Marine Corps Celebrates 237th Birthday

Third-oldest military branch immortalized by Iwo Jima photo

One of America’s oldest fighting forces celebrates a birthday Saturday.

November 10 marks the 237th anniversary of the founding of the United States Marine Corps.

The Marine Corps was founded in 1775 to serve as an infantry unit aboard naval vessels during the Revolutionary War. Marines were responsible for the security of the ship and conducted offensive and defensive measures during boarding actions to that end. Marines in the Continental Army also manned raiding parties.

Marines have served in every American armed conflict and the branch is renowned for its skill at amphibious warfare.

The Marines currently have about 200,000 active duty Marines and around 40,000 reserves. The Corps is the third-oldest uniformed service in America, as the Army and Navy were founded months earlier in 1775.

Saturday also marks the 58th anniversary of the dedication of the United States Marine Memorial in Rosslyn by then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The Memorial's statue is taken from Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer-winning photo of Marines hoisting the flag atop Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima in 1945 during World War II.

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