marine.

"It brings back memories," said Arrum, who retired as a gunnery sergeant in 1981. "I have been on that field many times in formation."

http://www.nctimes.com/content/articles/2006/11/10/news/top_stories/21_30_8211_9_06.jpg

Colonel James B. Seaton III cuts the birthday cake with his sword as part of the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and the I Marine Expeditionary Force Birthday Pageant.
JOHN KOSTER For The North County Times

Ellie

Happy Birthday Marines!

thedrifter
11-10-06, 06:44 AM
Thursday, November 9, 2006
Happy Birthday Marines Headquarters Battalion Cake Cutting Ceremony
Answering the Nation’s Call: Marines Celebrate their 231st Birthday

‘‘All Marines are making a difference,” said the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Michael W. Hagee during his Marine Corps Birthday message. ‘‘Regardless of where you are serving, you are adding new chapters to the legacy that was earned with sweat and blood on old battlefields.”

Today the Marine Corps celebrated 231 years of service to the United States of America. Headquarters Battalion (HQBN) Marines celebrated their birthday with the Headquarters Battalion Enlisted and Officer Marine Corps’ Balls held Nov. 3 and 4, respectively.

The enlisted ball was held at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City Arlington, Va. and the officer’s ball was held at the Hilton, Washington, D.C. Marines brought their families and significant others out to celebrate the momentous event.

‘‘The ball is a celebration of 231 years of honorable, faithful service to our country and to our Corps,” said HQBN Sergeant Major, Sgt. Maj. William Small. ‘‘This celebration represents those who have gone before us and those fighting today. Our birthday shows that our Corps has stood the test of time.”

The enlisted and officer ceremonies presented Marines in uniforms dating back to earlier battles, a sword detail, the presentation of the colors and the traditional Cake Cutting Ceremony.

At the enlisted ball the uniform pageant displayed all the Marine uniforms dating back from the Revolutionary War to present day.

‘‘It felt great [to be apart of the uniform pageant],” said Cpl. Norma Parker, HQBN Warehouse Clerk. ‘‘I was able to represent for the female Marines. It was a moment to remember.”

Parker was in the Persian Gulf uniform.

Staying with tradition, the cake was rolled in while Marines stood at attention. The Cake Cutting Ceremony symbolizes the unity of the old with the young, the passing on of our Marine heritage from one generation to the next. It also represents that the Marines of the future will always remain faithful to the high standards set by those who came before them and that the senior Marines will never lose sight of the youthful spirit of the Marine Corps. The cake cutting ceremony was originally formalized at the Marine Barracks in Philadelphia, Nov. 10, 1925. During the cake cutting, the guest of honor is served the first piece of cake followed by the oldest Marine who then passes it to the youngest Marine.

The guest of honor at the enlisted ball was the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. John L. Estrada and the officer’s ball honored guest was U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

‘‘I thought [the ball] was good,” said Retired Affairs Officer 1stLt. Larry Ward (Ret.) who attended the enlisted ball. ‘‘I enjoyed being around the Marines, they may be a couple of generations behind me but it was still a great occasion.”

Although Marines are ‘‘Answering the Nation’s Call” they still take time to celebrate and honor the tradition of the Marine Corps and their birthday.

Happy Birthday Marines!!!

Ellie

Osotogary
11-10-06, 06:45 AM
It's your day..enjoy the h*ll out of it!
Gary

rb1651
11-10-06, 06:54 AM
Happy Birthday, Marines!!!

jryanjack
11-10-06, 07:25 AM
Happy Birthday Marines!

Dave Coup
11-10-06, 07:33 AM
Happy Birthday Brothers and Sisters. Let's pray for those in harms way and never forget our fallen.

Semper Fidelis

Dave Coup

GunnyL
11-10-06, 08:09 AM
Just wanted to login here at BWI on my way to Cleveland for business to wish all of my Brothers and Sisters on Leatherneck a Happy Birthday! May we all take time to reflect on the sacrifices of those who came before us and the sacrifices of our brothers and sisters in harms way today!
God Bless you all and best wishes on this our 231st!

Hobson
11-10-06, 08:31 AM
Semper Fi,

Happy birthday Marine Corps, and all Marines. Enjoy your day, we all earned it. Long live the Corps.

thedrifter
11-10-06, 08:32 AM
November 08, 2006
Birthday message from Navy Secretary Donald Winter

The following is this year’s birthday message by Navy Secretary Donald Winter

On 10 November 1775, the Second Continental Congress established two battalions of Marines that have since grown to become your Marine Corps. Today, as we fight the war on terror, we are fortunate to have such a force on our side. Your maxim, no greater friend, no worse enemy, is demonstrated daily in towns and villages across every region of Iraq and Afghanistan and across the globe.

Because of your commitment, those waging a terrorist war against the United States simply will not succeed in their aims.

Your courage, your iron will, and your indomitable spirit are an inspiration to all patriotic Americans. On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for your service. You are engaged in a noble and worthy endeavor, and your sacrifices keep our country safe. I am honored to serve as your secretary.

Semper Fidelis.

The Donald C. Winter, secretary of the Navy.

SDP mom
11-10-06, 08:33 AM
Happy Birthday USMC !!!!

jaxson
11-10-06, 08:40 AM
Happy Birthday to all of our brothers and sisters that have earned the right to be called Marines.

This morning I went to visit the Marine Corps and Navy Corpsman Memorial at Evergreen Cemetary that was placed on 10 Nov 2004 by the Jacksonville Semper Fidelis Society. I have passed this cemetary probably every day, but it was just until recently that I found out that this was even there. Thank you to Jesse Vaughn for passing that info to me via Mrs. Vaughn. It will be my duty and honor to spread the word that it is there.

Now let's drink! We have a tradition to uphold!

thedrifter
11-10-06, 08:50 AM
The Corps’ 231st Birthday
Family Security Matters ^ | 8 NOV 2006 | Col. Jeff Bearor (USMC, ret.)

On Friday 10 November in a thousand places around the globe and here at home Marines, former Marines, their families and friends will pause and celebrate the Corps’ 231st Birthday. It’s usually a simple ceremony, but for Marines it is laden with meaning.

A Marine cannot talk about the present or the future without remembering the past and all those millions of Americans who have earned the title Marine. At every Marine Corps birthday celebration a piece of cake (sometimes just a simple MRE cake from a plastic pouch) is given to the oldest Marine present then passed from the oldest to the youngest Marine there signifying the passing of knowledge and of responsibility for our Corps’ legacy. This simple act will occur this week many hundreds of times all over the world in places as different and distinct as the Grand Ballroom at the Washington Hilton, aboard US Navy ships at sea, at company outposts in Al Anbar Province in Iraq, and with Marine advisor teams in the mountains of Afghanistan.

At the birthday ceremony we read the birthday message from both the present day Commandant and that issued in 1921 by Major General Commandant John A. LeJeune. General LeJeune’s message says in part,

“In every battle and skirmish since the birth of our Corps, Marines have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term “Marine” has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue.”

“This high name of distinction and soldierly repute we who are Marines today have received from those who preceded us in the Corps. With it we have also received from them the eternal spirit which has animated our Corps from generation to generation and has been the distinguishing mark of the Marines in every age. So long as that spirit continues to flourish Marines will be found equal to every emergency in the future as they have been in the past, and the men of our Nation will regard us as worthy successors to the long line of illustrious men who have served as “Soldiers of the Sea” since the founding of our Corps.”

Again at this year’s birthday we find tens of thousands of Marines far from home carrying Freedom’s torch in tough fights against our nation’s foes. The vast majority of Marines (more than 72%) are 25 years old or less. Barely mature, they carry an awesome burden and responsibility to live up to the Corps’ near mythic legacy and to look out for the Marines on their left and right. That these young Americans continue to carry the weight and perform so superbly is a testament to their training certainly. But what is really striking is that our nation continues to produce young men and women of such high caliber and moral virtue. These kids who volunteer to be Marines could do anything they set their minds to; they are superb, as good as any men and women our country offers – yet they choose to serve you, their country, and each other before all else. What a great testament they are to the basic strengths of America.

A Marine’s greatest fear isn’t necessarily death. A Marine fears above all else that he or she might let down a fellow Marine or not live up to the legacy passed to Marines by the history of our fabled Corps. A line of dialogue heard early in the recently released movie “Flag of Our Fathers” says everything you need to know about the young Marines celebrating their Corps’ birthday this week, “Marines may fight for their country, but they give their lives for their buddies.” Remembering why we fight, and what we fight for is what the Corps’ birthday is all about.

Don’t for a minute think that young Marines don’t understand or follow the debates going on around the country about Iraq. They follow very, very closely because it is their lives on the line not those of the debaters. Despite the verbal clashes of politicians and pundits, these young Marines continue to serve with “distinction and soldierly repute” precisely because they believe in their country, their Corps, their mission, and each other.

Marines don’t need much encouragement to serve. They don’t ask for much either. In fact all they want is for us to acknowledge every so often their service. If you see a Marine this week, tell them thanks for their service and happy birthday. That will mean more to a young Marine than a chest full of medals. Happy Birthday Marines!

FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Col. Jeff Bearor (USMC, ret.) is a career Marine Corps officer, the former commanding officer of the Recruit Training Regiment at the US Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, SC, and has served as Chief of Staff, Marine Corps Training and Education Command, Quantico, VA.

Ellie

ringoffire
11-10-06, 08:52 AM
Happy Birthday Marines...God Bless each of you

And Happy Birthday to my Husband, who I love very much

marine0351
11-10-06, 09:19 AM
Semper Fi to all the marines at home and abroad, i want to wish each and everyone of you an happy birthad on this special day for us..i'm proud to called an marine ,and to have that honor. On our 231 birthday let me hold a glass of ale and say a toast to you all, " down the history our nation has called upon us to do a job, and we answered that call without hesitation, and some of us give the ultimate price for that call and we honor those who has, with honor and pride, and now on this special day, we are again answering that call and as in the past we are leading the way and showing the world that freedom is a special gift and it takes a special man or women to keep it that way.. and to all of you I WISH YOU ALL AN HAPPY 231 BIRTHDAY.

fray68
11-10-06, 09:30 AM
Happy Birthday , Marine Corps !!

6yrforMar
11-10-06, 10:09 AM
Happy Birhday "United States Marine Corps." 231 years of -ROMPIN STOMPIN HELLRAISING DEATH & DESTUCTION, GUNG-HO,GUNG-HO-GUNG-HO. to all of our brothers & sisters ,here,around the globe and in harms way. SEMPER FI

10thzodiac
11-10-06, 10:16 AM
The first Marine Corps Recruiting Poster...
Posted at Tun Tavern,
Philadelphia Pennsylvania, January 1776


-----------------------------------------------------------








GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT






AMERICAN REVOLUTION

What a Brilliant Prospect does this Event Present to every Lad of Spirit who is inclined to try his Fortune in this highly renowned Corps.

The Continental Marines

When every thing that swims the Seas must be a

PRIZE!

Thousands are at this moment endeavoring to get on Board Privateers where they will serve without pay or reward of any kind whatsoever, so certain does their chance appear of enriching themselves by PRIZE MONEY! What an enviable Station then must the CONTINENTAL MARINE hold, who with far superior advantages to these, has the additional benefit of liberal Pay, and plenty of the best Provisions, with a good and well appointed Ship under him, the Pride and Glory of the Continental Navy; surely every Man of Spirit must blush to remain at Home in Inactivity and Indolence when his Country needs his Assistance.

Where then can he have such a fair opportunity, reaping Glory and Riches in the Continental Marines, a Corps daily acquiring new Honors, and here, once embarked in American Fleet, he finds himself in the midst of Honor and Glory, surrounded by a set of fine fellows, Strangers to Fear, and who strike Terror through the Hearts of their Enemies wherever they go!

He has likewise the inspiring idea to know, that while he sails the Ocean to protect the Liberty of these states, that the Thanks and good Wishes of the whole American people shall send him forth on his mission and participate in his Glory. Lose no Time, then, my Fine Fellows, in embracing the glorious Opportunity that awaits you: YOU WILL RECEIVE:

Seventeen Dollars Bounty.

And on your Arrival at Head Quarters be comfortably and genteely CLOTHED. And spirited young BOYS, of a promising Appearance, who are Five Feet Six Inches High, will receive TEN DOLLARS, and equal Advantage of PROVISIONS and CLOTHING with the Men. And those who wish only to enlist for a limited Service, shall receive a Bounty of SEVEN DOLLARS, and Boys FIVE. In fact, the Advantages which the MARINE receives are too numerous to mention here, but among the many, it may not be amiss to state that if he has a WIFE or aged PARENT, he can make them an Allotment of half his PAY which will be regularly paid without any Trouble to them, or to whomever he may direct, that being well Fed and Clothed on Board Ship, the remainder of his PAY and PRIZE MONEY will be placed in Reserve for the Relief of his Family or his own private Purposes. The Single Young Man, on his Return to Port, finds himself compelled to cut a Dash on Shore, with his GIRL and his GLASS, that might be envied by a Nobleman. Take Courage then, seize the Fortune that awaits you, repair to the MARINE RENDEZVOUS, where on a FLOWING BOWL of PUNCH, on Three Times Three, you shall drink.

Long Live the United States and Success to the Marines

The Daily Allowance of a Marine when embarked is One Pound of BEEF or PORK. One Pound of BREAD. Flour, Raisins, Butter, Cheese, Oatmeal, Molasses, Tea, Sugar, &c. &c. And a Pint of the best WINE, or half a Pint of the Best RUM or BRANDY, together with a Pint of LEMONADE. They make Liberty in warm countries, a plentiful Allowance of the choicest FRUIT. And what can be more handsome than the Marines' Proportion of PRIZE MONEY, when a Sergeant shares equal with the Fleet Class of Petty Officers, such as Midshipmen, Petty Officers, &c. which is five shares each; a Corporal with the Second Class, which Is Three Shares each; and the Private with the Able Seaman, one Share and a Half each.

Desiring Greater Particulars, and a more full account of the many Advantages of this Invaluable Corps, apply to CAPTAIN MULLAN at TUN TAVERN, where the bringer of a Recruit will receive THREE DOLLARS.



January, 1776

http://leathernecklane.com/marine/graphics/1strecruitposter.jpg

Happy Birthday Marines,

"...the raising of that flag on Suribachi :iwo: means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years."

Semper Fidelis,

10thzodiac

Camper51
11-10-06, 10:53 AM
Happy Birthday to all Marines, past and present

Please, please, please remember all our veterans, especially those who have passed before us, because without their footprints in front of us we would have had no where to blaze our trails, no where to base our traditions, and no where to follow our future...

Semper Fi Marines, Semper Fi
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

jinelson
11-10-06, 10:55 AM
Wow 10thzodiac I never thought I would say it but, that was a awesome post thank you!


Happy Birthday Marines - Semper Fi

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jinelson/ReaganQuote.jpg

maverickmarine
11-10-06, 12:10 PM
happy Birthday Marines!!!!!! Semper Fi!

Ggarcia-jarhead
11-10-06, 01:25 PM
11/08/06
The Marine Corps Celebrates It's 231st Birthday and I am proud to have served with the third Marine Division in 1974-75. To all our fellow Marines serving in harms way, may God's Grace protect and guide you in everything you do. You are in my prayers daily!

Semper Fi!
Sgt.G.Garciahttp://www.leatherneck.com/forums/images/smilies/evilgrin.gif

thedrifter
11-10-06, 01:32 PM
Happy Birthday, Teufel Hunden <br />
<br />
Jed Babbin <br />
Fri Nov 10, 10:30 AM ET <br />
<br />
Two hundred and thirty-one years ago today, they were born at the Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. The news of their birth traveled...

ahanlon
11-10-06, 01:35 PM
Happy 231st.

cannoner65
11-10-06, 01:51 PM
:beer:
To Present an past Marines I give my very best for you all on this somber day.To our fallen brothers I give my prayer an salutations an prayers I know you left behind many friends,family I believe in GOD the Father an he has an important job for you soon. In the Name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST our savior I Pray.Amen

thedrifter
11-10-06, 02:15 PM
Article published Nov 10, 2006 <br />
Marines proud to mark Corps’ birthday <br />
<br />
By Jamon Smith <br />
Staff Writer <br />
<br />
TUSCALOOSA | For the three years Jack Graham served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943 to...

thedrifter
11-10-06, 02:17 PM
Devil Dogs at 231

Happy Birthday, Marine Corps

Date published: 11/10/2006

Devil Dogs at 231

'There is no finer fighting organization '

HARRY TRUMAN, who had served in World War I as an Army artillery officer, groused that the U.S. Marine Corps had "a propaganda machine that is almost equal to Stalin's." To which any thoughtful Leatherneck ought to have replied, "Well, thank you, Mr. President!" The Marines know the value of myth, in part because they have been the stuff of it.

An example: The image of five Marines and a Navy corpsman--next to his rifle, a Marine grunt's best friend--raising the Stars and Stripes on Mount Suribachi is recognized from Congolese villages to the steppes of Uzbekistan. It has probably even penetrated the consciousness of most American teenagers. But the icon was no PR gimmick. It arose amid and from countless acts of heroism, preceded, perhaps, by a heroic bout of drinking.

It was, after all, at Philadelphia's Tun Tavern, 231 years ago today, that the Continental Congress created the Marine Corps. In 1805, nine Marines, led by Fauquier County's own Lt. Presley O'Bannon, set the tone for the Corps to come when they and 300 mercenaries tried to capture Tripoli during the first war against the Barbary pirates. The force failed to reach the city, an inconvenience that did not prevent the Marine Corps Hymn from commemorating the event 60-odd years later (see Truman, above). But the invaders did set a standard for dash and daring.

Alas, not all subsequent Marines covered themselves or their branch with glory. Two early commandants were court-martialed, and at First Bull Run, a Marine unit hightailed it along with the rest of the Yankee side. Of the Banana Wars and related pre-World War I adventures involving the Corps, another commandant, Smedley Butler, would say: "I spent most of my time as a high-class muscle man for Wall Street and the bankers. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street." Presidents from Andy Jackson to Ike wanted to fold the Marines into the Army and be done with them.

But along the way, the Marines fought. They fought very well, from Belleau Wood, where their German foes nicknamed them the tattoo-worthy "Devil Dogs," to the deadly islands and atolls of the Pacific Campaign, to Inchon, where their 100-to-one shot amphibious landing turned around the Korean War (MacArthur: "There is not a finer fighting organization in the world"), to Hue and Fallujah and a thousand dusty, wet, or cold places unlisted except in the atlas of valor. Even the rare retreat became, in the words of one Marine officer, "attacking in another direction" (see Truman, above).

So happy birthday, Marine Corps. The myths you've made are called history, and they've kept a country free.

Ellie

muck
11-10-06, 02:22 PM
HAPPY 231st BROTHER AND SISTER MARINES
Semper Fi,Muck

drumcorpssnare
11-10-06, 02:57 PM
Happy 231st Marine Corps Birthday to all past and present U.S. Marines!
SEMPER FI:usmc:

P.S.- Nice post, 10thzodiac!

drumcorpssnare

thedrifter
11-10-06, 03:11 PM
Pride abounds as Corps celebrates 231st birthday today

By THERESA CAMPBELL, DAILY SUN

THE VILLAGES — Forty-four years have passed since Ed McTigue joined the Marine Corps, yet he says the bonds he forged with his comrades have stayed with him for life.

“It is truly a brotherhood unlike any other branch of the service,” said the Village of Bonnybrook resident, who joined the Marines in 1962 and was wounded in Vietnam in 1965.

“They teach you that you will assist your buddies; never leave them,” he said. “They put that sense of comradeship in everything that they teach you in the Marine Corps.”

Today is the 231st birthday of the Marine Corps — founded as the Continental Marines on Nov. 10, 1775, at the Tun Tavern in Philadelphia — and McTigue will join fellow Marines at Hibiscus Center, 1740 Bailey Trail, to celebrate the occasion. All retired Marines and Navy corpsmen are invited.

The social gathering will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., followed by the commandant’s birthday message and a cake-cutting ceremony.

“We’ll cut the cake with a sword, which is traditional in the Marine Corps history,” McTigue said.

The Villager credits Jack Maiz with organizing a forum at which Marines who are now residents of The Villages can get together to reminisce and provide support.

“I have to thank Jack Maiz because he was the catalyst in getting us all together last year, and he’s our guiding light,” McTigue said. “Getting together has been a real blessing.”

The local group is called, appropriatey, Semper Fi.

Semper Fidelis — Always Faithful — is the motto of the Corps and was adopted in the 1880s. Marines have lived up to it, they proudly say, because there has never been a mutiny, or even the thought of one, among Marines.

“In the Marines, I learned the true meaning of teamwork,” McTigue said. “TEAM is the greatest acronym of all time — together everyone accomplishes more — and that is truly what team stands for. We have special ties that are bonded together from boot camp. They broke us down and they built us with a different outlook on life when we were young kids, and it stayed with 99 percent of us for the rest of our lives.”

McTigue said a planning committee is at work to possibly host a Marine Corps ball next year for the Marines’ 232nd birthday.

“If we do,” McTigue said, “it will be the most awesome thing that The Villages has seen.”

Theresa Campbell is a senior features writer with the Daily Sun. She can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9260, or theresa.campbell@thevillagesmedia.com.

Ellie

Doc Crow
11-10-06, 04:24 PM
I wanted to stop by and wish all You Leathernecks a Happy Birthday. Since I have retired I have missed so many Birthday Balls. I just have been unable to find any here in the Phoenix area

CDM
11-10-06, 04:28 PM
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OLE SARG
11-10-06, 04:38 PM
Happy Birthday My Brothers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May We Have Many, Many More!!!!

Ooooorrrrraaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Doc Crow
11-10-06, 04:52 PM
Didn't Some Navy Admiral say something in WWII that the Marine Corps just guarenteed its existance for another 1000 years. Looks like a lot more Birthday Balls to Come yet

Freebyrdjason
11-11-06, 06:18 PM
Happy Birthday Marines and Semper fi!