USMC - Parris Island, SC

Boot Camp - USMC - 1945

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USMC

NOV 10, 1775 - NOV 10, 2011
236 YEARS - OOOOORA !!!!

SEMPER FI

Flag Of The Commandant-United States Marine Corps

General James T. Conway

34 Commandant Of The United States Marine Corps

(November 14, 2006)

General Conway was born in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas and is a graduate of Southeast Missouri University. He was commissioned in 1970 as an infantry officer. His company grade assignments included multiple platoon and company commander billets with both the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions; Executive Officer of the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63); series and company commander at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego; aide to the Commanding General, and Director, Sea School.

As a field grade officer, he commanded two companies of officer students and taught tactics at The Basic School; he also served as operations officer for the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit to include contingency operations off Beirut , Lebanon; and as Senior Aide to the Chaiman , Joint Chiefs of Staff. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, he was reassigned to the 2nd Marine Division as Division G-3 Operations Officer before assuming command of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines in January 1990. He commanded Battalion Landing Team 3/2 during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Selected for colonel, he served as the Ground Colonels' Monitor, and as Commanding Officer of The Basic School. His general officer duties included Deputy Director of Operations, J-34, Combating Terrorism, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.; and President, Marine Corps University at Quantico, VA. After promotion to Major General, he assumed command of the 1st Marine Division. In November 2002, Major Conway was promoted to Lieutenant General and assumed command of the 1 Marine Expeditionary Force. He commanded 1 Marine Expedititionary Force during two combat tours in Iraq. In 2004, he was reassigned as the Director of Operations, J-3, Joint Staff, inWashington, D.C.

Commandants Of The United States Marine Corps

Major General (Sel) Thomas D. Waldhauser

Commanding Grneral, 1st Marine Division

The 1st Marine Division will get a new commander today September 28, 2007 as its members prepare to deploy to Iraq between late this year and early 2008. Maj. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser will take over the division from Brig. Gen. Richard P. Mills. Mills will move to Iraq to oversee ground troops for Multi-National Force - West. Waldhauser previously worked as chief of staff and director of the command support center at the U.S. Special Operations Command in Florida. The 1st Marine Division, which has about 19,000 service members, is the most decorated infantry division in the Marine Corps. - R.R.

Platoon 414 Picture below: My brother Jerry and I. (2ND Row from bottom 8-9, L-R)

Parris Island, SC. Platoon 414-3rd Recruit Bn - July 1945. Our DI's (Drill Instructors) were Gunny Sgt. Antidormi and Pfc. Eddie Kozmer. Both men had been with the 1st Marines on Guadalcanal (August 1942 - February 1943)

First duty station - Boston Naval Yard,(Charlestown Navy Yard) detached to Squantum Naval Air Station, Quincy, Mass. The pictures below are ones taken while on liberty in Boston with our buddies, Bill Lydon and David Shoup (Both from Mckeesport, PA). (Boston Common Park)

October - 1945

Squantum NAS

Aerial view Squantum NAS - 1945

USMC - Marine Beginning

USMC - Ribbon Creek

A Marines Prayer

Almighty Father, whose command is over all whose love never fails, make me aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and deed and helping me to live so that I that I can face my fellow Marines, my loved ones and Thee without shame or fear. Protect my family. Give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. Grant me the courage to be proficient in my daily performance. Keep me loyal and faithful to my superiors, and to the duties my country and the Marine Corps have entrusted to me. Make me considerate of those commited to my leadership. Help me to wear my uniform with dignity, and let it remind me daily of the traditions which I must uphold. If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again. Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may understand the answer to my prayer AMEN

The Marine Corps Seal, designed by the Marine Corps Uniform Board in accordance with instructions of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, then General Lemuel G. Shepherd, Jr., was adopted by Presidential Executive Order 10538 of 22 June 1954.

The traditional Marine Corps emblem - eagle, globe and foul anchor - forms the basic device of the Seal. Of these three, the eagle and the foul anchor are the most venerable, dating from 1800 when they first appeared on the Marine uniform button - a button which has remained to this day virtually unchanged from its original form. Influenced strongly by the design of the emblem of the British Royal Marines depicting as their domain the Eastern hemisphere, the U.S. Marines adopted in 1868 as their emblem a globe showing the Western hemisphere. To this was added the spread eagle and foul anchor from the button. Twelve years later the motto, "Semper Fidelis," completed the design.

The scarlet and gold surrounding the emblem are the official Marine Corps colors. These in turn are enclosed by Navy blue and gold signifying the Marine Corps as an integral part of the naval team.

Reference Section
History and Museums Division