Subject:  UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE - 10 NOVEMBER 2010  

Originator: DOD, USMC, ORGANIZATIONS, CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)

DTG: 021634Z Nov 10 Precedence: Routine DAC: General 

To: AL ALMAR(UC)

UNCLASSIFIED//

ALMAR 041/10

MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//

SUBJ/UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE - 10 NOVEMBER 2010//

GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. SIXTY YEARS AGO, THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

- AS IT HAS THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY - DEMONSTRATED ITS VITAL ROLE AS

AMERICA'S EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN READINESS. JUST WEEKS AFTER NORTH

KOREAN COMMUNIST FORCES CROSSED THE 38TH PARALLEL, THE FIRST MARINE

PROVISIONAL BRIGADE LANDED IN SOUTH KOREA, FORMING THE BACKBONE OF

THE PERIMETER AROUND THE CITY OF PUSAN. THE EFFORTS OF THE "FIRE

BRIGADE" AT PUSAN ALLOWED FOR THE DARING AMPHIBIOUS LANDING AT

INCHON AND SET THE STAGE FOR ONE OF THE MOST SAVAGE CAMPAIGNS IN OUR

CORPS' HISTORY - THE CHOSIN RESERVOIR. AS WE PAUSE TO CELEBRATE OUR

235TH BIRTHDAY, WE PAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE MARINES OF THE KOREAN

WAR AND RECOGNIZE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR ENDURING LEGACY.

2. THIS PAST YEAR MARKED THE END OF MARINE CORPS COMBAT OPERATIONS

IN IRAQ. BEGINNING WITH THE INVASION IN MARCH 2003 AND THROUGH THE

NEXT SEVEN YEARS OF FIGHTING, OUR CORPS ACQUITTED ITSELF VALIANTLY

IN THE ANBAR PROVINCE AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. LOCATIONS SUCH AS

FALLUJAH AND RAMADI HAVE TAKEN THEIR PLACE IN THE ILLUSTRIOUS BATTLE

HISTORY OF OUR CORPS. OUR EFFORTS IN DEFEATING THE INSURGENCY

HELPED TO BUILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL IRAQIS.

3. FOR 235 YEARS, AT SEA AND ASHORE, MARINES HAVE SUCCEEDED IN

EVERY CLIME AND PLACE ... WHERE HARDSHIP AND ADVERSITY HAVE OFTEN

BEEN THE COMMON THREAD. TODAY, IN THE RUGGED MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS

OF AFGHANISTAN - AND RECENTLY IN EARTHQUAKE-DAMAGED HAITI ... IN

FLOOD-RAVAGED PAKISTAN ... OR OFF THE COAST OF AFRICA - WE CONTINUE

TO PROTECT OUR NATION, JUST AS WE DID 60 YEARS AGO IN KOREA.

4. TO THE MARINES AND SAILORS DEPLOYED OVERSEAS, TO THOSE TRAINING

AND PREPARING FOR THEIR NEXT DEPLOYMENT AND TO THE WARRIORS WHO NO

LONGER WEAR OUR UNIFORM ... WE HONOR YOUR SELFLESS SERVICE TO THE

NATION. TO OUR LOVED ONES WHO ENDURE THE MANY DIFFICULTIES THAT

COME WITH BEING PART OF THE MARINE FAMILY, I WANT TO EXTEND MY

SINCEREST THANKS FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE AND ALL YOU CONTINUE TO DO.

5. HAPPY 235TH BIRTHDAY, MARINES. JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL,

U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//