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By the time a Marine pulled into a little town, every
hotel room was taken.
"You’ve got to have a room somewhere," he pleaded. "Or
just a bed, I don’t care where."
"Well, I do have a double room with one occupant - an
Air Force guy," admitted the manager, "and he might be glad to split the cost.
But to tell you the truth, he snores so loudly that people in adjoining rooms
have complained in the past. I’m not sure it’d be worth it to you."
"No problem," the tired Marine assured him. "I’ll take
it."
The next morning the Marine came down to breakfast
bright-eye and bushy-tailed. "How’d you sleep?" asked the manager.
"Never better."
The manager was impressed. "No problem with the other
guy snoring, then?"
"Nope, I shut him up in no time," said the Marine.
"How’d you manage that?" asked the manager.
"He was already in bed snoring away, when I came in
the room," the Marine explained. "I went over, gave him a kiss on the cheek,
said, ‘Goodnight, beautiful,’ and he sat up all night watching me."
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The Marine Corps
Emblem
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The Eagle
The eagle stands for our nation, which we are proud to serve. The
eagle holds a streamer with the Marine Corps motto:
Semper Fidelis - Always Faithful.
The Globe
The globe stands for world wide service.
The Anchor
The anchor stands for naval traditions.
The history of the Marine Corps emblem is a story related to the history of
the Corps itself. The emblem of today traces its roots to the designs and
ornaments of early Continental Marines as well as British Royal Marines. The
emblem took its present form in 1868. Before that time many devices,
ornaments, and distinguishing marks followed one another as official marks
of the Corps.
In 1776, the device consisted of a "foul anchor" of silver or pewter. The
foul anchor still forms a part of the emblem today. (A foul anchor is an
anchor which has one or more turns of the chain around it). Changes were
made in 1798, 1821, and 1824. In 1834 it was prescribed that a brass eagle
be worn on the hat, the eagle to measure 3 1/2 inches from wingtip to
wingtip.
During the early years numerous distinguishing marks were prescribed,
including "black cockades, "scarlet plumes," and "yellow bands and tassels."
In 1859 the origin of the present color scheme for the officer's dress
uniform ornaments appeared on an elaborate device of solid white metal and
yellow metal. The design included a United States shield, half wreath, a
bugle, and the letter "M."
In 1868, Brigadier General Commandant Jacob Zeilin appointed a board "to
decide and report upon the various devices of cap ornaments for the Marine
Corps." On 13 November 1868, the board turned in its report. It was approved
by the Commandant four days later, and on 19 November 1868 was signed by the
Secretary of the Navy.
The emblem recommended by this board has survived with minor changes to this
day. It consists of a globe (showing the Western Hemisphere) intersected by
a foul anchor, and surmounted by a spread eagle. On the emblem itself, the
device is topped by a ribbon inscribed with the Latin motto "Semper Fidelis"
(Always Faithful). The uniform ornaments omit the motto ribbon.
The general design of the emblem was probably derived from the British Royal
Marines' "Globe and Laurel." The globe on the U.S. Marine emblem signifies
service in any part of the world. The eagle also indirectly signifies
service worldwide, although this may not have been the intention of the
designers in 1868. The eagle they selected for the Marine emblem is a
crested eagle, a type found all over the world. On the other hand, the eagle
pictured on the great seal and the currency of the United States is the bald
eagle, strictly an American variety. The anchor, whose origin dates back to
the founding of the Marine Corps in 1775, indicates the amphibious nature of
Marines' duties.
Reference Section
U.S. Marine Corps History and Museums Division
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