My late father and my older son, Kevin, were United States Marines. So in their honor…
Happy Birthday to the U.S. Marines!
“From the Halls of Montezuma
to the Shores of Tripoli,
We fight our country’s battles
On the land as on the sea.
First to fight for right and freedom,
And to keep our honor clean,
We are proud to claim the title
of United States Marine.
“Our flag’s unfurl’d to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes,
You will find us always on the job
The United States Marines.
“Here’s health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we’ve fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.”
“Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference.
The Marines don’t have that problem.”
–President Ronald Reagan, 1985
with special thanks to Shan for reminding me via her blog