Front:
Milfely
REAL-LIFE AMERICAN HEROES
YORK
JUN 7
2002
10199
NY
FIRST-CLASS
HEROES
2001
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE
G
Back:
Heetwood
MARINE
While the use of marines (soldiers especially trained for service
in naval campaigns and supporting land operations) dates back
at least to ancient Greece, the first two modern, organized corps
of marines the British Royal Marine and the Dutch Koninklijke
Nederlandse Corps Mariniers were instituted in the 1660s. In
1775, the Continental Congress established the United States Ma-
rine Corps (USMC). Originally created to provide support for naval
landing forces during the American Revolution, the USMC has since
participated in every major U.S. military action at sea, serving in
crucial roles in all American wars. A separate military service within
the U.S. Department of the Navy, the USMC specializes in advanced
amphibious landings such as those used in the stunningly success-
ful campaign against Japanese-held Pacific islands during World
War II. Extremely skilled and exceptionally brave, U.S. Marines have
executed more than 300 landings on foreign shores. They are usually
the first, or among the first, forces to see battle. Marines also provide
security aboard a multitude of naval vessels, at U.S. military shore
installations around the globe and on U.S. diplomatic missions to
foreign countries. Because of these duties, the Marines often serve
as the front line against terrorist attacks aimed at the United States or
its interests abroad. Today, the U.S. Marine Corps is the most famous
and revered organization of its kind in the world, safeguarding the
lives and freedoms of millions of Americans around the country as
well as overseas. In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks
on New York City and Washington, D.C., the Marines have played an
essential part in the recovery process, leading the dangerous fight
against terrorism worldwide and ensuring that America is protected
by some of the world's most proficient soldiers.
