Two battalions. Men who knew the sea. Raised for one war, with no promise of anything after it. That was the whole idea behind the Continental Marines in November 1775. Nobody in the room could have guessed that the decision would still be celebrated in every clime and place two and a half centuries later. This year, on Tuesday 10 November 2026, the Marine Corps birthday marks 251 years.
Quick Answer: The Marine Corps birthday is 10 November. On that date in 1775, the Continental Congress resolved to raise two battalions of Marines. In 2026 the Corps turns 251. Marines have celebrated on 10 November since 1921, when Commandant John A. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47. Before that, the birthday was marked on 11 July, the date of the 1798 act that re-established the Corps.
What Congress Authorized in 1775
Meeting in Philadelphia, the Second Continental Congress passed a short resolution on 10 November 1775. It called for two battalions of Marines, and it asked for a particular kind of recruit. Officers and men were to be good seamen, or familiar enough with maritime affairs to serve well at sea.
Tradition places the first enlistments at Tun Tavern on the Philadelphia waterfront. Samuel Nicholas led that effort, and Marines regard him as their first Commandant. Every 10 November at dawn, Marines still lay a wreath at his grave in Philadelphia.
The Corps Was Founded Twice
Like the Navy, the Continental Marines did not survive the peace. When the Revolutionary War ended in 1783, both were disbanded.
However, fifteen years later, the young country needed sailors and Marines again. On 11 July 1798, President John Adams signed the act establishing the United States Marine Corps. For more than a century after that, Marines marked 11 July, usually with very little ceremony. The History Division’s chronology of the Marine Corps traces each of these dates.
Why 10 November Became the Date
The change came in 1921. A Marine historian, Major Edwin North McClellan, suggested that the Corps honor its original 1775 founding. The 13th Commandant, Major General John A. Lejeune, agreed.
On 1 November 1921, Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47. It summarized the history, mission and traditions of the Corps, and it directed that the order be read to every command on 10 November each year. Today, Marines still read it aloud at every ceremony, so the 1921 decision is the reason the ceremony feels the same from a ship at sea to a hall in Texas. The Marine Corps History Division keeps the text and the birthday messages on record.
How Marines Mark the Day
Every command marks the day in roughly the same order, wherever it is in the world:
- Order No. 47 is read, followed by the current Commandant’s birthday message.
- The cake is cut, traditionally with a Mameluke sword. Commandant Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. formalized the ceremony in 1952.
- Slices are passed with meaning. Traditionally the guest of honor receives the first piece. The oldest Marine present then receives a slice and passes it to the youngest, a quiet picture of experience handed to the next generation.
Philadelphia also hosted the first formal birthday ball, in 1925. Today, balls run through late October and November, often on the weekend nearest the 10th. Because Veterans Day follows on 11 November, many Marines celebrate two days in a row.
If you are not sure what to say, “Happy birthday, Marine” is always welcome. So is “Semper Fi.”
What to Wear to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball
Your command’s ball order has the final word. Under the Marine Corps uniform regulations (MCO 1020.34H), this is the usual pattern:
| Who you are | Usual uniform | What goes on it |
| Officer | Evening Dress “B,” which the regulations name for evening celebrations of the birthday | Miniature medals on Evening Dress; full-size medals on Blue Dress “A” |
| Staff NCO | Blue Dress, or the optional SNCO Evening Dress | Full-size medals on Blue Dress “A,” miniatures on Evening Dress |
| Enlisted Marine | Blue Dress “A” or “B,” as the ball order prescribes | Full-size medals on “A,” ribbons and badges on “B” |
| Veteran or retiree in a tuxedo | Black tie | Miniature medals on the left lapel |
| Guest | Black tie or formal evening wear | None |
Two things trip people up every year. First, full-size and miniature medals are not interchangeable, so check which one your uniform needs. Our guide to mini medals and full-size medals explains the difference. Second, the order of wear changes when you earn something new. Our Marine Corps ribbon order of precedence is the quickest way to check.
Getting Your Rack Ready
Ball season comes quickly, and a rack that was correct last year may not be correct now.
Our ribbon rack builder puts every award in the correct order for the Marine Corps and adds the right devices, so your rack arrives ready to wear. You can also browse Marine Corps ribbons and Marine Corps medals, or read our step by step guide to building a Marine Corps ribbon rack.
Already own a rack from us? We update racks and medal sets originally bought from Super Thin Ribbons, so a new award does not mean starting over. We also charge nothing extra for expedited production. If your ball is close, please call us and we will tell you honestly whether we can make your date.
Use code STR2025 for 10% off your order.
Built in the USA
Super Thin Ribbons is a U.S. based company, headquartered at 1602 Loop 11, Wichita Falls, Texas 76306. You can reach our team directly at 940-851-6220 or sa***@**************ns.com.
We are a small, Native American and woman-owned shop that has made ribbons and medals since 1998. So every rack we ship is mounted to current regulations, right here in Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Marine Corps birthday is 10 November. It marks the day in 1775 when the Continental Congress resolved to raise two battalions of Marines.
The Marine Corps turns 251 on 10 November 2026.
The Corps was re-established on 11 July 1798 and celebrated that date for years. In 1921, Commandant John A. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47, which moved the celebration to the original 1775 date.
Traditionally the guest of honor receives the first piece. The oldest Marine present then passes a slice to the youngest Marine, symbolizing experience handed to the next generation.
Officers usually wear Evening Dress with miniature medals. Enlisted Marines usually wear Blue Dress “A” with full-size medals or Blue Dress “B” with ribbons. The command’s ball order always has the final word.
Yes. Veterans attending in a tuxedo usually wear miniature medals on the left lapel. Retirees may also wear the uniform at the ball under the Marine Corps uniform regulations.
Sources: Marine Corps History Division, Marine Corps Order No. 47 (Series 1921), MCO 1020.34H Marine Corps Uniform Regulations, and Training Command history of the Marine Corps birthday ball.
Thank You
Two hundred and fifty one years ago, Congress asked for men who could fight at sea and on land. The Corps has been answering that call ever since, often far from home and usually without much notice.
To every Marine reading this, and to every family who waited for one: thank you, and happy birthday.
If you need your rack current before the ball, please call us at 940-851-6220. We would be glad to help.
Semper Fi.