MARION, Ill. (WSIL) -- Marines and community members gathered at the Marion VA to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

The ceremony honored the branch’s long and distinguished history, allowing veterans to reflect on their service and the meaning of being a Marine.

"Brotherhood. Most of the guys that are here, I know by name. I recognize just about everybody by face, but it's just being able to get together and tell war stories, so to speak, and just relive some of the memories we have," Robby Hookham said.

Hookham, the Senior Vice Commandant of the Marine Corps League in Carbondale, said they look forward to participating in these traditions every year.

"We are the smallest of all the branches and service and we typically get a lot of the toughest missions a

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