Of all the days in a year, the next two are among the most hallowed in our nation’s long history.
On November 10, 1775 the proprietor of a pub in Philidelphia was commissioned by the Continental Congress to establish and raise two battalions of Marines. His name was Robert Mullan, a well-known patriot. The pub was called Tun Tavern, the birthplace of the U.S. Marine Corps.
[youtube]IfucAawxwbI[/youtube]Today, the Marines honor November 10th as one of the most importants dates of the year; but the Marine Corps birthday is much more than a tribute to one day. Rather, it is a tribute to the service’s storied history and a salute to the men and women who have served their nation for 233 years.
Since its inception, the Marine Corps has represented the pinnacle of military service. Its troops are known for bravery under fire, relentlessly fighting until victory is won. It is recognized as a small but tight-knit force, famous for a camaraderie that is the envy of every other service. “Once a Marine, always a Marine” is more than a bumper sticker – it is a way of life.
They are the ones who go in first. “Send in the Marines” has been uttered for over two hundred years when our nation was threatened, and the Marines have always been there, ready to go. And when they do, they often encounter the most brutal of conditions. Their history is full of accounts of pitched battles, bloody and desperate struggles where victory was achieved only through determination, guts, and sheer will.
And they’re still out there today.
[youtube]4PRSuWcT6WE[/youtube]In Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marines of this generation have achieved breathtaking success, never pausing in their pursuit of mission accomplishment. They fight with a precision and effectiveness unmatched in the world, even as some of their countrymen forget that the nation is in the middle of two wars. But Marines don’t fight for glory. They fight for their buddies beside them, they fight for a cause, they fight for their country. They fight because someone has to, and no one is better at it than them.
Semper Fi and Happy Birthday.
Tomorrow: Veterans Day
