NEW YORK—All over the world, U.S. Marines take a moment to pause and reflect every November 10. It’s the Marine Corps’ birthday, and marines have a standing order to celebrate it.
The birthday is a time to reflect on who they are and what they stand for as marines, said Colonel Ivan I. Monclova of the 1st Marine Corps District. He spoke at the 243rd birthday celebration at Smith & Wollensky’s in New York City.
“We’re killing the closest alligator to the boat,” Monclova said. It’s important to take this time to reflect on the bigger picture, he added. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget why we do what we do.”
The birthday is a time for marines to reaffirm their commitment to the Corps. It’s a time to reflect on the values of honor and courage, and the importance of upholding high standards, not cutting corners, Monclova said.
He was speaking to a room full of both enlisted and retired marines. Young and old, they came as if attending a family reunion.
“I’m 73-years of age; I’m at a Marine Corps birthday, and to the day I die I'll continue to do the same thing and chat with young marines, old marines, and any marine I can come across because of the experiences that we all had together, shared together,” said Ed Boran, president of the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation.
Start of a Tradition
In 1921, Commandant John A. Lejeune first issued the order for marines to honor this birthday with a moment of silence, and it’s remained a standing order to this day. Other traditions have grown around it over the years, and celebrations were standardized in 1952, including the cake-cutting ceremony.At the ceremony this year at Smith & Wollensky’s, the 1st district Marine Corps color guard wheeled a white, coconut-topped birthday cake down the center of the room as everyone stood at attention. Colonel Monclova neatly sliced the cake with a sword.
The first piece went to the guest of honor, Brigadier General Thierry Lion of the French Army.
As dictated by tradition, the next slice of cake went to the oldest marine in the room. After taking a bite, the 75-year old marine passed the slice to the youngest marine in the room, a man 54 years his junior.
This passing of the cake from the oldest marine to the youngest marine symbolizes the passing of history and tradition from one generation of marines to the next.
A Hundred Years Since the End of WWI
This year’s birthday also marked the centennial of the end of World War I. The marines recalled The Battle of Belleau Wood, a landmark event in the history of the United States Marines Corps. In June 1918, marines navigated an 800-yard open wheat field to reach entrenched German soldiers.U.S. Marines attacked German forces six times in the woods before finally defeating them. It was one of the bloodiest battles U.S. Forces faced in World War I. On that day, 1087 marines lost their lives—more than had been lost since the founding of the Corps.
One of the men who lost his life was PFC William F. Moore. He served with the fifth regiment of marines, which was there on June 6, 1918, the opening day of the battle. Moore grew up in Queens, New York. At the corner of 108th St. and Corona Ave. in Queens, just a couple blocks from where he grew up, is a park dedicated in his honor.
One hundred years after his death, on June 6, 2018, the marines of the 1st Marine Corps District, held a ceremony at the park in his honor.
“Many people will forget this, but we, as marines, will never, because we honor our traditions,” Lt. Col. Glenn Sadowski said of the ceremony. “And we honor those who have gone before us.”
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