Artifact Spotlight: NC Korean War Marine Corps Birthday Menus
By Matthew M. Peek, Military Collection Archivist, State Archives of North Carolina
The formal commemoration of the birthday of the United States Marine Corps began on November 10, 1921. That particular date was chosen because, on that day, the Second Continental Congress resolved in 1775 to raise two battalions of Continental Marines — the first time any formal Marine units were in service of the United States. Until 1921, the Marine Corps birthday had been celebrated on another date. Prior to 1921, July 11th was used as the Marine Corps birthday date. During the American Revolution, Marines had fought on land and sea, but at the close of the Revolution the Marine Corps and the Navy were almost entirely disbanded. On July 11, 1798, President John Adams approved a bill that recreated the Marine Corps, from which the rationale for this day being commemorated as the birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps was developed [Sources 1 and 2].
The July date was commemorated between 1798 and 1921 as the birthday of the Marine Corps informally. On October 21, 1921, Maj. Edwin McClellan, Officer-in-Charge of the Historical Section of the Headquarters Marine Corps, sent a memorandum to Major General Commandant John A. Lejeune, suggesting that the original birthday on November 10, 1775, be declared a Marine Corps holiday to be celebrated throughout the Corps. Guests would include prominent men from the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, and U.S. Navy, and descendants of the American Revolution. On November 1, 1921, Maj. Gen. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47, Series 1921. The order summarized the history, mission, and tradition of the Marine Corps, and directed that it be read to every command on November 10th each subsequent year in honor of the birthday of the Marine Corps. The first so-called “Birthday Ball” as suggested by Maj McClellan, is believed to have been held in 1925 in Philadelphia. G [Source 2].
Starting in 1937, observances of the Marine Corps Birthday began developing on their own throughout the Corps. The celebrations were publicized throughout the media, including produced films. In 1943, standard blank Marine Corps scrap books were forwarded to all districts to be filled with 168th anniversary clippings, scripts, pictures, programs, and other memorabilia, and returned to Headquarters. In 1951, a formal Birthday Ball Pageant was held at the Marine Corps Headquarters. On October 28, 1952, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., directed that the celebration of the Marine Corps Birthday be formalized throughout the Corps, and provided an outline for a cake ceremony as well as other formal observances. This outline was included in the Marine Corps Drill Manual, approved on January 26, 1956 [Source 2].
As of this writing, Marine Corps birthday celebrations on November 10th still differ at posts and stations throughout the Marine Corps. All commemorations include the reading of Marine Corps Order No. 47, and the Commandant’s message to those assembled. Most commands sponsor a birthday ball of some sort, complete with pageant and cake ceremony as prescribed in the Marine Corps Manual.
In North Carolina, Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point hosted their own separate Marine Corps birthday celebrations. During World War II, both Marine installations often held joint commemorations for various military events and public programs. They would hold their own holiday celebrations separately, but in both bases’ newsletters there are references to shared celebrations and dances held at Camp Lejeune for all the Marines. During the Korean War, both installations had their own separate Marine Corps birthday celebrations, in which they created custom menus, specialty meals, and other programming [which most Marine Corps installations seem to have done depending on their resources during the war]. Here are two examples of menus from the two North Carolina Marine Corps installations during the Korean War, one from 1950 and one at the end of the war in 1953.
Artifact Spotlight: MCAS Cherry Point Birthday Menu 1950
The Military Collection of the State Archives of North Carolina collects military menus from different installations in the state, to document how those stationed in North Carolina commemorated various holidays and military events. The menus often have unit rosters for companies or regiments, which are hard to locate for post-WWII military units. This original meal menu is for the U.S. Marine Corps’ 175th Birthday celebration on November 10, 1950, held at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point, NC.
The menu includes the names of the executive officers, the food director, mess sergeants, and chief cooks at Cherry Point. The menu includes all of the food for the birthday commemoration, featuring high-end food items meant to honor those in service with the Marine Corps.
The menu was designed as a mailable item to be sent to invitees, with posting marks pre-printed on the back of the menu. The menus were mailed to those living in off-base housing, or so Marines could mail them back to their loved ones to show them what they got to enjoy for food in the Marines during special commemorations.
Artifact Spotlight: Camp Lejeune Birthday Menu 1953
The end of the Korean War in 1953 brought relief for a hard-fighting Marine Corps, and their 178th Marine Corps Birthday celebration undoubtedly was a bright spot for many Marines at the time. According to the present-day U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea website on the history of the Marines in the Korean War, Marine casualties totaled roughly 28,000; more than 4,200 Marines died in Korea. 42 Marines were awarded the Medal of Honor. Units of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing flew more than 118,000 sorties in support of U.N. forces. During the Korean War, about 122,000 Marine Corps reservists, both recruits and veterans, saw active duty.
The 2nd Marine Division commemorated the history and sacrifice of their fellow Marines during the Marine Corps’ 178th Birthday celebration on November 10, 1953, at Camp Lejeune, NC. An original meal menu for Camp Lejeune’s 178th Birthday celebration was produced by the base, and printed by the Wilmington Printing Company of Wilmington, NC.
The menu includes the birthday message of Maj. Gen. George F. Good Jr., commander of the 2nd Marine Division. It also includes all of the food for the birthday commemoration at Camp Lejeune in 1953. This dinner did not feature the specialty birthday cake that many Marine Corps celebrations had, substituting two different pies instead.
On November 10, 2021, we wish the U.S. Marine Corps and all its members — past and present — a happy 246th Birthday this year.
Resources
All of the information on the history of the Marine Corps Birthday celebrations was taken directly from the following sources:
- “Happy Birthday Marine: History of the Marine Corps Ball,” Marine Corps Community Services website, at http://www.usmc-mccs.org/articles/happy-birthday-marine-history-of-the-marine-corps-ball/
- “History of the Marine Corps Birthday Celebration,” Military.com, viewed online at https://www.military.com/marine-corps-birthday/history-of-the-marine-corps-birthday-celebration.html
- “History,” U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea, viewed online at https://www.marfork.marines.mil/About/History/
