Evening star., 1946-11-10
100000 Marines
Today Commemorate
171st Year Of Corps

The United States Marines, 100,-
900 strong, will join today in COM
memoration of their .lT1st anniver-
sary at stations all over the world.
This will be the first peacettne cele-
bration since 1941. ss y
The birthday of the corps was
marked in advance last night, by a
celebration at Hotel Statler and by
an anniversary dance at the Hen
derson Hall barracks in Arlington
for enlisted men. At both affairs,
huge birthday cakes were cut with
full ceremony by Marines welding
saberS.
The first piece of cake at the en-
listed mems ball was presented to
Staff Sergt. Isadore Kaufman,
Marine for more than 80 years, now
stationed at Corps Headquarters in
the Navy Annex.
Gen. A. A. Vandegrift, the COM
mandant, cut the other cake at the
Statler in the presence Of Navy
Secretary and Mrs Forrestal, Ad-
niral Chester w. Nimitz, Admiral
Ernest King, Admiral William II. P.
Blandy, Admiral William F. Halsey,
former Gov. Harold Stassen of
Minnesota and Attorney General
Clark.
The enlisted men celebrated the
occasion less formally with free beer,
soft drinks, turkey, ham and other
refreshments. Sergt. Maj. Calhoun
Smith, veteran of Guadalcanal
and Cape Gloucester, was chairman
in charge of arrangements for the
Henderson Hall party.
Proclamation Quoted.
Today the traditional comman-
dant's proclamation will be read
to Marines wherever they are sta
toned. Gen. Vandegrift's procla-
nation states:
I'm every battle and skirmish
since the birth of our corps, Marines
have acquitted themselves with the
greatest distinction, winning new
honors on each occasion until the
term Marine has come to signify
all that is highest in military eff
cheney and soldierly virtue.
From the fighting tops of the
Bonhomme Richard to the occupa-
ton of Japan, Marines have firmly
established their reputation as fight
ing men. During the two great
world struggles our Nation has
fought in this century, men of the
corps wrote the two most glorious
chapters in our history.
THAT reputation was carried on
by Marines on land, sea and in the
air in World War II. The Nations
determination and courage was lift
ed in those first dark hours of the
treacherous japanese attack by the
valiant Marine defense of Wake
Island.
Later. it was Marines who were
called on to make our first often
sive move of the war in the never
to-be- forgotten battle for Guadal-
canal. The Marine Corps is
indeed the finest fighting organiza-
ton in the world"
Dinner-Dance Scheduled.
The National Capital Detachment,
Marine Corps League, will observe
the anniversary with a dinner
dance at the Shoreham Hotel at
7:30 pm. tomorrow. Speakers will |
include Maj. Gen. Lemuel c. Shep-
herd, assistant commandant; Maj. |
Gen. Graves B. Erskine, head of |
the Retraining and Unemployment
Administration; Joseph r. Alvarez,
national commandant of the league
and Edwin L. Luther Of the Vet
erans' Information Center.
Oficers for 1947 will be installed.
They are: John L. Richards, COM
mandant; Joseph Futeron, senior
vice commandant; C. Richard
Swami, Junior vice commandant;
Helen Ionnone, adjutant; Willard
w. Sibert, paymaster; Norman M.
Shaw, judge advocate; Capt. George
S. Planter, chief of staff; William
Vogt, chaplain-emeritus; Willard
Stranahan, chaplain, and Glen Rus
cell Snrpeant-at-arnS