Category: History

Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 22nd day of August in the history of our beloved Corps: In 1912, Congress authorizes an increase in the size of the Marine Corps to 348 officers and 9,921 enlisted men.           This marks the first time the Corps is allowed to exceed 10,000 personnel. In 1942, the 4th Marine Base Defense Air Wing is organized at Ewa, Hawaii.           It is eventually […]

Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 21st day of August in the history of our beloved Corps: In 1814, Marines defended Washington, D.C. at Bladensburg, Maryland, against the British. In 1917, the newly organized 7th Regiment departs Philadelphia for Cuba to guard U.S. sugar interests. In 1934, the last elements of the 1st Marine Brigade withdraw from Haiti, ending the 20-year U.S. intervention in that country.           The 1st […]

Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 20th day of August in the history of our beloved Corps: In 1912, Alfred Cunningham completes his solo flight to become the first Marine aviator. In 1920, a Marine guard is established at the U.S. consulate in Tungchow, China. In 1942, the first echelons of MAG-23 and 1st MAW (19 F4Fs of VMF-223 and 12 SBD-3s of VMSB-232) land on Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. […]

Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 19th day of August in the history of our beloved Corps: In 1812, Lieutenant William Sharp Bush, serving aboard the USS Constitution, to oversee the ship’s detachment of Marines, called them aft. Bush, who was mounting the taffrail with sword in hand, was yelling out,” shall I board her?” Immediately after, he was shot by a musket ball in his left cheek bone […]

Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 18th day of August in the history of our beloved Corps: In 1942, Marines complete the airstrip on Guadalcanal and name it Henderson Field after Major Lofton Henderson, who died leading his Marine dive bombers against the Japanese at Midway.           The 51st Defense Battalion is activated at Montford Point, New River, North Carolina.           It is destined to train the first African […]

Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 17th day of August in the history of our beloved Corps: In 1912, the Tacoma puts its Marine detachment ashore at Bluefields, Nicaragua, to guard the U.S. consulate. In 1915, Secretary of the Navy Daniels asks the Secretary of War to provide instruction in flying land planes to Marine and Navy aviators.           Lieutenant W. M. McIllvain is the first Marine to receive […]