Some of the most important customs of all are those of military courtesy. In the Marine Corps, courtesy is an expression of respect for the authority possessed by an individual, as well as a demonstration of respect for the Corps as a whole. Through the use of the various forms of military courtesy a Marine says, in effect, \"As brothers in arms and fellow Marines, I consider you worthy of my respect.\" When used in this manner, military courtesy assumes one of its most important roles; it is an expression of the respect a Marine has for other Marines and for himself. Of all the forms of military courtesy, the various salutes are probably the most important. They are certainly the most obvious and frequently used. Saluting is the traditional form of greeting between men of the profession of arms and it is an honored tradition of military organization throughout the world.
Certain features of saluting in the Marine Corps carry Marine Corps custom specifically. For example: Marine Corps usage has it that a greeting be exchanged when saluting a person. When saluting an officer, the Marine might say, \"Good Morning, Sir,\" or \"Good Evening, Sir,\" as appropriate. The officer in returning the salute would say, \"Good Morning, Sergeant (Private, Corporal, Lieutenant, as appropriate.)\"
Marines in civilian clothes and wearing a hat conform to the rules for saluting in uniform for exchange of personal courtesies. When a Marine recognizes another Marine, they normally exchange greetings whether or not either or both are in civilian clothes (this custom is not observed by Women Marines). If one or both of these Marines were an officer, the hand salute accompanied by the verbal greeting is proper. During the playing of the National Anthem, at morning and evening colors, and at funerals, if in civilian dress, Marines uncover and hold the hat over the left breast at such times as those in uniform salute.' quotes[1]='
When boarding a small boat or entering a car, Juniors enter first and take up the seats or the space beginning forward, leaving the most desirable seat for the senior. Seniors enter last and leave first.' quotes[2]='
Whenever the Marines\' Hymn is played or sung, all Marines rise to their feet and remain standing during the rendition of the music.' quotes[3]='
Commencing with the last New Year\'s Day of the Civil War, on the morning of 1 January of each year the Marine Band serenades the Commandant of the Marine Corps at his quarters and received hot buttered rum and breakfast in return.' quotes[4]='
Whenever an officer is promoted, he customarily holds a \"wetting-down party.\" At this time the new commission is said to be \"wet down.\" When several officers are promoted at the same time, they frequently have a single wetting-down party.' quotes[5]='
When the commanding officer of a Marines says, \"I wish\" or \"I desire,\" these expressions have the force of a direct order and should be acted upon as if he had given a direct order.' quotes[6]='
One feature which has made the Marine Corps such a respected organization is the custom of Marine leaders looking out for their men. A Marine leader makes sure his men are comfortably clothed, housed, and justly treated. For example, in the field a Marine officer takes position in the mess line after all the enlisted men in order to insure all men get their food. A Marine leader never leaves a wounded or dead Marine on the battlefield to fall into the hands of the enemy.' quotes[7]='
The most outstanding custom in the Marine Corps is simply \"being a Marine\" and all that it implies. Call it morale, call it esprit de corps, call it what you will--it is that pride which sets a United States Marine apart from the men of other armed services. It is not taught in manuals, yet it is the most impressive lesson a recruit learns in boot camp. It is not tangible, yet it has won fights against material odds.
\"Those of us who have had the priviledge of serving in the Marine Corps value our experience as among the most precious of our lives. The fellowship of shared hardships and dangers in a worthy cause creates a close bond of comradeship. It is the basic reason for the cohesiveness of Marines and for the pride we have in our corps and our loyalty to each other.\"*
A Marine is proud of his Corps and believes it to be second to none. He is loyal to his comrades and to the Marine Corps, adhering always to the motto Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful).
* Senator Paul H. Douglas in his introduction to \"The United States Marines: A Pictorial History\".' quotes[8]='
The Marine Corps is a self-contained combat force within the Department of the Navy. The authorized strength of the Corps in the late 20th century is 20 percent of that allowed the Navy. (It was about 198,000 in the mid-1980s.) The Corps is composed of two Fleet Marine Forces, one posted in the Atlantic and the other in the Pacific. The Atlantic force is based at Norfolk, Va., and the Pacific force has its headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In addition to supporting the fleet, Marine detachments serve on large warships. In peacetime they provide garrisons to protect Navy yards and other shore facilities. There is also a United States Marine Band that plays for many presidential events and gives public concerts. Overseas, Marines are stationed at embassies and legations to protect American interests and lives in times of danger. A commandant, a four-star general who reports to the secretary of the Navy, directs the Marine Corps. The commandant sits as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The commandant is not part of the command structure of the chief of naval operations, but there is always close cooperation between the two.' quotes[9]='
Applicants for the Marine Corps must be from 17 to 28 years old (18 to 28 for women). The usual period of enlistment is from two to four years. Recruits living east of the Mississippi River are sent to Parris Island, S.C., for training. Those who live west of the river go to San Diego, Calif. This basic training is followed by a shorter period of advanced schooling in small-unit tactics and weaponry at Camp Lejeune, N.C., or Camp Pendleton, Calif. An integral part of the Corps is the Marine Corps Reserve, established during World War I. Today\'s Organized Marine Corps Reserve numbers about 44,000. It includes the 4th Marine Division/4th Marine Aircraft Wing. Reservists train two days per month and for two weeks each summer. By mobilizing the reserve, the Corps can increase its strength by nearly one quarter within weeks.' quotes[10]='
The United States Marine Corps Women\'s Reserve was established in 1942. Its members perform many duties in the mainland United States and Hawaii to release men for combat service. Women have been part of the regular Marine Corps since 1948, when Congress passed the Women\'s Armed Services Integration Act. Woman recruits train at Parris Island, and those seeking to become commissioned officers go to school at Quantico, Va.' quotes[11]='
There is no separate military academy for Marines as there is for the other service branches. Most individuals who wish to make a career in the Marine Corps attend the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., though it is also possible to attend the Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., or the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colo. Officers go for further training to the school at Quantico.' quotes[12]='
The present Marine Corps was established by an act of Congress on July 11, 1798. The Corps, however, celebrates Nov. 10, 1775, as its founding date. It was on that day that the Continental Congress authorized Robert Mullan, proprietor of the Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, to raise two battalions of Marines. The first commissioned officer, Capt. Samuel Nicholas, recruited many of this first group in the historic Tun Tavern near Philadelphia. The first Marines sailed with the new American fleet under Esek Hopkins in 1776 and stormed British forts on New Providence Island in the Bahamas. They captured 600 barrels of gunpowder needed by the colonial army. On Christmas night in 1776 Marines supported George Washington when he crossed the Delaware River to surprise the Hessians in New Jersey. In the naval battles of the American Revolution they fought on the decks of John Paul Jones\'s Ranger and other vessels.' quotes[13]='
On 15 September 1950, the lst Marine Division, under the command of Major General Oliver P. Smith led the first major United Nations strike in North Korean territory, with an amphibious assault at Inchon that completely caught the enemy by surprise. In five days of textbook campaigning, the division closed on the approaches of Seoul, the South Korean capital, and in house-to-house fighting, wrested the city from its Communist captors on 27 September. On 7 October 1950, with North Korean forces in full retreat, the Inchon-Seoul campaign was formally declared closed.
In late October, the lst Marine Division made an unopposed landing at Wonsan, on the east coast, which initiated U.N. operations in northeast Korea, and established security for the port of Wonsan. The division was then ordered to advance northwest of Hungnam along a mountain road to the Chosin Reservoir, the site of an important hydroelectric plant; the Marines would then advance to the Yalu River and the border between North Korea and the People\'s Republic of China.
Despite intelligence in early November that Chinese Communists forces were massing in force across the Yalu River, the lst Marine Division was ordered to continue its progress northwest from Hungnam to the Chosin Reservoir. Elements of the division reached Hagaru-ri, at the southern tip of the Reservoir, on 15 November. The brief autumn weather was almost over, and the temperatures were turning bitterly cold. On 27 November, elements of the Chinese Communist People\'s Liberation Army struck Marine positions in force. In a carefully planned counterstroke, eight Chinese divisions charged down from surrounding mountains with the express mission of destroying the lst Marine Division.
Over the next four weeks, the Chinese and Marine forces engaged in some of the fiercest fighting of the Korean War. In an epic movement, the 1st Marine Division completed a successful fighting withdrawal through 78 miles of mountain roads in northeast Korea, that ended in mid-December with the amphibious evacuation of the Marines from the port of Hungnam, Korea. Although suffering over 4,000 battle casualties, and uncounted numbers of frostbite, Marine air and ground units had inflicted nearly 25,000 casualties on Chinese Communist forces.' quotes[14]='
The Marine Emblem as we know it today dates from 1868. It was contributed to the Corps by Brigadier General Jacob Zeilin, 7th Commandant. Until 1840 Marines wore various devices mainly based on the spread eagle or foul anchor. In 1840 two Marine Corps devices were accepted. Both were circled by a laurel wreath, undoubtedly borrowed from the Royal Marines\' badge, but one had a foul anchor inscribed inside, while the other bore the letters USM. In 1859 a standard center was adopted-a U.S. shield surmounted by a hunting horn within which was the letter M. From this time on, the bulge and the letter M without the shield or laurel wreath were usually worn by Marines on undress uniforms. This type of bulge was the nineteenth century symbol for light infantry or jagers-so called because they were recruited from the ranks of foresters, gamekeepers, and poachers, all reowned as skirmishers and rifleman.
In 1868, however, General Zeilin felt that a more distinctive emblem was needed. He chose another device borrowed from the British Marines: the globe. The globe had been conferred on the Royal Marines in 1827 by King George IV. Because it was impossible to recite all the achievements of the Marines on the Corps color, said the King, \" the Great Glode itself\" was to be their Emblem, for Marines had won honor everywhere.
General Zeilin\'s U.S. Marine Globe displayed the Western Hemisphere, since the \"Royals\" had the Eastern Hemisphere on theirs. Eagle and Foul Anchor were added, to leave no doubt that the Corps was both American and Maritime' quotes[15]='
The colors of the Corps are scarlet and gold. Although associated with the United States Marine Corps for many years, these colors were not officially recognized until General Lejeune became 13th Commandant.
In addition to scarlet and gold, forest green enjoys at least semi-official standing as a Marine Color. During the years since 1912 when forest green was adopted for the winter service uniform, it has become standard for such equipment as vehicles, weapons, armor, and organizational chests and baggage.' quotes[16]='
\"The Marines\' Hymn\" of the Marine Corps, \"Semper Fidelis,\" one of John Phillp Sousa\'s best known works, is the Corps march. Every Marine knows every word of the Marine Corps Hymn and will sing them at a drop of a field hat. All Marines get to their feet whenever \"The Marines\' Hymn\" is played or sung. \"Semper Fidelis\" was composed by Sousa in 1888 during his tour as Marine Corps Band Leader. \"Semper Fi\" is habitually rendered for parades, reviews, and march-pasts of Marines' quotes[17]='
The swords carried by Marine Officers and Noncommissioned Officers go far back into the traditions of the Corps and are among the oldest weapons in continual use in the United States Armed Forces.
The sword that Officers carry goes back to the Uniform Regulations of 1826. Records of the day, however, indicate that swords of this pattern were worn by Marine Officers before the war of 1812.
The Mameluke Sword of the Officers gets its name from the cross-hilt and ivory grip, both of which were used for centuries by the Moslems of North Africa and Arabia. The Marine Corps tradition of carrying this type of sword dates from Lieutenant O\'Bannon\'s assault on Derna, Tripoli, in 1805 when he is said to have won the sword of the Governor of the town.
The Noncommissioned Officers\' sword is the U.S. Army model sword which was adopted by the Marine Corps in 1859 and briefly carried by Marine Officers as well. When Officers went back to the Mameluke pattern in 1875, the Army-type sword was retained as a distinctive model for the Corps of Noncommissioned Officers and has been carried by Marine NCOs ever since.' quotes[18]='
In the Belleau Wood fighting in 1918, the Germans received a thorough indoctrination in the fighting ability of Marines which they could have used to forewarn their axis partner, Japan, in 1941. Fighting through supposedly impenetrable woods and capturing supposedly untakeable terrain, the men of the 4th Marine Brigade struck terror in the hearts of the Germans. The persistent attacks delivered with unbelievable courage soon had the Germans referring to Marines as the \"Teufelhunden\" meaning \"fierce fighting dogs of legendary origin\" or as popularly translated \"Devil Dogs.\"' quotes[19]='
Many legends persist as to the uniform of the Marine Corps and the origin of certain traditional aspects. One frequent question raised is \"Why do Marine officers and NCOs have red stripes on the blue uniform trousers?\" According to legend this commemorates the courage and tenacious fighting of the men who battled before Chapultapec in the Mexican War and whose exploits added the phrase \"From the Halls of Montezuma...\" to the Marine Hymn. The red stripe on the trousers of all Marine officers and NCOs is said to symbolize the blood shed by these Marines of another century.' quotes[20]='
A farm girl from Massachusetts, Lucy Brewer was the legendary first woman Marine. The War of 1812 was raging when Lucy arrived at Boston. Friendless in the strange city, she met a woman who seemed eager to take a stranger into her home. Lucy was surprised that one woman could have so many daughters, but she soon discovered that home was just a house.
Unsuited to a life of sin, Lucy fled her benefactress, donned men\'s clothing, and found refuge in the Marine Corps. No one discovered she was a woman, and as a member of the \"Constitution\'s\" Marine guard, she saw action in some of the bloodiest sea fights of the war.
Her exploits came to light when she published an autobiographical account of her experiences. She described her heroism in the major battles of the \"Constitution\" with such details as manning the fighting tops as a marksman, taking toll of the British with musket fire. True or not, the story of Lucy Brewer makes a wonderful addition to the colorful legends about the Marine Corps.' quotes[21]='
This legend goes back to the London of 1664, when Charles II was King of England. A ship\'s master, returned from a long cruise, told him a sea story he couldn\'t believe.
\"Fish that fly like birds?\" the Merry Monarch exclaimed. \"I have my doubts!\"
\"Nay, sire, it is true,\" said Sir William Killigren, colonel of the new British Marine regiment raised that year. \"I have myself seen flying fish many a time in southern waters. I vouch for the truth of this strange tale, your Majesty.\"
The King thought it over. At last he turned to Samuel Pepys, the Secretary of the Admiralty.
\"Mr. Pepys,\" he said, \"no class of our subjects hath such knowledge of odd things on land and sea as our Marines. Hereafter, when we hear a yarn that lacketh likelihood, we will tell it to the Marines. If they believe it, then we shall know it is true.\"' quotes[22]='
Marine Corps legend has it that this saying originated during World War I in France. During the violent fighting in Belleau Wood, Sergeant Dan Daly\'s platoon, part of the 6th Marines, was pinned down by intense enemy fire. The gallant Daly, already possessor of two Congressional Medals of Honor (one for heroism during the China Relief Expedition in 1900 and the other received during the Haitian Campaign of 1915), raged up and down the line trying to get his troops moving. Finally, the story goes, he yelled \"Come on, you S O B\'s, do you want to live forever?,\" as he leaped out of the trench, and led his men in the attack.' quotes[23]='
Fighting spirit and determination against heavy odds is a sound tradition in the Marine Corps and nowhere is there a more graphic illustration than an incident which occurred in World War I. Legendary or true, it personifies the aggressive attitude of Marines.
The occasion was the third great German breakthrough of 1918, when the 4th Marine Brigade and its parent 2d Infantry Division were thrown in to help stem the tide in the Belleau wood sector. The 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, had just arrived at its position when an automobile skidded to a stop and a French officer dashed out and approached the commanding officer. He explained that a general retreat was in progress and that orders were for the Marines to withdraw. The Marine officer exclaimed in amazement, \"Retreat Hell! We just got here.
And the Marines proceeded to prove their point. The battalion deployed and took up firing positions. As the Germans approached, they came under rifle fire which was accurate at ranges beyond their comprehension. Not in vain had the Marine Corps long stressed in its training the sound principles of marksmanship. The deadly fire took the heart out of the German troops and the attack was stopped.' quotes[24]='
It is questionable whether the origin of the term \"Leatherneck\" can be accepted as a legitimate member of the family of legends. More like a tradition, it is. For there can be no doubt of the origin, considering that U. S. Marines of three generations wore leather collars. It is as obvious as the nickname \"Red\" for a recruit with carrot-colored hair and freckles.
Now accepted by Webster as a synonym for Marine, the term \"Leatherneck\" was derived from a leather stock once worn around the neck by both American and British Marines--and soldiers also. Beginning in 1798, \"one stock of black leather and clasp\" was issued to each U. S. Marine annually.
This stiff leather collar, fastened by two buckles at the back, measured nearly three and a half inches high, and was practical only for full-dress wear. It could hardly be worn in battle as it prevented the neck movement necessary for sighting along a barrel. It supposedly improved military bearing, by forcing the chin high, although General George F. Elliott, recalling its use after the Civil War, said it made the wearers appear \"like geese looking for rain.\"
The stock was dropped as an article of Marine uniform in 1872, after surviving through the uniform changes of 1833, 1839, and 1859. But by then it was a part of American vocabulary, a word preserved, like so many words, beyond its original meaning.' quotes[25]='
One of the most famous Marine customs is the observance of the Marine Corps Birthday. Since 1921 the birthday of the Marine Corps has been officially celebrated each year on 10 November, since it was on this date in 1775 that Continental Congress resolved, \"That two Battalions of Marines be raised....\" Over the years the Marine Corps Birthday has been celebrated in a wide variety of ways, depending on the location and circumstances of the Marine units. The celebration involves the reading of an excerpt from the Marine Corps Manual and a birthday message from the Commandant; the cutting of a birthday cake by the commanding officer; and the presentation of the first and second pieces of cake to the oldest and youngest Marines present. Recently, the ceremony for the observance of the Marine Corps Birthday by large posts and stations has been incorporated into written directives.' quotes[26]='
Many of the Marine Corps customs are derived from the many years of service afloat. Even ashore Marines customarily use nautical terms. Floors are \"decks,\" walls are \"bulkheads,\" ceilings, \"overheads,\" corridors, \"passageways.\" The order \"Gangway!\" is used to clear the way for an officer ashore, just as it is afloat. Among other terms in common usage are:
\"two-block\" - to tighten or center (as a necktie); \"square-away\" - to correctly arrange articles or to take in hand and direct an individual;\" \"head\" - a bathroom; \"scuttle-but\" - a drinking fountain, also an unconfirmed rumor.
In the Marine Corps, the nautical expression \"Aye, Aye, Sir\" is used when acknowledging a verbal order. \"Yes, Sir\" and \"No, Sir\" are used in answer to direct questions. \"Aye, Aye, Sir\" is not used in answer to questions as this expression is reserved solely for acknowledgement of orders.' quotes[27]='
A custom which affects the guard is the manner in which a sentry reports his post to the officer of the day, or to the officers and noncommissioned officers of the guard. The customary procedure is for the sentry to salute or come to present arms and say, \"Sir, Private ______________ reports Post Number ____ all secure. Post and orders remain the same. Nothing unusual to report.\"
This custom has almost universal use throughout the Marine Corps. It is a convenient, useful form, and thus it has been preserved by custom, and passed on by word of mouth.' quotes[28]='
Marines form at the place of honor-at the head of column or on right of line-in any Naval formation. This privilege was bestowed on the Corps by the Secretary of the Navy on 9 August 1876.' quotes[29]='
Marine Corps Officers and Noncommissioned Officers have worn scarlet stripes on dress trousers ever since the early days of the Corps. It is unsubstantiated, even though often repeated, that the right to wear scarlet stripes was conferred on the Corps as a battle honor after the Mexican War. Actually, the intial uniform trousers issued after the reconstitution of the Corps in 1798 had scarlet piping.' quotes[30]='
Although officers have worn collar emblems since the 1870\'s, enlisted Marines did not rate this privilege until August 1918, when Franklin D. Roosevelt, then Assistant Secretary of the Navy, visited the 4th Marine Brigade in France, shortly after Belleau Wood. In recognition of the Brigade\'s victory, Mr. Roosevelt directed on the spot that enlisted Marines would hencefoth wear the emblem on thier collars.' quotes[31]='
Founded in 1798 (more than a century before the bands of the Navy, Army, and Air Force), the Marine Band has preformed at the White House functions of every President except George Washington and was especially sponsored by Thomas Jefferson. Because of its traditional privilege of performing at the White House, the band is spoken of as \"The President\'s Own.\" President Kennedy epitomized thr band\'s special position when he remarked in 1962, \"I find that the only forces which cannot be transferred from Washington without my express permission are the members of the Marine Band, and I want it announced that we propose to hold the White House against all odds, at least for some time to come.\"' quotes[32]='
If, in Washington, D.C., you ever bump into a car bearing the license \"1775,\" climb out of the wreckage at attention. That license plate is set aside for the official sedan of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.' quotes[33]='
All Marine posts (and even some camps in the field) have their ships\'s bell, usually from a warship no longer in commission. This bell is mounted at the base of the flag pole, and the guard has the duty, between reveille and taps, of striking the bells and also of keeping the bell in a high polish.' quotes[34]='
Marines are always, or should be, the last-other than the ship\'s Captain-to leave a ship being abandoned or put out of commission. Although the tradition is an old one, it first appears in Navy Regulations of 1865:
When a vessel is to be put out of commission, the Marine Officer with the guard shall remain on board until all the Officers and Crew are detached and the ship regularly turned over to the Officers of the Navy Yard or station.' quotes[35]='
The English bulldog or Boxer has become a traditional Marine Corps mascot. This image probably dates from World War I when it is said that German soldiers referred to Marines as \"Devil Dogs.\" The phrase was used in the press as a soubriquet for Marines from Belleau Woods. After the war, an English bulldog, named \"Sergeant Major Jiggs,\" was presented to General Lejeune, 13th Commandant. From that time on, an English bulldog, assigned rank earned, has served at Eighth and Eye and participated in ceremonies as mascot of the Corps.' quotes[36]='
When attending divine service in uniform, or present in uniform at an occasion when prayer is offered (such as at a military funeral), uncover (if not already done) and assume the old pre-1939 position of \"Parade Rest without Arms,\" i,e, right foot carried six inches to the rear, left knee slightly bent, weight equally distributed on both feet; hands clasped without constraint in front of the body, left hand uppermost-and in the case of prayer, head slightly bowed. This position enables you to appear reverent and military at the same time, and was used as the traditional position for prayer at sea throughout the old Navy.' quotes[37]='
The following is the text of A Marine\'s Prayer, adopted in 1967 by the Navy Chief of Chaplains for use by all faiths:
Almighty Father, whose command is over all and whose love never faileth; let me be aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and deed, and helping me so to live that I can stand unashamed and unafraid before my fellow Marines, my loved ones, and Thee. Protect those in whose love I live, give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. Grant me fortitude that I may be proficient in my daily performance. Keep me loyal and faithful to my superior officers; make me considerate of those entrusted to my leadership and faithful to the duties my country and the Marine Corps has entrusted to me. Help me always to wear my uniform with dignity, and let it remind me daily of the traditions of the service of which I am part. If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again. Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may understand the answer to my prayer. AMEN.' quotes[38]='
Over and above competence, resolution, and courage which are expected of every Marine in battle, it is particularly expected that no wounded or dead Marine will ever be left on the field or unattended, regardless of the cost of bringing him in.
As for surrender, The Marine Corps code is that expressed by Napoleon:
There is but one honorable mode of becoming prisoner of war. This is, by being taken separately; by which is meant, by being cut off entirely, and when we can no longer make use of our arms.' quotes[39]='
Colors or Standards MUST never fall into enemy hands. If capture seems inevitable, they should be burned. Unserviceable colors or standards, or those from disbanded units, are turned into the supply system. The latter in turn forwards flags of historical value to the Marine Corps Historical Center, which is the Corps repository for historical flags, as well as for flags and war trophies captured by Marines. Soiled, torn, or badly frayed flags, if not historical, are destroyed privately by burning.
The National Color is carried on all occasions of ceremony when two or more companies of a unit are present. When not in the hands of troops, the National Color is entrusted to the Adjutant. With the Marine Corps Color, the National Color is usually displayed in the office or before the tent of the Commanding Officer. Whenever the National Color is carried in the open, it is escorted by a Color Guard composed of selected Marines, and the Color itself is borne by an Outstanding Noncommisioned Offcier, known as the Color Sergeant.' quotes[40]='
The grade of Sergeant Major dates back to the thirteenth century when that title applied to the Chief Tenant of a Knight\'s Military Retinue. The grade is peculiar in that it has at various times been applied to Commissioned Officers as well as NCO\'s. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Sergeant Major was a Field Officer below the grade of Lieutenant Colonel, equivalent to Major today, who usually preformed duties as Adjutant. In mid-seventeeth-century England under Cromwell, A Sergeant Major was actually a General Officer rank equivalent to today\'s Major General. From the eighteenth century to the present, Sergeant Major has become the title of the highest NCO Grade (except in the British Army, where the Sergeant-Major is a Warrant Officer).' quotes[41]='
Although the title of First Sergeant, and therefore presumably the function, go back in the Corps to 1833, the actual rank originally held by NCO\'s serving as First Sergeants was that of Orderly Sergeant, a grade that was abolished in 1872 in favor of First Sergeant.' quotes[42]='
Master Gunnery Sergeant and Gunnery Sergeant both stem from the law that expanded the Marine Corps for the war with Spain in 1898, although the more senior rank was not explicitly created until 1935.' quotes[43]='
Master Sergeant, the newest of the Corps\' Staff NCO ranks, dates from 1946 when the Marine Corps, for reasons that remain obscure, bodily adopted the existing NCO rank structure then in force for the Army, Master Sergeant being one of those grades. Staff Sergeant, also originally an Army rank, was adopted by the Marine Corps in 1923.' quotes[44]='
Sergeant, like Sergeant Major, is a very old rank. The title comes from and Old French word, Sergent, derived from the Latin,Servientem, which has among its meanings, \"be in service to, be devoted to, work hard for\"-good descriptions of many a sergeant\'s duties for the Corps.
The rank of Sergeant first appeared in 1425 as a person in Military Service below the rank of Knight. By 1548, in the Condottieri, The Sergeants had come to what they are today, NCOs above the grade of Corporal. Curiously, in the Marine Corps, Dergeant is an older rate than Sergeant Major. Throughtout the Revolutionary War and until 1798, Sergeants were the senior NCOs of the Corps.' quotes[45]='
Corporal is another old rank, dating back to 1529 from the Italian title,Capporale, meaning an NCO in charge of a body of troops, In the sixteenth-century England, the Corporal\'s command-what today we would call a Squad-was known as \"a coporalship. \"In the seventeenth century, a corporal, entitled \"Corporal of the Field,: could be a Commissioned Officer like the Sergeant Major. A corporal of the field served as an aide or Staff Officer to the seventeenth-century Officer-grade Sergeant Major. Sergeant and Corporal are the two oldest NCO ranks in the Marine Corps.' quotes[46]='
Lance Corporal results from a marriage of the French word Lancepesade(literally meaning \"broken Lance\" and hence an old soldier who has broken many a lance in combat) and \"Corporal.\" At first, the rank was simply lancepesade, but soon became Lancepesade-Corporal, from which the present title comes, being first recorded in 1611. The Marine Corps has had Lance Corporals (and, for a time, Lance-Sergeants,too) since the 1830s, although the rank was not used from 1930 until 1958, when it was reestablished.' quotes[47]='
Platoon Sergeant, now only the title of a function, was a Marine Corps grade from 1923 to 1946 in what today would be the E-6 level.' quotes[48]='
The Corps lore is that the 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company, FMFPAC was aboard the Submarine USS Perch, ASSP-313, after Korea in 1953. Whenever the Perch was to dive, they would hear on the PA system "dive dive" followed by the horn sound "aarugha" (like an old Model "A" car horn). Sometime later on a conditioning run they imitated the "dive" horn sound "aarugha", and it became a Recon Warrior chant or mantra while on runs. Just as "Gung Ho" became symbolic of the WWII Raiders, "aarugha" become part of the new "running Marine Corps." The official Marine Corps Training Reference Manual on the history of Marine Recon is titled "AARUGHA", giving some credence to the origination of the "positive response" accenting anything that is meant to be good and uniquely Marine Corps.
John Massaro, former SgtMaj of the Marine Corps, was the company gunny of 1st Force in the late 50s. When he transferred to MCRDSD as an instructor at DI school he took "aarugha" with him and supposedly passed it on to the DI students who passed it on to recruits. Friends of SgtMaj Massaro say that he does not lay claim to this "sea story" and just smiles when it is related to him.
All that may be known for sure is that over time, "aarugha" eventually changed to "oohrah". GySgt John Stofiel, a member of Columbia River Detachment 826, was a DI at the MCRDSD and stated that it was not in the DI vocabulary in 1965, but in about 1967 some of the Drill Instructors were using it as a motivator and it became standard practice around 1968. "Oohrah" is now in common practice as a "positive response" accenting anything that is meant to be good and uniquely Marine Corps.' quotes[49]='
That Marines have lived up to their motto, "Semper Fidelis" (Always Faithful), is proven by the fact that there has never been a mutiny among U.S. Marines. This motto was adopted about 1883. Before that, there had been three mottos, all traditional rather than official. The first, "Fortitudine" (With Fortitude), appeared about 1812. The second, "By Sea and by Land" was obviously a translation of the Royal Marines\' "Per Mare, Per Terram." Until 1848, the third motto was "To the Shores of Tripoli" in commemoration of O\'Bannon\'s capture of Derne in 1805. In 1848, after the return to Washington of the Marine battalion which took part in the capture of Mexico City, this motto was revised to "From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli." The current Marine Corps motto is shared with England\'s Devonshire Regiment.' quotes[50]='
The term "gyrene" is a jocular reference to Marines which was first used in England as early as 1894. It was used in the United States around the time of World War I. Its exact origin is unknown, but it did appear to have a derogatory meaning in its early usage. It has been suggested that the term may embody a reference to pollywog, a naval slang term for a person who has not yet "crossed" (the equator), hence, a landlubber.' quotes[51]='
A slang term used by sailors as early as World War II to refer to members of the Marine Corps, drawing the term from the resemblance of the Marine dress blues uniform, with its high collar, to a Mason jar which at the time was made from blue glass.' quotes[52]='
In the Army, it\'s 1600 hours; in the Navy, it\'s 8 bells; but in the Corps, it is 1600.' quotes[53]='
The best example of a Marine-coined word in widespread use is "gizmo." "Gung-ho" is of Chinese origin, via Colonel Evans F. Carlson of the World War II Carlson\'s Raiders. Going back several campaigns, "boondocks" comes from the Tagalog "bundok" or mountain jungles of the Philippines. "Honcho" came back from Korea and Japan. "Doc" is the highest honor that a Marine can bestow upon a "squid." Finally, one serves in ... not on a ship. If it is the latter, you are in deep trouble. (Colonel James W. Hammond Jr., USMC, retired)' var whichquote=Math.floor(Math.random()*(quotes.length)) document.write(quotes[whichquote])