5
U.S. Marine Corps. JROTC Category 5 – General Military Subjects Skill 4 – Customs, Courtesies, and Traditions Marine Corps Symbols P URPOSE This lesson introduces you to description of the Marine Corps Seal, the significance of the High Collar, Quatrefoil, Red Stripe, and Officer and NCO swords. Introduction Ceremonial duties are deeply embedded in the history of the Corps. The Marine Corps seal, Scarlet Trouser strip, NCO and Officer Swords, and other Marine Corps traditions play a key role in various ceremonial duties that Marines are called upon to perform. Precision drill, immaculately turned-out troops, disciplined marching, and outstanding bearing displays evidence of Marine Corps alertness and determination to put out only their best, and pride in the Corps and one’s self. As MCJROTC cadets, you can draw upon years of Marine Corps traditions and customs as your foundation to be the best. Marine Corps Seal On June 22, 1954, President Eisenhower signed Executive Order 105.38 "Establishing a Seal for the United States Marine Corps." General Lemuel C. Shepard, Jr., 20th Commandant designed the seal. The new seal consisted of the traditional Marine Corps emblem in bronze with a depiction of wings, standing upon the western hemisphere of the world globe. Additionally, holding in his beak, a scroll inscribed with the Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis" (Ever Faithful) with the hemisphere superimposed on a foul anchor. The seal is displayed on a scarlet background encircled with a Navy blue band, edged in a gold rope rim and inscribed "Department of the Navy, United States Marine Corps" in gold letters. The emblem centered on the seal was adopted in 1955 as the official Marine Corps Emblem. 1 3 5

Type the Lesson Name Here (Heading 1 Elegant)€¦  · Web viewThe emblem centered on the seal was adopted in 1955 as the official Marine Corps Emblem. High Collar . The Marines

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    0

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Type the Lesson Name Here (Heading 1 Elegant)€¦  · Web viewThe emblem centered on the seal was adopted in 1955 as the official Marine Corps Emblem. High Collar . The Marines

U . S . M a r i n e C o r p s . J R O T CCategory 5 – General Military Subjects

Skill 4 – Customs, Courtesies, and Traditions

Marine Corps Symbols

PURPOSE

This lesson introduces you to description of the Marine Corps Seal, the significance of the High Collar, Quatrefoil, Red Stripe, and Officer and NCO swords.

IntroductionCeremonial duties are deeply

embedded in the history of the Corps. The Marine Corps seal, Scarlet Trouser strip, NCO and Officer Swords, and other Marine Corps traditions play a key role in various ceremonial duties that Marines are called upon to perform. Precision drill, immaculately turned-out troops, disciplined marching, and outstanding bearing displays evidence of Marine Corps alertness and determination to put out only their best, and pride in the Corps and one’s self. As MCJROTC cadets, you can draw upon years of Marine Corps traditions and customs as your foundation to be the best.

Marine Corps SealOn June 22, 1954, President

Eisenhower signed Executive Order 105.38 "Establishing a Seal for the United States Marine Corps." General Lemuel C. Shepard, Jr., 20th Commandant designed the seal. The

new seal consisted of the traditional Marine Corps emblem in bronze with a depiction of wings, standing upon the western hemisphere of the world globe. Additionally, holding in his beak, a scroll inscribed with the

Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis" (Ever Faithful) with the hemisphere

superimposed on a foul anchor. The seal is displayed on a scarlet background encircled with a Navy blue band, edged in a gold rope rim and inscribed "Department of the Navy, United States Marine Corps" in gold letters. The emblem centered on the seal was adopted in 1955 as the official Marine Corps Emblem.

High Collar The Marines' long-standing

nickname “Leathernecks” goes back to the leather stock or neckpiece, which was part of the Marine uniform from 1775 to 1875. Marine Corps legend is that the high leather collar

135

Page 2: Type the Lesson Name Here (Heading 1 Elegant)€¦  · Web viewThe emblem centered on the seal was adopted in 1955 as the official Marine Corps Emblem. High Collar . The Marines

U . S . M a r i n e C o r p s . J R O T CCategory 5 – General Military Subjects

Skill 4 – Customs, Courtesies, and Traditions

protected a Marines neck from the slash of an enemy cutlass.

Descended from the stock is the standing high collar, which is a hallmark of Marine blues. Like its leather ancestor, the standing collar regulates stance and posture and thus proclaims the wearer a modern “Leatherneck.”

QuatrefoilThe quatrefoil is the cross-

shaped braid atop the barracks covers of Marine Officers. The braid was taken directly from Napoleon III's army and has been worn since 1859. It is believed to have been first used by Marine sharpshooters to help tell friend from foe. The sharpshooters would climb into the rigging of American ships and when the Marines boarded an enemy ship, the sharpshooters would rain death and destruction upon the enemy while sparing the Marines who wore the cross of rope upon their covers.

Red StripeThe red stripe worn on the

dress blue trousers of officers and noncommissioned officers is in memory of the battle of Chapultepec Castle, at Vera Cruz, during the Mexican-American war. During that battle, 90% of the Marine Officers and

NCOs died taking the Mexican stronghold. The officer’s stripe is 1 ½ inch wide and the NCOs stripe is 1 1/8 inch wide.

NCO SwordAlthough not specifically

mentioned in uniform regulations until 1840, swords for Marine noncommissioned officers were carried and issued much earlier. The NCO sword is one of the oldest weapons in continual use in the U.S. Armed Forces. Marine Corps uniform regulations prescribed the Army sword, which by this time was the model 1840, patterned on a French model, with straight blade and cast bronze hilt. During the Civil War, senior Marines NCOs began to wear a sword of the same type as the Army infantry officer’s sword. In 1975, this pattern was made official, and it continues to the present day.

136

Leather Collar

This stiff leather collar, fastened by two buckles at the back, measured nearly three and a half inches high and prevented neck movement necessary for sighting along a rifle barrel. It supposedly improved military bearing, by forcing the chin high. General George F. Elliott, recalling its use after the Civil War, said it

Page 3: Type the Lesson Name Here (Heading 1 Elegant)€¦  · Web viewThe emblem centered on the seal was adopted in 1955 as the official Marine Corps Emblem. High Collar . The Marines

U . S . M a r i n e C o r p s . J R O T CCategory 5 – General Military Subjects

Skill 4 – Customs, Courtesies, and Traditions

Swords (other than individually owned) are organizational equipment. Staff NCOs wear them when blues or whites-blue-whites are worn. Sergeants may, when prescribed, wear the sword for drill with troops, parades, reviews, and ceremonies.

The Mameluke SwordThe sword that Marine officers

carry goes back to the Uniform Regulations of 1826 (with a hiatus from 1859 to 1875). However, records of the day indicate that Marine officers wore swords of this pattern before the War of 1812.

The Mameluke sword gets its name from the cross-hilt and ivory grip, both of which were used for centuries by the Moslems of North Africa and Arabia. The Marine Corps tradition of carrying this type of sword dates from Lieutenant O’Bannon’s assault on Derna, Tripoli,

in 1805, when he was said to have been presented the Mameluke sword by the governor of Derna.

ConclusionDuring this lesson, you have

learned about the history and traditions surrounding much of what makes the Marine Corps unique from other branches of military service. Why Marines are called “Leathernecks” has been explained and the dress uniform, steeped in history, should be worn with pride. As a MCJROTC cadet, you may have an opportunity to show others why the Marine Corps is a proud organization built upon years of history and traditions.

137

Page 4: Type the Lesson Name Here (Heading 1 Elegant)€¦  · Web viewThe emblem centered on the seal was adopted in 1955 as the official Marine Corps Emblem. High Collar . The Marines

U . S . M a r i n e C o r p s . J R O T CCategory 5 – General Military Subjects

Skill 4 – Customs, Courtesies, and Traditions

138