Semper Fidelis at 250: The Marines, their History, and the Navy–Marine Corps Team

Semper Fidelis at 250: The Marines, their History, and the Navy–Marine Corps Team

Two hundred fifty years ago, in a Philadelphia tavern between a pint and a promise, Americans wrote a simple idea into our character: when trouble arises, a small band will move first, move fast, and not stop until the job is done. From Tun Tavern, 1775 to today, the United States Marine Corps has been that band—disciplined, lethal, and rooted in an ethos that outlasts slogans and seasons. Today we Hoist a Mug to the Few and the Proud—and to the Navy–Marine Corps team that gets them to the fight, keeps them supplied, and brings them home.

From the Shores of Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma

  • Tripoli (Derna, 1805): A long march, a bold strike, and Lt. Presley O’Bannon showed the world the Corps could project power half a planet away—earning the Mameluke sword lineage that still cuts the Marine Corps Birthday cake.

  • Montezuma (Chapultepec, Mexico City, 1847): The “Halls of Montezuma.” Marines led from the front up Chapultepec’s slopes, seizing the fortress that opened Mexico City—an audacious assault woven into the Corps’ hymn and heritage.

  • Belleau Wood (1918): “Retreat? Hell, we just got here.” In a French forest, Marines fought like a wall of oak, earning “Teufel Hunden” Devil Dog!

  • Iwo Jima (1945): Black sand, a flag raised, and a photograph that became a national heartbeat—courage in motion.

  • Chosin Reservoir (1950): Cold enough to freeze a shadow; Marines fought their way out with discipline and steel.

  • Hue City (1968): House to house and block by block—urban warfare defined by grit and small-unit leadership.

  • Desert Storm (1991): Maneuver warfare at scale—speed, deception, and shock that cracked defenses and shortened the war.

  • Iraq—Fallujah (2004–2007): Block-by-block endurance and leadership under fire; Marines cleared and held ground where every doorway had a say.

  • Afghanistan—Helmand (2009–2014): From Marjah to Sangin, Marines fought stubborn, close-in fights; partnered with Afghan forces; countered IED networks; and kept patrol bases supplied at the edge of the map—air, sea, and grit working as one Navy–Marine Corps team.

These aren’t just chapters; they’re checkpoints of a promise kept over centuries.

“Every Marine a Rifleman”—And Never Alone

Marines are famous for the line “Every Marine a rifleman.” Equally true: no Marine fights alone. Every operation is a formation—the quiet choreography of a Navy–Marine Corps team.

  • Blue-Water to Brown-Water: Amphibious Ready Groups and Marine Expeditionary Units steam quietly until the moment matters. Well decks open, Landing Craft Air Cushioned Vehicles (LCACs) roar, connectors fly, and a strip of coastline becomes the front porch of American resolve—temporarily leased, no deposit returned.

  • Sailors and Corpsmen:  The Navy’s Fleet and the Marine Corps’ teeth move as one. A Sailor charts the amphibious landing lane. Navy Hospital Corpsman, who perform all field medic duties for the Corps, kneel at dangerous, but critical moments and makes it survivable.

  • Aviation and Fires: Carrier air, Marine air, naval gunfire, and precision tech stitch together the integrated fires Marines need for the mission.  

  • Logistics: No mater how far from "X" - A Supply Marine finds the “impossible” part; a Boatswain’s Mate gets the boat moving anyway; a Loadmaster puzzles a pallet by feel at 0200. Quiet professionals, shared purpose making a difference and supporting the mission no matter how far from "X."

We joke on the pier because we’ve bled on the same sand. That’s family.

Traditions That Teach

  • The Birthday Cake: On November 10, the oldest Marine passes a slice to the youngest, cut with a Mameluke sword—a reminder that the past hands the mission to the future, not in words but in deeds.

  • The Rifleman’s Creed: Practice it long enough and it turns from recitation to reflex: accountability, mastery, and care for the tools that carry you home. I have posted it below because what Marine Corps birthday is not complete without reciting the Rifleman's Creed!

    1. This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

    2. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.

    3. My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will …

    4. My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit….

    5. My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will ….

    6. Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.

    7. So be it, until victory is America’s and there is no enemy, but peace!!

     

  • The Guidon and the Colors: The fabric matters because of the names it holds and the people who marched behind it.

These rituals aren’t ceremony for ceremony’s sake—they’re training for the soul.

What Makes a Marine (A few smiles allowed)

  • The posture: somehow at attention even while sitting.
  • The haircut: a navigational aid visible from low Earth orbit.
  • The acronym: MARINE - My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment
  • The cadence: a physics experiment involving volume, motivation, and sunrise.
  • The coffee: hot, black, and fast—no tasting notes required. (We still offer them anyway.)
  • The standard: be early, be squared away, and if given a task, return with the task completed and your team intact.

Why It Works: Character Under Pressure

Ask around and you’ll hear the same story wrapped in different names: a Squad Leader who checks last rack, last locker, last head—every time. A CH-53 (I date myself - V-22) crew that treats gravity like a negotiable suggestion. A Pathfinder turning chaos into a landing zone. A Boat Coxswain threading chop at night like it’s a parade route. And always, somewhere close, a Corpsman with a kit and the will.

Marines don’t just close with and destroy the enemy—they close with aggression, friction, exhaustion, fear of uncertainty, but courage as a unit —and they impose their will on those who dare to oppose them.

The Navy–Marine Corps Team: Steel on Water, Resolve on Land

The Navy brings the reach: ships, submarines, carriers, connectors, logistics, and command-and-control that spans oceans. The Marines bring the shock: rapid response, adaptability, and riflemen who can secure a foothold anywhere on earth. Together they form one promise to the Nation as America's "away team" - we will be there, and we will be ready.

When a Marine steps onto a Navy ship, that deck becomes America’s front porch. When a Marine steps off it, that beach becomes American business—long enough to set things right.

Coffee, Community, and Keeping Faith

At Old Salt Coffee, we were built by people who stood this watch or stood beside those who did. We roast fresh, on demand because a stale cup is an insult to a hard-earned sunrise. And we give back because Shipmates take care of Shipmates. That’s why every bag of Liberty Call sends $1 to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society—supporting families who carry a quiet share of every deployment, workup, and homecoming.

How to Mark the 250th (The Old Salt Way)

  • Call a Marine. Say the words: “Semper Fi.”

  • Tell the story. Share the chapter you lived—from Tripoli to now.

  • Cut the cake with the Mameluke sword. Oldest to youngest—past to future.

  • Hoist a Mug. Brew something worthy of a quarter-millennium of discipline and grit.

  • Back a family. Support NMCRS, mentor a transitioning Veteran, show up when it counts.

Semper Fidelis—Always Faithful

The Corps at 250 isn’t just older; it’s still ready. New platforms, new domains, same standard. On this birthday, we honor the Marines who carried the colors through fire and cold, and the Sailors, Corpsmen, and Shipmates who made the team complete.

To the United States Marine Corps: Happy 250th Birthday. May your landings be dry, your kit be light (for once), and your rides show up on time—because the Navy is circling the block.

Fair winds, following seas, and Semper Fi.

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