The Marine Corps’ top officer and top enlisted Marine stood in full dress blues in the pouring rain to wish the service a happy 250th birthday.
Over the weekend, the Marine Corps released its official message for the service’s 250th birthday later this month. As with previous years’ messages, it paid tribute to past generations of Marines, the sacrifices they made and urged them to stay ready for the next conflict. This time, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz decided to deliver their annual message in the middle of heavy rain.
“From our first amphibious landing at Nassau to the black sands of Iwo Jima to urban combat in Fallujah, our corps has come a long way since Samuel Nicholas first took command of two battalions at Tun Tavern,” Smith said. “Though weapons, platforms and technology continue to evolve, our individual Marines’ grit, discipline, resolve, remain our decisive advantage.”
As comments on the video’s YouTube page and on the Marine Corps subreddit noted, standing in the most formal uniform in the pouring rain is one of the most Marine things they could do.
This year’s 10-minute-long video message is narrated by actor Jon Bernthal. Bernthal himself is not a Marine, although he’s played Marines on multiple occasions, from “The Pacific” to reprising his role as The Punisher in several Marvel projects. And Bernthal is here to tell audiences something: “For 250 years we’ve formed ranks and held the line. And we will in the next 250.”
The birthday message is part sizzle reel of Marines in action on land, water and the skies, part tribute to the Corps by Marines ranging from Vietnam veterans to those still on active duty. Medal of Honor recipients are also featured, including Cpl. Kyle Carpenter and Sgt. Dakota Meyer, who reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves earlier this year. The Corps’ message acknowledges changing elements of war, such as new technology and threats that the Marine Corps is restructuring to deal with, but given the nature of this year’s anniversary, leans into certain timeless elements to the service: the intensity of Marine life and the camaraderie and dedication each Marine brings to it.
Top Stories This Week
The capstone is the ending, featuring a new message from Smith and Ruiz. The two walk up as the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon marches in front of the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. Standing in their formal dress blues, the two are drenched in the rain but don’t seem bothered.
“The memorial behind us stands as a testament to that fact. We stand on the shoulders of the giants that came before us. We must not fail them,” Smith said. He and Ruiz then wished the Corps a happy birthday.
It is the latest piece of media created to celebrate the Marine Corps’ milestone birthday on Nov. 10. A documentary following members of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, simply titled “Marines,” is set to arrive on Netflix the day of the 250th. The service has been holding other events leading up to its 250th, including an amphibious assault demonstration at Camp Pendleton last month, which saw artillery fired over a major freeway.
