The Marines have a hymn that refers to a battle in 1847 when the Marines took Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City.
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The Marine Corp in 1798 issued members a leather strap that protected their necks during sword fights. This is how the Marines' nickname 'leatherneck' came to be.
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When the Normandy invasion took place in World War II, the Marines were held back in favor of the U.S. Army because the army had 89 divisions and the Marines only had 6 divisions. The rivalry between the two branches meant that the army did not want the Marines to take credit.
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The United States Marine Corp has several major bases. The main bases include Camp Pendleton (west coast), Camp Lejeune (east coast), and Camp Butler (Japan).
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The largest Marine base is the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, which is located in California.
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The Marine Corp Combat Development Command is located at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
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The highest ranking officer in the Marine Corps is the Commandant of the Marine Corps. He is also a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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The deputy to the Commandant of the Marine Corps is the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.
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The senior enlisted Marine is the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. He also acts as the advisor to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
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Commissioned officers in the Marine Corps include Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, and General.
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Warrant officers in the Marine Corps include Warrant Officer 1, Chief Warrant Officer 2, Chief Warrant Officer 3, Chief Warrant Officer 4, and Chief Warrant Officer 5.
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Enlisted members of the Marine Corp include Private, Private First Class, Lance Corporal, Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant, Master Sergeant, First Sergeant, Master Gunnery Sergeant, Sergeant Major, and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corp.
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Each year approximately 38,000 new recruits are accepted into the Marine Corps and trained.
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More than 2000 Marine officers are commissioned each year in the Marine Corps.
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Most commissioned officers come from the United States Naval Academy, Officer Candidate School, and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps.
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There are roughly 182,000 active members of the Marine Corps and more than 38,000 reserve members.
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The Marine Corps has a variety of nicknames including Jarheads, Devil Dogs, and Leathernecks.
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