250 Years Ago … November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was Formed

"At no period of the naval history of the world, is it probable that marines were more important than during the war of the Revolution."

On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia passed a resolution stating that "two Battalions of Marines be raised" for service as landing forces with the fleet. This resolution, written by John Adams, established the Continental Marines and marked the birth date of the United States Marine Corps.

According to tradition, Tun Tavern was where the Continental Marines held their first recruitment drive. This resulted in the Tun Tavern being acknowledged as the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps. At various times a Marine has been called a 'maritime soldier,' a 'sea soldier,' and a 'soldier of the ocean.'

A Marine is a soldier who serves at sea on a vessel of war either as part of its crew or as part of a military expedition under naval supervision.

In early January 1776, Continental Marines would board her and six other ships and within two months, land and occupy the British island of New Providence in the Bahamas.

In the Continental Marines' first battle encounter, ships of the Continental Fleet under Esek Hopkins rendezvoused north of Nassau harbor in the early morning hours of Sunday, March 3, 1776. A short time before noon, 230 Marines and 50 seamen under the command of Marine Captain Samuel Nicholas jumped from longboats into the surf, about two miles east of the fort.

Later, when Washington's force of about twenty-four hundred men with whom he crossed the Delaware on that momentous Christmas Eve, 1776 more than six hundred were Marines.

"The Few. The Proud. The Marines." "Semper Fi" ("Always Faithful") Oorah!

The following links lead to a 1-page (SAR-RT Summary) and general summaries about the Continental Marines:
Continental Marines – SAR-RT (1-page)
Continental Marines – Full Summary (PDF)

Video: History of the Continental Marines

Each of Hawai‘i's Mayors signed Proclamations commemorating the Marine Corps' 250th Anniversary:
City & County of Honolulu Proclamation
Kauai County Proclamation
Maui County Proclamation
Hawai‘i County Proclamation