USMC, 250 years of service, November 10th, 1775-2025

[DeSotoSky]

The Marine Corps began on November 10, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution to raise two battalions of Marines to serve as landing forces for the Continental Navy during the Revolutionary War.
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November 10th, 1954, the Marine Corps War Memorial is dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower at Arlington National Cemetery on the 179th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps. Thirty-two foot high figures are shown raising a 60-foot bronze flagpole. Taking 3 years, the largest piece weighs more than 20 tons. The scene depicts the raising of the American Flag on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, February 23 1945.

"The cost was staggering. The assault units of the corps—Marines and organic Navy personnel—sustained 24,053 casualties, by far the highest single-action losses in Marine Corps history. Of these, a total of 6,140 died. Roughly one Marine or corpsman became a casualty for every three who landed on Iwo Jima."
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525 Gents with acrylic overlay Military Service logos. They are documented on the 1992 Special Projects list. 5 in total,

 

[Culprit99]

Thank you, Roger. I live an hour south of the USMC War Memorial and try to stop by when I can. This picture was after visiting some friends in Arlington National Cemetery about 19 months ago.

Interesting trivia: what’s the historical inaccuracy in the statue? The M1 Carbines that Felix de Weldon sourced for his models to use were Korean War era carbines, so the M1 Carbines in his sculpture have bayonet lugs, but the ones used in WW II did not.

 

[Ironbut]

Since we're posting Jarhead pics, here's some Parris Island, Boot Camp pics of me in 1966, at the ripe old age of 17, and my Dad in 1941.

And here's one of our squadron's flight line crew at MCAS, El Toro, CA, in 1968 or 69. I'm the handsome one without a hat, sitting in the front row, second from the right.

 

[hunterjrg]

Thank you guys for your service!!

 

[Ironbut]

Thank you, Roger. I live an hour south of the USMC War Memorial and try to stop by when I can. This picture was after visiting some friends in Arlington National Cemetery about 19 months ago.

Interesting trivia: what’s the historical inaccuracy in the statue? The M1 Carbines that Felix de Weldon sourced for his models to use were Korean War era carbines, so the M1 Carbines in his sculpture have bayonet lugs, but the ones used in WW II did not.

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About 15 or 20 years ago, my wife & I decided to ride the Harley down to Quantico to visit the Marine Corps Museum for the day. Right inside was the gift shop, and I saw a big statue of the flag raising on Iwo on a big pedesta in therel, but I didn't pay much attention to it. After touring the museum, we visited the gift shop, and I got a good look at the statue. Holy crap! The thing was huge, and was built from black & grey Legos! If I remember correctly, a Lego club in Richmond (I think) built it. Really impressive.

 

[Culprit99]

About 15 or 20 years ago, my wife & I decided to ride the Harley down to Quantico to visit the Marine Corps Museum for the day. Right inside was the gift shop, and I saw a big statue of the flag raising on Iwo on a big pedesta in therel, but I didn't pay much attention to it. After touring the museum, we visited the gift shop, and I got a good look at the statue. Holy crap! The thing was huge, and was built from black & grey Legos! If I remember correctly, a Lego club in Richmond (I think) built it. Really impressive.

Yes! It’s an amazing statue - and it’s still there in the gift shop. At least it was within the past 6-9 months or so since I’ve been in there. I live 20-30 minutes south of the museum. Let me know if you find your way down here again and maybe we can meet up for lunch or something.

 

[Ironbut]

Yes! It’s an amazing statue - and it’s still there in the gift shop. At least it was within the past 6-9 months or so since I’ve been in there. I live 20-30 minutes south of the museum. Let me know if you find your way down here again and maybe we can meet up for lunch or something.

Wow! I had no idea it was still there! We used to go down past your area on our annual Winter trips to FL, to visit our relatives. In fact we used to drive & ride the motorcycle all over the country, but now we like staying at home. I just like my own bed, my own bathroom, my own easy chair, etc. Heck, when we go into town for our weekly grocery run, I can't wait to get home.

 

[Culprit99]

Speaking of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, here’s a fun story:

I met Oliver North in Iraq in 2004. I handed him a black Sharpie and he signed the underside of the brim of my cover. A decade later in 2014 I was out of the Marine Corps and working for the Corps as a civilian in Quantico. Oliver North was doing a book signing for his latest book in the gift shop of the museum right off base. Somehow in the previous decade I had accidentally washed the cover he had signed and his signature was an unrecognizable blob. I took the cover and a blue Sharpie to work and headed on over to the book signing at lunchtime. He re-signed the same cover for me 10 years later and over 6000 miles away.

 

[Culprit99]

Wow! I had no idea it was still there! We used to go down past your area on our annual Winter trips to FL, to visit our relatives. In fact we used to drive & ride the motorcycle all over the country, but now we like staying at home. I just like my own bed, my own bathroom, my own easy chair, etc. Heck, when we go into town for our weekly grocery run, I can't wait to get home.

I was wondering if that’s where your Ironbut name came from.

And yes, there’s no place like home!

 

[Ironbut]

I was wondering if that’s where your Ironbut name came from.

And yes, there’s no place like home!

Yep. I became a member of the IBA 20 years ago. I quit riding about 10 years ago, and gave my 2005 Electraglide to our one son. This one had 105K miles on it.
And we need a knife pic.