PVE Marines Celebrate 246th Birthday

A small group of Marine veterans and their spouses celebrated the annual Marine birthday last November with a luncheon at the Oak Room.

They had the traditional cake cutting with the oldest Marine present and the youngest Marine present doing the honors. For those who have earned the title of Marine, November 10 is celebrated as if it was their own birthday, serving as a yearly reminder of the brave spirit that has compelled young men and women to defend our nation and its interests for more than two centuries.

In 1775, the Corps was born out of a Philadelphia tavern during the American Revolutionary War. Under the authority of the Second Continental Congress, a recruiting headquarters at the Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, was set up with the help of the tavern’s owner.

The first Marines served on land and sea, and their operations included the Americans’ first amphibious raid into the Bahamas in March 1776, according to Marine Corps University.

The Corps adopted the Latin phrase “Semper Fidelis” in 1883, but before that, Marines used three unofficial mottos: “By Sea and by Land,” “Fortitudine,” and “To the shores of Tripoli.”

But today, “Semper Fidelis” (Always Faithful) is the motto of every Marine. It’s an eternal and collective commitment to the success of their battles, the progress of our nation, and the steadfast loyalty to the Marines they fight alongside.

So, we say “Semper Fi” and “Happy Birthday” to our proud PVE Marines.