Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-11-10
For 1859 Years U. 5. Marines Have Been Fighting
Their CountY's Battles on Land and on the Sea
Anniversary Finds
Corps in Forefront
Of War Against Japs

The United States marine
corps celebrates its 169th ami
versary this November 10th,
without pause and with no fan
fare. For the relatively small
marine corps this has been a
year of herculean tasks, never
before equalled in the long and
heroic history of the corps. Over
thousands of miles of Pacific
ocean, Leathernecks have leap
frogged to within bomber-range
of Japan itself. Behind them Law
the heaviest marine casualties
in history-but small when
weighed beside one of the great
est military sagas ever written
within a period of twelve months.
Since November 10th, last, ma
rines have advanced the front
on Japan by at least three thou
sand miles, all the most difficult
kind of amphibious operations
against an enemy who did not
know how to surrender except
in death on the point of a ma
rine bayonet.
Since the year ITS when Capt.
Robert Mullin recruited the first
marines in the Tun Tavern at Phila-
delphia, Leathernecks have ex-
pected as their share, the hardest
type of fighting. The first two bat
falInnS of
nothing more than six dollars
month, a liberal daily ration of
rum, and plenty of action. For the
last 1859 years Leathernecks have
seen action in virtually every
corner of the world.
In the War of Independence the
newborn marines served creditably
on land and sea. Their first recorded
action was a raid on New Provi
dence In the Bahamas. A detach-
ment fought with Washington in the
Battle of Princeton and in the Sec
ond Battle of Trenton Marines were
also present for the historic cross
ing of the Delaware and were part
OF the force that surprised the Hes
sian garrison on Christmas Eve,
TITS. Among their earlier admirers
was John Paul Jones who saw them
In action and openly spoke his ad-
miration.
Recognized in 1898.
With the coming of peace, the
marines were disbanded, not to be
formed again until 1898. 1t was seven
years later that they set out on their
first overseas venture-an opera
ton that was later to be recorded
In the Marine Corps hymn. This
action Cshores of Tripoli') was
made notable by Lieutenant O'Ban-
non who led seven marines and
handful OF natives in one of the most
daring raids in military history.
Always busy, the year 1872 found
marines in action again. They fought
In many engagements, from Lake
Erie with Commodore Perry to New
Orleans with Andrew Jackson. It
was remarked even in those days
that such small force-numbering
scarcely more than a thousand -
could fight so effectively on so many
fronts.
The marines were still yery
small force when they went into
action in 1845 in the War with Mexi-
CO. But despite their numbers thew
took a major role in the attack on
the Fortress of Chapultepec, and,
joining with small force under
Lieut.. Ulysses S. Grant, marched to
the gates of Mexico City.
For the next so years the marines
were relatively idle. They played an
occasional part in restoring order in
Central America, but they didn't get
into action on a serious scale again
until the Spanish-American war. In
this contest they struck the first
blows for American arms; they won
the first victories; they electrified
the nation with their skill and dar-
ing. Rarely has such a small group
of fighting men received so many
decorations for valor.
At Front in World WarI.
World War I also demonstrated
the high percentage of individual
marine heroism. One thousand, six
hundred and sixty-eight marines re-
ceived awards despite the fact the
marine corps was still relatively
small organization. The first Ameri-
can to win the Congressional Medal
of Honor was marine-Gunnery
Sgt. Charles F. Hoffman who
silenced five enemy machine guns
in Belleau Wood. Typical of marine
spirit was this report: $3.50 a. M
Four officers and 78 prisoners ar
rived at brigade headquarters
brought in by Marine Private
Leonard to whom they surrendered
in the Bots de Belleau."
Marines entered World War II on
the firing line. Send us more Japs"
wired the beleaguered marines on