Little info on the uniform:
Scarlet Trouser stripe (Blood Stripe)
It is said that the right to wear these stripes was
conferred on the Corps during the Mexican War, after
the Battle of Chapultepec, in honor of Marines killed
or wounded during the action, and the blood they shed.
An enlisted Marine does not obtain the "blood stripe" until
he reaches the rank of Corporal.
Mameluke sword
The mameluke sword, also known as the "officers sword"
began its association with the Marine Corps in the early
19th century. Tradition states that in recognition of
Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon’s heroic actions in the Tripoli
expedition, Prince Hamet Bey presented him with
a Mameluke sword.
NCO sword
The Marine NCO's are the only NCO's in any branch of
service who still have the privilege of carrying swords.
The sword is the personification of military tradition
and has been entrusted to those most responsible for
maintaining it. This sword is still in use, however, it has been
limited by regulations to be used only "when in charge of
troops on ceremonial occasions."
"Leatherneck" This has been a long standing nickname for Marines.
It goes back to the leather stock or neckpiece, which was part
of the Marine Corps uniform from 1775 to 1875. The leather collar
was intended to ensure that Marines kept their heads erect.
However, legend says it was worn as a sort of neck armor
to protect the jugular vein from saber slashes. Today, the
leather stock is commemerated in the dress blues,
dress whites and evening dress uniforms to regulate stance,
posture and thus proclaiming the wearer as a modern
"Leatherneck."
Semper fi.
It’s Not If You Salute; It’s How You Salute
One of the first lessons about military salutes is this: they are, as the
dictionary says, formal and ceremonial recognitions of military superiors pre scribed by regulations, e.g., raising the hand to the cover. As many anned forces man bers stress, salutes are not aimed necessari ly at the people receiving them. Rather, they are rendered to the rank. No doubt, every Marine (and his or her counterparts in other services) has saluted an officer for whom he or she had no respect on an individual basis.
But, salutes are part of the game. Marines, again like their counterparts, have gone (and probably still do) to extremes at times to avoid saluting certain officers. For exam ple, they would cross the street, duck behind vehicles (hopefully stationary ones), enter buildings through the front door to exit via the back...the list of “salute avoidance diversionary tactics” (SADT) was limited (and probably still is) only by the cleverness of individual Marines. Can any of this SADT activity be detected easily by observers? Or is the way salutes are ren dered part of Marine Corps tradition?
As everyone knows, the President of the United States is automatically the Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces. As such, he is accorded the respect of the office. Part of that respect is the salute rendered by Marine sentries as the President enters and leaves the White House, embarks and disembarks Marine Corps helicopters for flights hither, thither and yon, etc. There was something that bothered (and amused) me about the salutes Marines delivered to President Bush’s pred ecessor every time he boarded a helicopter or passed a sentry in the White House. The answer came to me in an e-mail I received recently from an SM1)A member It read:
Every once in a while, a nugget comes through. Got this from a Marine Corps friend of mine.
Military courtesy change
I picked up on something very funny this morning. CNN showed George W. leaving HM 1. The Marine at the front step saluted, GW returned it, and as he walked away, the Marine executed a right face to stand facing GW’s back something that was missing in eight years of the Clinton presidency.
The traditional Marlne Corps mark of respect was rendered to the new president. That one goes back to the days in the rigging, when the Marine orderly to the ship’s captain always faced him, no matter his direction of movement, to be ready to receive an order. Who says that enlisted men can’t hold back when they don’t respect someone9 And for eight years, they did.
Is there anything to that piece of history regarding the “traditional Marine Corps mark of respect”?
Reprinted from Follow ME the official pub. Of the second Marine Div. Association.