Marines of 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, escort the regiment’s birthday cake during a ball held in celebration of the 5th Marines’ 96th birthday here, June 6, 2013. The regiment holds the honor of being the Marine Corps most decorated regiment. According to the regiment’s official history, prior to U.S. forces’ deployment to France in WW I, 5th Marines was activated in Philadelphia during June 1917. So fierce were their efforts in Belleau Wood and subsequent victories, the French government awarded the regiment the Croix de Guerre with two palms and one gilt star. Since then, the regiment has served in the hallowed battlegrounds of Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait and most recently Iraq and Afghanistan.