Were Marines Paid in Gold?

[covan]

During the Spanish-American War were Marines paid in gold?

covan

[TracGunny]

Dunno...been trying the "Google" search to no avail...time to hit the Library.

Covan: it would help if you can give a little intel on where you heard/read that Marines were paid in gold during the war.

[covan]

In an January 2002 article entitled "Where 'Even monkeys fall from trees'" appearing in Leatherneck Magazine R.R. Keene the author stated that the Marines in the Philippines were paid $12.80 per month and received an additional $2.56 for foreign duty "all paid in gold."

I am writing an article about a Marine who fought in the Philippines and I need primary source material to substantiate the author's statement.

Thanks,

covan

[TracGunny]

RR Keene is a prolific writer of history, and seems to revel in the history of the Corps. I did not find the article you referenced, but I did find RR Keene's list of references used to write other articles about Marines in the Philippines circa 1898. They are :

"The History of the United States Marine Corps" by Allan R. Millett;
"The U.S. Marine Corps Story" by J. Robert Moskin;
"Soldiers of the Sea: The United States Marine Corps From 1775-1962" by Col Robert Debs Heinl Jr., USMC;
"A History Of The United States Marine Corps" by Clyde H. Metcalf;
"American Naval History: An Illustrated Chronology" by Jack Sweetman;
"U.S. Marine Corps Biographical Dictionary" by Karl Schuon; and
"The Home of the Commandants" published by the Marine Corps Association.


Available through MCA Bookservice, (800) 336-0291 http://www.mca-marines.org/

Go to http://www.mca-marines.org/leatherneck and try a search on RR Keene, there you should find more of the author's work on Marines in the Philippines.

Hope this helps....

[covan]

Thanks for the leads TracGunny

covan

[marinemom]

Covan,

At that time, the United States of America was issuing gold coins as currency, not just silver. The most popular coin at that time was a five dollar gold piece. Payrolls were sent from the US to where the military was stationed. Therefore, it wuld make sensr that the Marines - and the Army and the Navy - were paid in gold.

[TracGunny]

covan: try contacting RR Keene through the Marine Corps Association (MCA - publishers of Leatherneck Magazine); ask to contact the author for the source of the payment in gold. RR Keene should have a bibliography of the work. Be concise in your identification and reason for asking...

http://www.mca-marines.org/leatherneck

marinemom: Great scoop! Do you have a source for that information that covan can use in his bibliography?

[covan]

TracGunny: These are some great tips. I will try to contact R.R. Keene through the MCA and see if he can tell me anything.

marinemom: That sounds logical but I'm trying to obtain any primary source material that confirms the Marines were: 1) paid in gold and, 2) what the rate of pay may have been, especially for Marine privates.

I have searched Google and Teoma for weeks and haven't found anything that substantiates the statements by Keene in the article. I don't doubt his information as his articles are very detailed, but I would like some primary source data.

Thanks to both of you for responding to my request. I am researching the life of a Marine from my hometown who was awarded the Medal of Honor for action in the Boxer Rebellion and received a recommendation for another Medal of Honor for action in the Philippines. He has never received any recognition and lies in an unmarked grave.

covan

[marinemom]

Covan, try the US Treasury website for the history of our currency and when the standard went from coin to paper. They will also be able to give you history on the gold coins and the scrip that was used to pay our military.

The Navy quartermasters and the Army quartermasters were in charge of the payrolls - might try their sites.

As for your project, all I can say is OUTSTANDING, young man. You might send a copy of the finished work to your Member of Congress, as well as the Comandant. It seems that someone who served his country in those two actions deserves recognition and a Corps funeral - no matter how late.

[covan]

marinemom: looked at the Treasury website and came up dry and I haven't seen anything on the web, at least, where the respective QM's have any relevent information.

The information about pay isn't all that important but it adds some color to my story and research. Besides I'm an amateur military historian so it is interesting to me.

Thanks for the "young man" remark but I'm old enough to be a Vietnam vet (covan = "advisor" in Vietnamese) and probably older than you, but we shouldn't go there.

This is a good project despite it taking some unexpected twists and turns. Several folks that I've come across on the Internet, like you and TracGunny, have been very helpful to my research. I don't know if my member of congress would be all that interested but the Medal of Honor Society has already voiced an interest in obtaining by research documents.

I've been putting my information together as I get it and have an essay going. I'll have to post it on my website when I get it finished.

I have been in touch with the cemetery where he is buried about obtaining a marker and it looks like I can get the local Marine Corps League detachment to fund the placement cost. The Marine died in 1925 so you are correct that he deserves recognition no matter how late.

covan

[marinemom]

Thought you might have been a Nam vet's son with that handle - so I really am not sure that you are older than I am.....but, hey , I'll take it.

Check the coin collector web sites- those folks have a lot of info on the history of US currency.

I still say send it to the congressman and to the Commandant's office - it is a good thing you are doing.