The Marine Corps Birthday

Monday, November 10, 2008
The Marine Corps Birthday

I had an amazing day on Monday (I'm actually writing this a few days later).

Monday was the 233rd Birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

During the American Revolution, a committee of the Continental Congress met at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia to draft a resolution calling for two battalions of Marines able to fight for independence at sea and on shore. The resolution was approved on November 10, 1775, officially forming the Continental Marines. Each year on November 10th Marines and "former" Marines from every corener of the Earth celebrate the brave spirit which compelled these men and thousands since to defend our country and our incredible way of life as United States Marines.

Having served over 4 years on active duty in the Marine Corps myself, I was honored to accompany my dad and 11 other Marines in his Marine Corps League Detachment to some quite remarkable and special Birthday Celebrations.

Happy Birthday

This group of 12 incredible men travelled in a van and in their casual Marine League uniforms first to St. James, Missouri. We stopped in at a Veteran's Convalescent Home.

It is a beatiful, well kept place. There were 12 Marines among its residents.

What would a birthday be without a birthday cake?

The Cake

All 12 of the Marine residents were brought in for the party - some under their own power and some wheeled in. They were from WWII though the Vietnam War (I don't believe any served in combat after Vietnam - though I could be mistaken about that.) Included among them was a Medal of Honor recipient from the battle at Iwo Jima.

The Marine League men chatted and laughed with them. The mutual respect and commraderie - the common bond of special men (and women, by the way) - was thick in the air. It made you stop and think about some of the tradegdies and horrors these Marines may have experienced....and the sacrafice and bravery.

The Marines - Residents and League

After the socializing, laughing, and, I suspect, a few tears flowing in memory of god knows what, it was time for the traditional Cake Cutting. The tradition is that the youngest and oldest Marines in the group share the honors...one generation bonding with the next.

In our case both the youngest (Pete - 49) and the oldest, (Howard - 93) did the honors.

Cutting the Cake

Howard - Pete

The Marine Corps Hymn was sung with much gusto. I won't comment on quality, but enthusiasm ran high.

Goodbyes, hand shakes, and hugs were shared.

I was honored to be there and share this amazing experience with the members of the League and also the Marines in Residence.

Since I had served myself, even though I was just a visitor for this event, I was typically called "Captain." That was my rank when I left active service. Everyone in the League retains their last rank. I haven't been called Captain since I was last on active duty. Often someone was talking to me or referring to me as Captain or The Captain and I had no idea who or what they were talking about. It took me a while to get used to it.

And my dad is known by them all simply as "The Colonel."

It was about 1.5 hours driving down to St. James and the same coming back. When you're trapped in a small van with 12 Marines for 3 hours, you kind of get to know them. None of these guys is particularly shy.

I won't try to describe them individually. Let me just say that as a group, you couldn't possibly find a better bunch. Remember, these guys volunteered to become Marines. Most have combat experience. And now thay are volunteering again to be part of the Marine Corps League and to to do this and hundreds of other community and Marine Corps service jobs, tasks, and events.

They have bonded together as Marines and as a Marine Detachment have reached out to the community. They provide full dress military honors funerals for vetrans of any service, help raise money for community oranizations, march in local parades, serve as the color guard (they provided a full color guard at the local high school for their Veteran's Day celebration, for example), and much, much more. They work hard to do it right, they drill like Marine recruits, they are consciensiuous, inudstrious, and a heck of a lot of fun, to boot.

Next we stopped at a Convalescent Home in Osage Beach, Missouri, where I met Michelle.

Michelle is a beautiful young former Marine who is, unfortunately, severly affliced with MS. When we walked into her room, it was clearly very difficult and painful for her to get into her motorized chair (provided to her by the League, I understand).

But after she managed to get settled into it and spin it around, she had a huge smile on her face and clearly knew exactly what was happening. And was excited to see her brothers in arms.

The League Marines had a separate Marine Corps Birthday Cake for her.

Although it was difficult for her to speak, she did her best to chat with the guys a little. And that smile of hers never left her face.

Michelle, The Cake, & The Guys

In spite of her pain, her broken arm, and the pain and suffering I know she was experiencing, she managed to whip off a perfect salute of respect and thanks to her fellow Marines after their quite loud rendition of the Marine Corps Hymn.

That simple salute speaks volumes.

There was one more stop at another convalescent home not far from Michelle's place.

There was only one Marine there, too. I can't remember his name as I write this (so I'll call him the Unknown Soldier). He is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. They said he wouldn't know what was going on. But that did not deter our Marine Corps League. They were on a mission to get a cake delivbered to every Marine in a home in the area. So we stormed the place anyway.

The League Marines & The Unknown Soldier

The Unknown Soldier may or may not have known exactly what was happening or that it was the 233rd Marine Corps Birthday.

But I can tell you this. After the candle was blown out, the Marine Corps Hymn was sung, and when Bill gave the Unknown a little bit of the icing on the cake, I swear a saw a slight smile on his face and a tiny tear in his eye.

Monday was a day I will never forget.

The Colonel & The Captain

To top it off, since I hadn't seen my Dad in a long time and not since he suffered a stroke in April, it was no less than a perfect way to spend my first day of a 3 week visit.

He could not have been more proud to be able to be part of this tribute to the less fortunate Marines in the area.

And I could not have been more proud than to share it with Dad.