The USMC Heritage Press International says "Each U.S. Marine, past and present, is a part of the mythical fellowship of valor. Hallowed rituals, an unbending code of honor, and gallantry in combat are the hallmarks of this elite Brotherhood of Marines."

Proven true once again in March 30 front page headlines here in the Coeur d'Alene Press: while on patrol "venturing into new areas" in the Sangin district of Afghanistan's Helmand province, Lance CPL Nathan Peyton of Post Falls saw some loose dirt and dug up a directional "frag" pressure plate IED (Improvised Explosive Device) that could have killed a fire team of four or five Marines. A combat engineer, Peyton and other engineers go out ahead of squads to sweep for IEDs, of which they found six in the last week of December. Reminiscent of Hayden's Army Reserve 321st Engineers (now 455th Engineer Company) mission in Anbar Province in Iraq in 2007-2008, searching and clearing IED's is arguably one of the most dangerous of all endeavors. Peyton does this "to keep the other guys safe," and certainly demonstrates Marine Corps values in his actions.

We are proud of our local Marines, to include World War II Fighter Ace Medal of Honor recipient Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (1912-1988). Rick Seward and now deceased former County Commissioner Ronald Rankin saw action in the epic Korean battle at the Chosin Reservoir. F4 fighter jock Kootenai County Treasurer Major Tom Malzahn was a squadron commander. Sheriff Rocky Watson proudly served, as did Korean war vet and retired SFPD officer Tommy Thompson, who is Security Chief for our North Idaho Fair. His son Dan served, as well as Iraq war veteran grandson Charlie.

Probably the most prolific depiction of Marine endeavors is the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945. "Operation Detachment" (Feb. 19 - March 26) was the first American attack on Japanese home islands and resulted in some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific Theater. The 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine divisions of the V Amphibious Corps were tasked to face the Imperial Japanese Army, heavily fortified with a network of bunkers, 11 miles of tunnels and hidden artillery. The strategic importance of the island was its three airfields, which were necessary for our B-29 bombers and P-51 Mustang fighter escorts to be within striking distance of Japan. The battle cost the lives of 6,821 Marines and 21,569 Japanese. 22 Medals of Honor were awarded to Marines, 13 of them posthumously. Five were also awarded to U.S. Navy sailors. 82 Medals of Honor were awarded to Marines in all of World War II. Two local retired Marines, Raymond Litchfield and Robert Rohrscheib, are veterans of the battle.

The Marines'

Hymn says it all:

"From the halls

of Montezuma"

Marines captured the Mexican Military Academy in Chapultepec Castle in 1847, known as "The Halls of Montezuma," to "greatly disarm the Mexican Army" during the Mexican-American war. Of commemoration, the red stripe, known as the "blood stripe" worn on the trousers of the Blue Dress Uniform, is in recognition of the Marines that stormed the castle.

"To the shores

of Tripoli"

The Battle of Derna, Tripoli (April-May 1805) is the first recorded land battle of the United States on foreign soil. In 1804 the U.S. Government supported a plan to overthrow the pasha of Tripoli, Yusuf Karamanli, and reinstate his brother, Hamet, the former pasha, who had been deposed in 1793 and exiled by Yusuf in 1795. Naval agent to the Barbary States William Eaton and Hamet assembled a mercenary force of 500, along with eight Marines led by First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon, on March 8, 1805, marched 600 miles across desert wastes bordering the sea from Alexandria, Egypt to Derna. The April 27 assault on the city was successful and Hamet was reinstated, only to be sent back to Egypt after Consul Tobias Lear concluded a peace treaty with Yusuf on June 4.

The sword worn by Marine officers is a tradition started with the presenting of a Mameluke sword by Hamet to O'Bannon as a gesture of respect and praise for the Marines' actions, and was adopted for wear in 1825 by Marine Corps Commandant Archibald Henderson.

"We fight our country's battles in the air,

on land and sea"

Born during the American Revolution at Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, the Continental Congress approved a resolution on Nov. 10, 1775, "to establish two battalions of Marines to fight for independence on sea and shore." In 1942 the Marine Commandant added "in the air" because of the increasing use of aircraft.

"First to fight for right and freedom, and to keep our honor clean,

We are proud to claim the title of United States Marines."

Semper Fi!