I remember being out in the field with my company in Vietnam when Nov. 10 rolled around. After we had our c-rations, we had Australian steaks to celebrate the birthday of the Corps. How they got that beef in to the jungle, I'll never know.

It's a long and proud history, the history of the Corps, and I've tried to do my part to preserve it.

From one generation to the next, every young Marine learns the history of the Corps and takes it to heart. It's pounded into you in boot camp, right along with all the tools you need to be a Marine.