On November 10, 1775, the legacy of the United States Marine Corps begins with the founding of the Continental Marines. Much like the US Navy, the US Marine Corps traces its beginning to its Revolutionary War predecessor. Though the Continental Marines had been disbanded alongside the Continental Navy following the war, they were reestablished as the US Marine Corps with the Naval Act of 1794. The Marines were quickly thrown into combat shortly thereafter with engagements against the French and Spanish in the Caribbean as part of the Quasi-War (1798-1800).

Not long after came one of the Marines’ most famous engagements during the First Barbary War as a small group of Marines, commanded by First Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon, led a force of European and Arab mercenaries in a an attempt to liberate American personnel held prisoner at Tripoli. Though the force was stopped at Derne, resulting in the United States’ first land battle on foreign soil with the Battle of Derne, the impact of the expedition resulted in the lines “to the shores of Tripoli” in the Marines’ Hymn and a decisive victory for the American-led force. According to legend, the sword carried by Marine officers is based on one presented to First Lieutenant O’Bannon by Prince Hamet Karamanli. While the veracity of such a claim has been debated, the mameluke sword has been worn by Marine Corps officers since the designs initial distribution in 1826 with exception of the period between 1859 to 1875 (when the Model 1850 Army foot officer’s sword was required) and during World War II (when the practice of wearing swords was suspended).

Over the course of its long history, the United States Marine Corps has participated in nearly every conflict in which the United States has been involved. This includes the First Barbary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the US Civil War, the Spanish-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Fist and Second World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the Global War on Terrorism (GWoT) among many others. Currently, the USMC consists of ~185,000 active duty and ~38,500 reserve personnel.