United States Marine Corps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids United States Marine Corps |
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![]() Emblem of the United States Marine Corps
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Founded | 10 November 1775 (247 years, 2 months) |
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Headquarters | The Pentagon Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
Nickname(s) | "Jarheads", "Devil Dogs", "Teufel Hunden", "Leathernecks" |
Motto(s) | Semper fidelis |
Colors | Scarlet and Gold |
March | "Semper Fidelis" |
Mascot(s) | English bulldog |
Anniversaries | 10 November |
Commanders | |
Commander-in-Chief | ![]() |
Secretary of Defense | ![]() |
Secretary of the Navy | ![]() |
Commandant | ![]() |
Assistant Commandant | ![]() |
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps | SMMC Troy E. Black |
Insignia | |
Flag | ![]() |
Seal | ![]() |
Emblem ("Eagle, Globe, and Anchor" or "EGA") | ![]() |
Song | "The Marine's Hymn" |
The United States Marine Corps (also known as USMC) is one of the six branches of the military of the United States in the United States Department of Defense. It was created in 1775 as a special maritime service. Samuel Nicholas founded it. He was the first commissioned officer in the Corps. The birthplace of the Marines is in Philadelphia at the Tun Taven.
Although it is part of the U.S. Naval Service, it is a separate military branch with its own special ranking structure. It also has its own Naval Aviation.
The Marines have been involved in many conflicts, and had important roles in key battles such as Tripoli, Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Inchon Bay. Every Marine receives infantry training to be ready for battle at all times. Marine Corps training is also known for being especially challenging; at 13 weeks long, Marine Recruit Training is the longest basic training of the six military branches. United States Marines place a large emphasis on morale. This is reflected in their motto, semper fidelis (meaning "always faithful"), often shortened to semper fi.
Images for kids
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Marines in Afghanistan.
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Continental Marines landing at New Providence in March 1776 during the Battle of Nassau, the very first amphibious landing of the Marine Corps, during the American Revolutionary War
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Maj. Samuel Nicholas, first Commandant of the Marine Corps, was nominated to lead the Continental Marines by John Adams in November 1775.
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U.S. Marines storming Chapultepec castle under a large American flag, paving the way for the fall of Mexico City
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Five USMC privates with fixed bayonets, and their NCO with his sword at the Washington Navy Yard, 1864
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Photograph of the Marine Corps War Memorial, which depicts the second U.S. flag-raising atop Mount Suribachi, on Iwo Jima. The memorial is modeled on Joe Rosenthal's famous Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.
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F4U Corsairs providing close air support to Marines of the 1st Marine Division fighting Chinese forces in North Korea, December 1950
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U.S. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines during the Desert Storm deployment in 1990–1991
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U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 7th Marines entering a palace in Baghdad in April 2003
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An illustration of U.S. Marines in various uniform setups. From left to right: A U.S. Marine in a Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform with full combat load circa late 2003, a U.S. Marine in a (full) blue dress uniform, a U.S. Marine officer in a service uniform, and a U.S. Marine general in an evening dress uniform.
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Marines firing MEU(SOC) pistols while garrisoned aboard a ship
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A Marine M1 Abrams tank offloading from a Landing Craft Air Cushioned vehicle
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Marine parachutists jumping from an MV-22 Osprey at 10,000 feet