Monday marks a major milestone in American military history as the U.S. Marine Corps celebrates its 250th birthday and events honoring Marines past and present are planned across several states.

Birth of the Corps

The branch traces its origins to Nov. 10, 1775, when John Adams drafted a resolution creating the Continental Marines to serve alongside the Continental Navy in the Revolutionary War. Recruitment began at a brewery in Philadelphia, which is now recognized as the Corps' birthplace.

First Missions

The Marines' first assault came in the Bahamas in 1776, when they seized gunpowder and munitions from British soldiers. Throughout the Revolutionary War, Marines fought both at sea and on land, with historic clashes that helped secure American independence. The Continental Marines wer

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