HISTORY OF THE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE
Honorary National Commandant - General Alfred M. Gray Jr., USMC (Ret) 29th CMC
National Commandant - James R. Laskey
National Executive Director - Michael A. Blum
Mission Statement
Members of the Marine Corps League join together in camaraderie and fellowship for the purpose of preserving the traditions and promoting the interests of the United States Marine Corps, banding together those who are now serving in the United States Marine Corps and those who have been honorably discharged from that service that they may effectively promote the ideals of American freedom and democracy, voluntarily aiding and rendering assistance to all Marines, FMF Corpsmen and former Marines and FMF Corpsmen and to their widows and orphans; and to perpetuate the history of the United States Marine Corps and by fitting acts to observe the anniversaries of historical occasions of particular interest to Marines.
History
The Marine Corps League perpetuates the traditions and spirit of ALL Marines and Navy FMF Corpsmen, who proudly wear or who have worn the eagle, globe and anchor of the Corps. It takes great pride in crediting its founding in 1923 to World War I hero, then Major General Commandant John A. Lejeune. It takes equal pride in its Federal Charter, approved by An Act of the Seventy-Fifth Congress of the United States of America and signed and approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 4, 1937. The League is the only Federally Chartered Marine Corps related veterans organization in the country. Since its earliest days, the Marine Corps League has enjoyed the support and encouragement of the active duty and Reserve establishments of the U. S. Marine Corps. Today, the League boasts a membership of more than 76,000 men and women, officer and enlisted, active duty, Reserve Marines, honorably discharged Marine Veterans and qualified Navy FMF Corpsmen and is one of the few Veterans Organizations that experiences increases in its membership each year.
The Marine Corps League is headed by an elected National Commandant, with 14 elected National Staff Officers who serve as trustees. The National Board of Trustees coordinates the efforts of 48 department, or state, entities and the activities of over 1000 community-based detachments located throughout the United States and overseas. The day-to-day operations of the League are under the control of the National Executive Director with the responsibility for the management and direction of all programs, activities, and affairs of the Marine Corps League as well as supervising the National Headquarters staff.
The prime authority of the League is derived from its Congressional charter and from its annual National Convention held each August in different major U.S. cities throughout the nation. It is a not-for-profit organization within the provisions of the Internal Revenue Service Code 501(c) (4), with a special group exemption letter which allows for contributions to the Marine Corps League, its Auxiliary and subsidiary units, to be tax deductible by the donor.
History of the Marines Hymn
"From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli"
America declared war on the Barbary Pirates of northern Africa in 1805 because they had been raiding our ships in the Mediterranean Sea. During that conflict, Lieutenant Presley N. OBannon, USMC, and his small force of Marines participated in the capture of the city of Derne in Tripoli (which is today part of the country of Libya). As this was the first time that the American flag had been hoisted over a fortress in the Old World, the Colors (ceremonial flag) of the Marine Corps were inscribed with the words: "To the Shores of Tripoli." During the hardest fighting of the Mexican War, U.S. Marines were the first to breach the otherwise impregnable walls of Mexico City by capturing the Castle of Chapultapec, which was the palace of the great Aztec emperor, Montezuma. The Colors of the Corps were then changed to read "From the Shores of Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma." Following the close of the Mexican War came the first great verse of the Marines Hymn, written according to tradition by a Marine on duty in Mexico. For the sake of euphony, the unknown author transposed the phrases in the motto on the Colors so that the first two lines of the Hymn would read: "From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli." Many interesting stories have been associated with the Marines Hymn. One of the best was published in the Stars and Stripes, the official newspaper of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe, under the date of August 16, 1918. "A wounded officer from among the gallant French Lancers had just been carried into a Yankee field hospital to have his dressing changed. He was full of compliments and curiosity about the dashing contingent that fought at his regiments left. A lot of them are mounted troops by this time, he explained, for when our men would be shot from their horses, these youngsters would give one running jump and gallop ahead as cavalry.
I believe they are soldiers from Montezuma. At least, when they advanced this morning, they were all singing From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli.
The Marines Hymn has been sung and played in all four corners of the earth and today is recognized as one of the foremost service songs.
The Marines Hymn
"From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of Tripoli;
We fight our countrys battles
In the air, on land, and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine.
Our flags unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job
The United States Marines.
Heres health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve
In many a strife weve fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heavens scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines"
NATIONAL COMMANDANTS AND CONVENTION SITES
NO. YEAR SITE COMMANDANT TERM STRENGTH
1st 1923 New York, NY *John A. Lejeune 23-24 787
2nd 1924 Washington, DC *John A. Lejeune 24-25 1,279
3d 1925 Philadelphia, PA *John A. Lejeune 25-26 2,042
4th 1926 Cleveland, OH *John A. Lejeune 26-27 1,500
5th 1927 Erie, PA *John A. Lejeune 27-28 1,500
6th 1928 Dallas, TX *John A. Lejeune 28-29 1,100
7th 1929 Cincinnati, OH *Wendell C. Neville 29-29 1,386
*W. Karl Lations 29-30
8th 1930 St Louis, MO *W. Karl Lations 30-31 1,083
9th 1931 Buffalo, NY *Carlton A. Fisher 31-32 N/R
1932 *Carlton A.Fisher 32-33 510
10th 1933 Chicago, IL *Carlton A.Fisher 33-34 610
11th 1934 Denver, CO *John F. Manning 34-35 646
12th 1935 Newark, NJ *John F. Manning 35-36 966
13d 1936 Boston, MA *Maurice A. Illich 36-37 1,036
14th 1937 Akron, OH *Maurice A. Illich 37-38 1,131
15th 1938 Washington, DC *Florence O'Leary 38-39 1,553
16th 1939 Boston, MA *Florence O'Leary 39-40 2,296
17th 1940 Detroit, MI *Chris Cunningham 40-41 3,361
18th 1941 Indianapolis, IN *Chris Cunningham 41-42 5,647
19th 1942 Chicago, IL *Alexander Ormsby 42-43 7,448
20th 1943 New York, NY *Thomas E. Wood 43-44 11,867
21st 1944 Sacramento, CA *Alan A. Stevenson 44-45 17,143
22nd 1945 Springfield, IL *Thomas F. Sweeny 45-46 27,664
23d 1946 Atlantic City, NJ *Joseph F. Alverez 46-47 25,202
24th 1947 Miami, Fl *George T. Bullen 47-48 19,094
25th 1948 Milwaukee, WI *Theus J. McQueen 48-49 17,283
26th 1949 Boston, MA *Clay Nixon 49-50 14,807
27th 1950 Washington, DC *Maurice J. Fagan 50-51 14,137
28th 1951 Savannah, GA *John C. O'Brien 51-52 13,141
29th 1952 Los Angeles, CA *John C. O'Brien 52-53 13,287
30th 1953 Cleveland, OH *Charles A. Weaver 53-54 10,458
31st 1954 Baltimore, MD *George Shamgochian 54-55 9,583
32nd 1955 St Louis, MO *William D. Webster 55-56 9,959
33d 1956 Miami, FL *William Derderian 56-57 9,550
34th 1957 San Jose, CA *John G. Hosko 57-58 9,081
35th 1958 Omaha, NE *William Gardiner 58-59 8,733
36th 1959 Buffalo, NY *Hyman Rosen 59-60 7,950
37th 1960 Grand Rapids, MI *Walter Churchill Sr. 60-61 8,332
38th 1961 Atlantic City, NJ *Wilson L. Peck 61-62 8,059
39th 1962 Tampa, FL *Raymond B. Butts 62-63 7,814
40th 1963 Cleveland, OH *Raymond B. Butts 63-64 8,412
41st 1964 Wichita, KS *Burton Daugherty 64-65 9,389
42nd 1965 Harrisburg, PA *Burton Daugherty 65-66 10,531
43d 1966 Albany, NY *Claude H. Downing 66-67 10,822
44th 1967 Kansas City, MO *Claude H. Downing 67-68 11,874
45th 1968 Bridgeport, CT *Edward J. Bange 68-69 12,082
46th 1969 Miami, FL *Edward J. Bange 69-70 13,350
47th 1970 St Louis, MO *Sydney S. McMath 70-71 14,644
48th 1971 San Antonio, TX H. Lynn Cavin 71-72 14,482
49th 1972 Anaheim, CA *Gilbert E. Gray 72-73 15,294
50th 1973 Miami, FL *Gilbert E. Gray 73-74 14,763
51st 1974 Tuscon, AZ Richard J. O'Brien 74-75 13,035
52nd 1975 Philadelphia, PA Patrick J. Cody 75-76 13,717
53rd 1976 Washington, DC Edward A. Schramm 76-77 15,012
54th 1977 Indianapolis, IN *James H. Frost 77-78 14,974
55th 1978 Atlantic City, NJ *James H. Frost 78-79 14,339
56th 1979 Milwaukee, WI Paul F. Hastings 7 9-80 13,865
57th 1980 Orlando, FL Paul F. Hastings 80-81 17,601
58th 1981 Tuscon, AZ *Joseph Mammone 81-82 21,284
59th 1982 Dearborn, MI *James C. Kelly 82-83 22,959
60th 1983 Colorado Springs,CO *James C. Kelly 83-84 23,534
61st 1984 Nashville, TN *Robert N. Forsyth 84-85 23,702
62nd 1985 Lafayette, LA Edward D. MacIntyre 85-86 N/A
63rd 1986 Boston, MA William J. Galvin 86-87 N/A
64th 1987 Phoenix, AZ William J. Galvin 87-88 24,223
65th 1988 Cincinnati, OH Linwood P. Liner 88-89 26,397
66th 1989 Dallas, TX *Raymond R. Berling 89-90 27,877
67th 1990 Sacramento, CA *Raymond R. Berling 90-91 29,785
68th 1991 King of Prussia, PA Lamar Golden 91-92 32,796
69th 1992 St Louis, MO Lamar Golden 92-93 38,093
70th 1993 Orlando, FL Francis J. Meakem 93-94 40,622
71st 1994 Cherry Hill, NJ Lewis W. Loeven 94-95 42,563
72nd 1995 Milwaukee, WI *Paul J. Seton 95-96 43,815
73rd 1996 Fort Mitchell, KY *Paul J. Seton 96-97 45,794
74th 1997 Nashville, TN Robert E. Becker Jr. 97-98 47,372
75th 1998 Syracuse, NY Robert E. Becker Jr. 98-99 48,922
76th 1999 Denver, CO Diana Dils 99-00 51,083
77th 2000 New Orleans, LA Diana Dils 00-01 51,305
78th 2001 Dearborn, MI John P. Tuohy 01-02 54,797
79th 2002 Harrisburg, PA John P. Tuohy 02-03 55,698
80th 2003 Spokane, WA Helen F. Hicks 03-04 58,170
81st 2004 Irving, TX Helen F. Hicks 04-05 58,531
82nd 2005 Cleveland, OH Frank S. Kish 05-06 60,060
83rd 2006 Quincy, MA John Ryan 06- N/A
*Deceased
Honorary Past National Commandants of the Marine Corps League
1945 *Stephen Brown
1958 *Basil Pollitt
1965 *Francis X. Lorbecki
1978 *Jack Brennan
1987 *Clem D. Russell
1995 *Victor T. Fisher
1995 *Charles D. Horn
1996 Raymond R. Wilkowski
1998 *Johanna Glasrud
1999 *John "Jay" P. Kacsan
1999 *William "Bill" R. Reichstein
2001 Benny Dotson
*Deceased
Military Order of Devil Dogs (Founded 1939 Boston, MA)
Chief Dogs Dog Robbers
39-41 *Gerald L. Bakelaar 39-40 *Charles Vaccaro
40-41 *Raymond Canfield
41-43 *C. A. Gallagher 41-43 *Erastas Darling
43-44 *Joseph T. Alvarez 43-44 *Eugene P. Corey
44-45 *Walter Donnelly 44-45 *John Zak
45-46 *Clarence G. Young 45-46 *John Van de Woude
46-47 *John Zak 46-47 *Mortimer S. Libien
47-48 *John Van de Woude 47-48 *Clarence G. Young
48-49 *Joseph Probst 48-49 *John L. Baker
49-50 *Carl Burger 49-50 *Betty J. Mooney
50-51 *Francis X. Lorbecki 50-51 *Paul Corbin
51-52 *Stanley Bunn 51-52 *Charles A. Hellyer
52-53 *Charles A. Hellyer 52-53 *George W. Jorgenson
53-54 *George W. Jorgenson 53-54 *William W. Hurrell
54-55 *William Harvey 54-55 *Joseph L.T. Fortier
55-56 *William S. Craig 55-56 *Hyman Rosen
56-58 *Mason D. Wade 56-58 *Claude H. Downing
58-59 *Claude H. Downing 58-59 *James T. Fowler
59-60 James Koenig 59-60 *Paul Plache
60-61 *William Hurrell 60-61 *H. E. Allamon
61-63 John P. Kacsan 61-63 *H. E. Allamon
63-64 *Joseph Peterson 63-64 *H. E. Allamon
64-65 *John R. Spain 64-65 *John J. McNamara
65-66 Arthur M. Brokenshire, Jr. 65-66 *Steven Downey
66-67 *John J. McNamara 66-67 *Marshall Lundgren
67-68 *Marshall D. Lundgren 67-68 *John J. McNamara
68-69 #Hugh A. Maus 68-69 Antoinette H. Baisden
69-70 *Philip A. Calabrese 69-70 Antoinette H. Baisden
70-71 #Antoinette H. Baisden 70-71 *James J. Armstrong
71-72 *James J. Armstrong 71-72 Hugh A. Maus
72-73 *C. A. Boedigheimer 72-73 Virginia L. McDougall
73-75 #Virginia McDougall 73-75 *C. A. Boedigheimer
75-76 *Jack R. Liddell 75-76 *Manuel Valdez
76-78 William H. Brooks 76-78 *#Kenneth E. Farris
78-79 *Fred Agosta 78-79 *#Kenneth E. Farris
79-80 *#Kenneth E. Farris 79-80 Raymond E. Kania
80-82 #Edwin F. Gallagher 80-82 Paul L. Sutton
82-84 #Paul L. Sutton 82-83 John C. Muerdler
83-84 *Francis A. English
84-85 *#Gilbert E. Gray 84-85 Edwin F. Gallagher
85-86 *#Francis A. English 85-86 *#Kenneth E. Farris
86-87 *Donald L. Frost 86-87 *#Kenneth E. Farris
87-88 Thomas A. Banks 87-88 *#Kenneth E. Farris
88-90 Mary B. Krauss 88-90 *#Kenneth E. Farris
90-92 Clifton F. Williams, Jr. 90-92 *#Kenneth E. Farris
92-94 Gary O. Chartrand 92-94 *#Kenneth E. Farris
94-96 William C. Taylor 94-96 *#Kenneth E. Farris
96-98 Jack Nash 96-98 *#Kenneth E. Farris
98-00 Lamar Golden 98-00 Robert McCallum
00-02 Robert Lent 00- Robert McCallum
02-04 Douglas Fisk Phil Ruhmshottel
04-05 George Barrows Phil Ruhmshottel
05- Donald R. Garland Jr. Phil Ruhmshottel
*Deceased
#PCDD who served as KDR
Marine Corps League National Marine of the Year
Year-Recipient-Department
1959 *I. D. Hale WI
1960 Not Awarded
1961 Raymond Wilkowski IL
1962 Not Awarded
1963 Not Awarded
1964 Not Awarded
1965 Russell Shaffer PA
1966 *William W. Hurrell PA
1967 Not Awarded
1968 James Merna MD
1969 Patrick J. Cody PA
1970 *Gilbert Gray NY
1971 George Hartman FL
1972 *James Crenshaw KS
1973 Richard J. OBrien VA
1974 *Raymond Butts VA
1975 *Walter Churchill OH
1976 *Charles Horn MD
1977 *Joseph Mammone NY
1978 Henry White IL
1979 *Joseph Ryan AZ
1980 *Irene Smoke VA
1981 Bart Long, Jr. NJ
1982 Joseph J. Marc-Aurele MA
1983 Jack Davis PA
1984 Robert B. Throm PA
1985 *S. Johanna Glasrud MI
1986 John Sullivan VA
1987 Linwood P. Liner LA
1988 Edward D. MacIntyre AZ
1989 Paul F. Hastings PA
1990 Lamar Golden PA
1991 John "Jay" P. Kacsan PA
1992 *Victor T. Fisher NY
1993 *Elden S. Gebaroff WA
1994 Robert P. Boon, Sr. NJ
1995 Lucian J. Caldara NY
1996 Horace Nick Hawkey PA
1997 *William R. Reichstein NC
1998 Dave Woods IL
1999 Barry Georgopulos CO
2000 Ernie Lutz VA
2001 George Barrows, Sr. NC
2002 James L. Hackbarth IL
2003 Resigned
2004 Vic Voltaggio, FL
2005 John Hopkins, SC
2006 Joe Blick, NC
*Deceased
Iron Mike Award
Year Recipient
1967 Bob Hope
1967 Larry Burrows
1967 Lee Marvin
1967 John Russell
1968 Howard K. Smith
1969 Barry Zorthian
1970 H. Ross Perot
1971 John Wayne
1972 Donald E. Johnson
1973 Hon. John Warner, Sec. of the Navy
1974 General Lewis W. Walt
1975 General Louis H. Wilson
1976 Edward McMahon
1977 Father Corvet
1978 Dewey F. Bartlett
1979 Congressman Robert Wilson R-CA
1980 Ambassador Kenneth Taylor
1981 James Brady
1981 Thomas Delehany
1981 John McCarthy
1982 Phil I. Berman
1983
1984 Robert Conrad
1985 Robert W. Olian
1986 Donald T. Regan (Chief of Staff)
1987 Honorable James Webb (SecNav)
1988 Congressman John P. Murtha D-PA
1989 Congressman David O. B. Martin D-NY
1990 Congressman C. W. Bill Young R-FL
1991 General A. M. Gray, Jr., USMC 29th CMC
1992 Senator Simms
1993 Arnold Punaro (Staffer for Senator Sam Nunn D-GA)
1994 Major General Walter A. Churchill, PNC
1995 Congressman Gerald B. H. Solomon R-NY
1996 Congressman Ike Skelton D-MO
1997 Senator Dirk Kempthorne R-ID
1998 Senator Conrad Burns R-MT
1999 Senator Chuck Robb D-VA
2000 James F. Jordan, Esq.
2001 Senator Zell Miller D-GA
2002 Alfred Lerner
2003 Senator John W. Warner (R-VA)
2004 General Raymond G. Davis, MOH, USMC (Ret.) (Posthumously)
2005 Congressman Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Dickey Chappelle Award
Year Recipient
1967 Martha Raye
1968 Mrs. Lucy Caldwell
1969 Mrs. Marjorie Merriweather Post
1970 Mrs. Verona Devney
1971 Esther Clark
1972 Betty Donovan Rentrop
1973 Mrs. Donald Spicer
1974 Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson
1975 Mrs. Nguyen "Gewn" ThiKhang
1976
1977
1978 Sister Veronica PA
1979 Mary Lou Keisweitter
1980 Phylis Stensgaard & Carole Darlington
1981
1982
1983
1984 Sally Ride (Astronaut)
1985
1986 Colonel Hazel E. Benn, USMC (Ret)
1987 Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, USN (Ret)
1988 Congresswoman Beverly B. Byron D-MD
1989
1990 Major Robin Higgins, USMC
1991 Mrs. Yvette M. Sommers
1992 Mrs. Beverly Pope Spyridon
1993 Mrs. Betty Cooper
1994 Mrs. Carl E. Mundy
1995 Ms. Elaine B. Rogers (Exec. Dir., USO WASH)
1996 Ms. Carmella La Spada & Ms. Lois Braymes
1997 Mrs. Susan Braaten
1998 Mrs. Zandra Meyers Krulak
1999 Mrs. Stephanie Bates
2000 Mrs. Katie K. Dixon
2001 Mrs. Clara Miller
2002 Mrs. Diane J. Jones
2003 Mrs. Rita McMichael
2004 Mrs. Karen Guenther
2005 Mrs. Brenda Nyland & Mrs. Carol Sefton