WASHINGTON — The U.S. Marine Corps is celebrating its 248th birthday on Nov. 10, marking the anniversary of the founding of a military branch older than the United States itself.
That's right, the Marines are technically older than the country they serve.
When was the Marine Corps founded?
The Corps was founded in 1775 in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War. The group, originally dubbed the Continental Marines, were the amphibious troops on the American side of the war, helping defeat the British to establish the country.
When the war officially ended in 1783, the Corps was disbanded, until it was reformed in 1798 by President John Adams. The Marines only began celebrating the original birthday in the 1900s, turning it into an annual tradition that has lasted a century.
On Nov. 10 every year, Marines and veterans celebrate the founding day, some as if it was their own birthday. Officially, the Corps hosts a military ball and a cake-cutting ceremony. For 2023, the ball will be held in Washington D.C. a day later on Veterans Day.
And even with something as simple as cutting a cake, the Marines love tradition. The first slice of cake is traditionally given to that year's guest of honor. The second piece goes to the oldest Marine present, who hands it to the youngest Marine present as a symbol of passing down knowledge to the new generation.
The day falls one before Veterans Day, which honors those who served in all branches of the U.S. military.
What is the Marine Corps?
Formally, the Marine Corps is part of the U.S. Department of the Navy, and is a sister organization to the Navy itself.
The Corps prides itself on its rigorous training and difficult selection criteria, colloquially known as being one of the toughest branches of the military to join.
According to military.com, a news site focused on the armed forces, the Corps has a particularly difficult training process because Marines want to be ready for any difficulty.
"Some believe that Marines are forged in a furnace of shared hardship and tough training," the site says. "Marines, both active and veterans, say recruit training was the most difficult thing they ever had to do in their lives. It has to be that way to prepare young men and women to be part of the world's most elite fighting force."
As such, Marines tend to have a large amount of pride in their branch of the military.
The Marine Corps website acknowledges the bond Marines have with each other, describing that the pride comes from a Marine "knowing that he or she stands among the few who have overcome the mental, physical, and emotional challenges of becoming an elite fighter for our nation."
Why do Marines say "Semper Fi" to each other?
The Corps' official motto is "Semper Fidelis" — often shortened to "Semper Fi" — which means "always faithful" in Latin.
Marines often use it as a greeting to others who have served in the Corps as a show of goodwill and as a simple shorthand to indicate they served in the same military branch.
While the Semper Fi phrase is commonly known, it wasn't always the motto of the Corps.
Before they adopted it in 1883, the Corps had three unofficial mottos: "By Sea and by Land," "Fortitudine" (meaning "in fortitude") and "To the shores of the Tripoli."