Basic Marine Corps Knowledge
Marine Corps Birthday – 10 November 1775
Marine Corps Birthplace – Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, PA
Marine Cops Motto – “Semper Fidelis” – Always Faithful
Faithful to yourself, your comrades, your Corps, and your county
Marine Corps Colors – Scarlet and Gold
Marine Corps Emblem – Eagle, Globe and Anchor
First Commandant of the Marine Corps – Captain Samuel Nicholas
First Amphibious Landing by Marines – Providence Island in the Bahamas
First Marine Corps Aviator – 1st Lt Alfred Cunningham (1912)
First Woman Marine – Opha Mae Johnson (1918)
Marines With Two Medals of Honor – Sgt. Maj. Daily and Maj. Butler.
Type of sword worn by Marine Officers – Mameluke Sword first presented to Lt. Presley N. O’Bannon as a gesture of respect and praise for bravery exhibited at the battle of Derne fortress in Tripoli in 1805.
The “Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps” – General Archibald Henderson (Commandant for 39 years)
“Blood Stripe” – Red strip worn on dress blue trousers – Represents bravery by Marines at the battle of
Chapultepec during the War with Mexico.
Most famous Marine (Awarded 5 Navy Crosses) – LtGen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller
Marine Mascot – English bulldog named “Chesty”
Marine Nicknames:
“Leathernecks” for collar worn on uniforms years ago.
“Devil Dogs” (TEUFELHUNDEN) – the name given to Marines by German soldiers during World War I because they fought so bravely.
Famous Battles
Mexican War (1848) – Veracruz and Mexico City (Montezuma and Chapultepec)
World War I (1914-1918) – Belleau Woods in France
World War II (1941-1945) – Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Saipan, Tarawa
Korean War (1950-1953) – Chosin Reservoir
Vietnam (1965-1972) – Hue City; Khe Sahn
Urgent Fury (1983) – Grenada
Beirut (1982-1984) – Lebenon
Desert Storm (1991) – Kuwait
Enduring Freedom (2003-Present) – Afghanistan
Iraqi Freedom (2003-Present) – Iraq