250 years of excellence, the United States Marine Corps, Semper Fi

Today, November 10, 2025 is the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps. On this date November 10, 1775, the U.S. Marine Corps was founded at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia when the Continental Congress ordered the creation of two battalions of U.S. Marines to serve both at sea and on land.

Led by Captain Samuel Nicholas, the first commissioned officer of the Continental Marines, these early soldiers quickly proved their value and established a fierce reputation for discipline and courage that has endured for 250 years. After the Revolutionary War, the U.S. Marine Corps was disbanded for 15 years. However, the group was reestablished by Congress on July 11, 1798. For many years, this date was quietly recognized as the Corps’ anniversary.

That all changed in 1921. Major Edwin North McClellan, who led the Corps’ early historical division, proposed restoring November 10 as the official U.S. Marine Corps birthday — the date the original Continental Marines were formed in 1775. Commandant John A. Lejeune approved the idea, and since then, the U.S. Marine Corps has proudly celebrated November 10 as their official birthday.

In honor of my Corps, I present the 250th Birthday Message from the Commandant

  

 

10 November 2025A 
MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS

             Two hundred and fifty years ago, before our Nation declared its independence, a small group of men gathered in Philadelphia and formed a Corps of Marines. From that moment, our story has been bound to the story of America itself. A quarter of a millennium later, Marines remain at the center of our Nation's defense. Ready to fight, ready to win, and ready to uphold the trust placed in us since 1775.
             Across centuries, Marines have fought on distant shores and in desperate battles, earning a reputation for discipline, toughness, and valor. From the Revolution to the World Wars, from Chapultepec to today's operations across the globe, every generation has proven worthy of the title Marine. They secured liberty, defended allies, and carried forward the promise of a free Nation, and a free world. We are the heirs of that legacy, and we are its stewards.
             This anniversary reminds us that our standards are the foundation of our Corps. Honor, Courage, and Commitment are not abstractions, but the code that binds us to one another and to all who went before. Every Marine, in every clime and place, must hold true to these values. The conflicts ahead will demand nothing less.
             I could not be prouder of the Marines I see serving today. At home, at sea, and across the globe, you carry forward our proud traditions with skill and ferocity. It is your discipline, initiative, and fighting spirit that anchor our Corps. The battles of the next 250 years will challenge us in new ways, but I have no doubt we will prevail. Happy Birthday Marines! 

From me to my brother and sister Marines, AD, Retired, or not, "Thank you" for being there.

-ab

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