thedrifter
11-16-08, 06:12 AM
November 16, 2008
Marines proudly gather for Corps' 233rd birthday
By JAMIE DEXTER
The Leaf-Chronicle
The passion and pride of the U.S. Marine Corps League Detachment No. 603 was evident in their "Hooah" Saturday night as they celebrated the group's 233rd birthday.
Since the Marine Corps' creation on Nov. 10, 1775, the celebration of the Corps' birthday has been emphasized to recruits from the first day of training, said Corps member Stephen Baird.
"Marines take great pleasure and pride in celebrating their birthday every year," Baird said. "All around the world, the birthday celebration is the event of the year for Marine Corps."
Marines past, present, young and old gathered to watch a slideshow of old pictures, remember their times together, eat and remember fallen members as they held their hands in salute.
Showing the range in age of those present, the cake cutting ceremony centered around the oldest member, Tom Coffman, serving a piece of cake to the youngest member, Corporal Daniel Bell — a symbol of all things passed down from generation to generation by those who serve.
Those in attendance all had stories to tell, including Bob Hoffman and his wife, Christine "Kitty" Hoffman, who spoke of how the Marine Corps brought them together.
"I'm from New York, and during my first leave in town I met my wife at the Capitol Theater, and I walked her to the bus station and and she took my Marine ring," Bob Hoffman said. "One thing led to another, and now we've been married for 55 years."
Hoffman said he was stationed in Clarksville from 1952 to 1954, and he remembers how he came to town on a train — they stopped off at Augusta, Ga., on the way up to get some alcohol and juice.
When they stopped in Atlanta to cool off the wheels, as they had to do with trains in those days, Hoffman said he luckily had some "fire water" left.
"I sort of blacked out a little bit," he said, adding that the next thing he knew, he was being grabbed by the hand to help him catch the train.
"By the time we got to Clarksville, all the grapefruit and orange juice was stale in the coolers, but all the whiskey was gone," he said laughing.
Hoffman said his time with the Marine Corps has meant a lot to him, and it really straightened him out.
"I was a leather-jacket boy from New York," he said. "They straighten you up real quick ... It's Semper Fi — it's Always Faithful."
Claire Minie, the first and only Marine Corps League female state commandant, said she always enjoys seeing everyone.
"I've held just about every office here locally," she said. "I'm sort of the mother figure."
Minie remembered that during the Korean War, when the Marines headed off to serve, the women in reserves would travel to fill their office positions.
"I was from St. Louis and we took a train — we had our own car that would switch from engine to engine to go to San Francisco," Minie said. "We were locked in the car the whole time, right behind the luggage."
Ellie
Marines proudly gather for Corps' 233rd birthday
By JAMIE DEXTER
The Leaf-Chronicle
The passion and pride of the U.S. Marine Corps League Detachment No. 603 was evident in their "Hooah" Saturday night as they celebrated the group's 233rd birthday.
Since the Marine Corps' creation on Nov. 10, 1775, the celebration of the Corps' birthday has been emphasized to recruits from the first day of training, said Corps member Stephen Baird.
"Marines take great pleasure and pride in celebrating their birthday every year," Baird said. "All around the world, the birthday celebration is the event of the year for Marine Corps."
Marines past, present, young and old gathered to watch a slideshow of old pictures, remember their times together, eat and remember fallen members as they held their hands in salute.
Showing the range in age of those present, the cake cutting ceremony centered around the oldest member, Tom Coffman, serving a piece of cake to the youngest member, Corporal Daniel Bell — a symbol of all things passed down from generation to generation by those who serve.
Those in attendance all had stories to tell, including Bob Hoffman and his wife, Christine "Kitty" Hoffman, who spoke of how the Marine Corps brought them together.
"I'm from New York, and during my first leave in town I met my wife at the Capitol Theater, and I walked her to the bus station and and she took my Marine ring," Bob Hoffman said. "One thing led to another, and now we've been married for 55 years."
Hoffman said he was stationed in Clarksville from 1952 to 1954, and he remembers how he came to town on a train — they stopped off at Augusta, Ga., on the way up to get some alcohol and juice.
When they stopped in Atlanta to cool off the wheels, as they had to do with trains in those days, Hoffman said he luckily had some "fire water" left.
"I sort of blacked out a little bit," he said, adding that the next thing he knew, he was being grabbed by the hand to help him catch the train.
"By the time we got to Clarksville, all the grapefruit and orange juice was stale in the coolers, but all the whiskey was gone," he said laughing.
Hoffman said his time with the Marine Corps has meant a lot to him, and it really straightened him out.
"I was a leather-jacket boy from New York," he said. "They straighten you up real quick ... It's Semper Fi — it's Always Faithful."
Claire Minie, the first and only Marine Corps League female state commandant, said she always enjoys seeing everyone.
"I've held just about every office here locally," she said. "I'm sort of the mother figure."
Minie remembered that during the Korean War, when the Marines headed off to serve, the women in reserves would travel to fill their office positions.
"I was from St. Louis and we took a train — we had our own car that would switch from engine to engine to go to San Francisco," Minie said. "We were locked in the car the whole time, right behind the luggage."
Ellie