Marine Corps veterans in West Tennessee marked the Corps' 251st birthday Tuesday with a celebration at the Tennessee State Veterans Home in Humboldt, and they invited the community to join them, WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News reported.
The observance was organized by Marine Corps League Detachment 735, the Captain Jack Holland detachment, along with members' families. The ceremony honored Marines past and present with a traditional birthday observance, and it was open to friends, family members and supporters who wanted to stop by, say thank you and celebrate.
L.C. Reed, commandant of the detachment, said the birthday is a tradition Marines keep no matter where they are. "The history of the Marine Corps goes a long way back to 1775, November 10, 1775 when the marine corps were first brought into service," Reed said. "And we have carried out that tradition of the marine corps each and every year across the globe. And we will continue to do that as long as we have marines."
Nov. 10 is a date every Marine knows. On that day in 1775, the Continental Congress approved a resolution calling for two battalions of Marines to serve during the American Revolution. Marines around the world now mark the date each year with ceremonies that often include a reading of the Commandant's birthday message and a cake-cutting, with the first piece traditionally going to the oldest Marine present and the next to the youngest.
Holding the celebration at the veterans home allowed residents who served to take part alongside younger veterans and local families.
The timing also sets the stage for Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11, when communities across West Tennessee will hold ceremonies honoring everyone who has served in the armed forces. Raw 100.5 thanks every Marine, and every veteran, for their service.
Sources: WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News; Marine Corps League Detachment 735; U.S. Marine Corps history