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Today the United States Marine Corps is 235 years old.My father was in the Marines for 24 years. I grew up seeing him and my mother get all dressed up to go to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. He looked handsome in his dress blues, and my mother would wear an elegant cocktail dress with matching high heels. They always told me that when I was 16, I could go with them, but by that time, my dad had retired and we lived far away from a Marine base. Oh, well.
I grew up on Marine and Navy bases until I finished 10th grade, when my father retired from the military. When I was a little girl, he would always take me to the Officers Club to see the gigantic birthday cake made for the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. That's probably why I always wanted to attend--for the cake!
Since both my parents served in the Marine Corps during WWII and then my father continued to serve until 1966, I have fond memories of seeing parades of marching Marines, living on the bases, and seeing my dad dressed in his uniform. He was wounded in the Korean War (right before I was born). The only time I remember feeling fear around the house was during the Cuban Missile Crisis when we were at Camp Pendleton.
I was brought up believing that the Marines were the best, but I didn't realize the killing and pain resulting in wars until I saw pictures and read news of Vietnam and other wars. I still admire Marines.
I grew up on Marine and Navy bases until I finished 10th grade, when my father retired from the military. When I was a little girl, he would always take me to the Officers Club to see the gigantic birthday cake made for the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. That's probably why I always wanted to attend--for the cake!
Since both my parents served in the Marine Corps during WWII and then my father continued to serve until 1966, I have fond memories of seeing parades of marching Marines, living on the bases, and seeing my dad dressed in his uniform. He was wounded in the Korean War (right before I was born). The only time I remember feeling fear around the house was during the Cuban Missile Crisis when we were at Camp Pendleton.
I was brought up believing that the Marines were the best, but I didn't realize the killing and pain resulting in wars until I saw pictures and read news of Vietnam and other wars. I still admire Marines.
2 comments:
I've been to a Marine Corps Birthday Ball! I was in Lusaka Zambia & would attend their family movie nights with friends. I got to know one of the marines there - a lonely Michigander - & he invited me to the ball. It was held outside & all the marines looked spectacular. And that's all I really remember about it (it was about 23 years ago after all).
Marines do have the best dress uniforms, very handsome.
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