 |
Marine Corps Birthday
November 10, 1775 - November 10, 2025
Semper Fi
|
First and
second place photos from the
International Picture of the Year
First Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky
Mountain News
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's
body arrived at the Reno Airport , Marines climbed into the cargo hold of
the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the
family gather on the tarmac.
During the arrival of
another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport , Major
Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful: 'See the people in the
windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You
gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the
plane that brought him home,' he said 'They will remember being on that
plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that
Marine home. And they should.
Second Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
The night before the burial of her husband's
body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to
his body for the last time The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the
sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop
computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines
asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. 'I think
it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,' she said. 'I think that's
what he would have wanted.
Reckless,
the only horse to become a Marine Sergeant !
This is a life-size statue
of Reckless
at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, VA.
‘Reckless ! Let’s call her Reckless!" a voice cried out from
the crowd of Marines gathered around their newest recruit. The
name might have seemed ill-suited for a small, chestnut-colored
horse with a blaze down her forehead and three white stockings.
But to the Recoilless Rifle Platoon of the 5th Marines, the
moniker was perfect — it was their radio call sign and captured
the toss-caution-to-the-wind attitude of men who relied on the
"reckless" rifle.
|
|
She officially joined
the Marines on Oct. 26, 1952, not as a mascot, but
because
the unit desperately needed help hauling heavy
guns and artillery over Korea’s rugged terrain.
Because it had no wheels and
sat on a tripod, the 75mm recoilless rifle, at 6-feet-10
inches long and weighing nearly 115 pounds, was awkward
and challenging to carry; moving it in the field usually
required three and at times four men, though sometimes
two could manage.
It could throw a 75 mm
shell several thousand yards with extreme precision. |
Recoilless Rifle Platoon of the 5th Marines found Reckless
could safely and easily carry six rounds of recoilless rifle
ammunition in canisters without much trouble. Yet in the heat of
battle, they found she could tote eight to 10 rounds, if
necessary.
Two legs or four
legs, a Marine is "Always Faithful" |
|
Two Medals Of
Honor
His Famous Battle Cry;
"Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever?"
'Greatest of all Leathernecks'
|
Established November 10, 1775
Smedley Butler, a two
time Medal of Honor holder, is considered the "Gold
Standard" for Marine Corps courage, honor, duty and
outspokenness.
|
Medal Of
Honor
'Held off 3,000 man attack on
Guadalcanal.'
5 Navy
Crosses
'No Words Needed.' |
Every Marine is duty
bound to "leave no man behind". During WWII, some engagements
impeded body retrieval and Marines did their utmost to ensure
that those brothers in arms would not be forgotten. The video
below is a testimony to the commitment that every Marine shares
with his fellow Marines.
Semper Fi
|