Marine Corps Birthday
The U.S. Marine Corps begins preparations for its "birthday
party" every summer. Activities become more feverish as the fall hues
arrives. By early November every Marine is either rehearsing his role in the
"party" or pressing, polishing, and spit-shining in order to appear
at his or her best for the Birthday Ball. This has not always been the case
however. In fact, Marines have not always celebrated their founding on November
the 10th.
Formal commemoration of the birthday of the Marine Corps began
on 10 November 1921. That particular date was chosen because on that day
Congress resolved in 1775 to raise two battalions of Continental Marines.
Until 1921 the birthday of the Corps had been celebrated on
another date, 11 July. The July date was commemorated between 1798 and 1921 as
the birthday of the Corps. An unidentified newspaper clipping from 1918 refers
to the celebration of the 120th birthday of the Marine Corps on 11 July
"as usual with no fuss." It is doubtful that there was any real
celebration at all. Further inspection of documents and publications prior to
1921 shows no evidence of ceremonies, pageants, or parties. The July date was
commemorated between 1798 and 1921 as the birthday of the Corps. During the Revolution,
Marines had fought on land and sea, but at the close of the Revolution the
Marine Corps and the Navy were all but disbanded. On 11 July 1798, President
John Adams approved a bill that recreated the Corps, thereby providing the
rationale for this day being commemorated as the birthday of the U.S. Marine
Corps.
On 21 October 1921 Major Edwin McClellan, officer-in-charge,
Historical Section, Headquarters Marine Corps, sent a memorandum to Major
General Commandant John A. Lejeune suggesting that the original birthday on 10
November 1775 be declared a Marine Corps holiday to be celebrated throughout
the Corps. McClellan further suggested that a dinner be held in Washington to
commemorate the event. Guests would include prominent men from the Marine Corps,
the Army, and the Navy, and descendants of the Revolution.
Accordingly, on 1 November 1921, Lejeune issued Marine Corps
Order No. 47, Series, 1921. The order summarized the history, mission, and
tradition of the Corps and directed that it be read to every command on 10
November each subsequent year in honor of the birthday of the Marine Corps.
This order has been duly carried out.
Some commands expanded the celebration during the next few
years. In 1923 at Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania, the celebration of the Marine
Corps' 148th birthday took the form of a dance in the Barracks that evening.
Marines at the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia, staged a sham battle on the parade
ground in commemoration of the birthday. The battle lasted about twenty minutes
and was witnessed by Portsmouth and Norfolk citizens. At Naval Station,
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Birthday was celebrated on the 12th since a special
liberty to Santiago had been arranged on the 10th. The morning activities
included field and water sports, and a shooting match. In the afternoon the
Marines won a baseball game 9-8 over a Cuban team. In the evening, members of
the command put on a variety show followed by four boxing bouts.
The first so called "Birthday Ball" such as suggested
by McClellan was probably held in 1925 in Philadelphia. No records have been
located of one prior to 1925. Guests included the Secretaries of War and Navy,
Major General Commandant Lejeune, famous statesman, soldiers, and sailors. The
principle event was the unveiling of a tablet on the site of Tun Tavern. The
tablet was a gift from the Thomas Roberts Reath Post, American Legion, whose
membership was composed exclusively of Marines. The celebration was held in
conjunction with the annual convention of the Marine Corps League. A parade
included Marines, Regular Army, and Navy detatchments, National Guard, and
other military organizations. The evening banquet was held at the Benjamin
Franklin Hotel and a ball followed at the Bellevue-Stratford.
It is not possible to determine precisely when the first cake
ceremony was held, but the first on record was held at Marine Barracks,
Washington, D.C. in 1937. Major General Commandant Thomas Holcomb presided at
an open house for Marine Corps officers. Ceremonies included the cutting of a
huge cake designed after the famous Tun Tavern in Philadelphia.
From 1937 on, observances of the Marine Corps Birthday appeared
to develop spontaneously throughout the Corps as if they had a life of their
own. The celebrations were publicized through every media. Newsreels, motion
pictures, and displays were prepared to summarize the history of the Corps. In
1943, standard blank Marine Corps scrap books were forwarded to all districts
to be filled with 168th anniversary clippings, scripts, pictures, programs, and
other memorabilia and returned to Headquarters. Unfortunately none of these
scrapbooks remain in official files.
In 1951, a formal Birthday Ball Pageant was held at Headquarters
Marine Corps. Similar to the pageant today, the script described the Marines
period uniforms and the cake ceremony. Although this is the first substantive
record of a pageant, The Leatherneck of 10 November 1925 pictures Marines at a
pageant in Salt Lake City, Utah, which had taken place "several years
ago."
On 28 October 1952, Major General Commandant Lemeuel C.
Shepherd, Jr. directed the celebration of the Marine Corps Birthday be
formalized throughout the
Corps and provided an outline for ceremony, as well as other formal
observances. This outline included in the Marine Corps Drill Manual approved 26
Jan 1953.
Traditionally, the first piece of cake is presented to the
oldest Marine present and the second to the youngest.