Marine Corps Birthday2026 · Date · History · Messages
The U.S. Marine Corps states that Marines around the world celebrate the birth of the Corps each year on 10 November.
About Marine Corps Birthday
The Marine Corps Birthday is the annual U.S. Marine Corps service birthday observed on November 10.
The date commemorates November 10, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress resolved to raise two battalions of Continental Marines. It is a Marine Corps institutional tradition, not a U.S. federal public holiday.
Why Marine Corps Birthday matters
For Marines and Marine Corps communities, the birthday is a service tradition centered on institutional history, remembrance and continuity across generations.
A public guide should distinguish that tradition from Veterans Day on November 11 and from the federal holiday calendar, and should not present participation as civic obligation or military recruitment.
History of Marine Corps Birthday
Marine Corps historical material says the Corps had previously commemorated a July 11 birthday tied to the 1798 re-creation of the Corps.
On October 21, 1921, Maj. Edwin McClellan proposed restoring November 10, 1775 as the birthday date.
On November 1, 1921, Commandant Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47, Series 1921, directing that the order be read to every command on November 10 each year.
The Marine Corps says formal commemoration on the November 10 date began in 1921, and later Corps guidance standardized birthday ceremonies and traditions.
Current Marine Corps material continues to mark November 10 as the service birthday; the 2025 observance was the Corps’ 250th birthday.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
July 11 Marine Corps birthday commemoration
The Corps shifted the formal birthday date to November 10 in 1921 to reflect the 1775 Continental Marines founding resolution.
Maj. Edwin McClellan, U.S. Marine Corps historical branch
Marine Corps history says McClellan sent an October 21, 1921 memorandum proposing November 10, 1775 as the Corps birthday.
Commandant of the Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune
Marine Corps Order No. 47, Series 1921
First documented observance
Marine Corps history states formal commemoration of the birthday began November 10, 1921.
Directed that the Marine Corps Birthday celebration be formalized throughout the Corps and provided an outline for the cake ceremony and other formal observances.
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. · Marine Corps birthday ceremony guidance
United States Marine Corps
Current Commandant and Marine Corps channels continue to publish annual birthday messages and resources.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
1 field not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Also known as
USMC Day
How to Observe Marine Corps Birthday
Read the Marine Corps’ own history of the birthday and Marine Corps Order No. 47 rather than relying on unsourced tradition summaries.
Attend a publicly announced historical or commemorative program if it is open to visitors and follow installation or venue access rules.
If recognizing a Marine or veteran, keep the message personal and respectful rather than implying official Marine Corps endorsement.
Use official or properly licensed insignia, photographs and music when publishing branded material; do not assume every military emblem or asset is unrestricted.
Keep historical discussion factual and non-recruitment oriented, especially in school or public-facing materials.
Marine Corps Birthday Facts
The recurring Marine Corps Birthday date is November 10.
The date points to the November 10, 1775 Continental Congress resolution creating two battalions of Continental Marines.
Marine Corps sources trace the modern November 10 tradition to a 1921 proposal by Maj. Edwin McClellan and Marine Corps Order No. 47 issued by Commandant John A. Lejeune.
Marine Corps historical material says July 11 had previously been commemorated as the Corps birthday because of the 1798 re-creation of the Corps.
The Marine Corps Birthday does not appear on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management list of federal holidays; Veterans Day is November 11.
Marine Corps Birthday Messages
Wishing Marines, veterans and their families a respectful Marine Corps Birthday on November 10.
May today’s Marine Corps Birthday be a thoughtful occasion for history, remembrance and connection.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
U.S. Marine Corps — birthday history (opens in a new tab)
Government Military
U.S. Office of Personnel Management — federal holidays (opens in a new tab)
Federal Government
Commandant of the Marine Corps — 250th birthday message (opens in a new tab)
Government Military
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Marine Corps Birthday?
10 November annually The documented recurrence rule is: 10 November.
Does Marine Corps Birthday fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Marine Corps Birthday an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States Marine Corps service birthday. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Marine Corps Birthday?
The reviewed sources identify Commandant of the Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Maj. Edwin McClellan, U.S. Marine Corps historical branch. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as United States Marine Corps.
Is Marine Corps Birthday international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: United States Marine Corps service birthday. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-23.
When is the Marine Corps Birthday?
It is observed on November 10 each year.
Why is November 10 the Marine Corps Birthday?
Marine Corps sources tie the date to the Continental Congress resolution of November 10, 1775 that raised two battalions of Continental Marines.
When did the modern November 10 birthday tradition begin?
Marine Corps historical material says formal commemoration began in 1921 after Maj. Edwin McClellan proposed the date and Commandant John A. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47.
Is the Marine Corps Birthday a federal holiday?
No. It is an institutional service birthday. The U.S. federal holiday list does not designate November 10 as the Marine Corps Birthday.
Is it the same as Veterans Day?
No. The Marine Corps Birthday is November 10; Veterans Day is the federal holiday on November 11.
Other observances on November 10
These observances are also listed on November 10, 2026.
International Accounting Day
The Accounting Day organization identifies November 10 as International Accounting Day, and U.S. government/professional sources also recognize the date.
United States Marine Corps Birthday
Official Marine Corps history establishes November 10, 1775 as the Corps birthday, Major Edwin McClellan’s 1921 proposal, and Commandant John A. Lejeune’s Marine Corps Order No. 47 directin…
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