NORFOLK, Va. – November 10 marks the 242nd birthday of the United States Marine Corps.
According to History.com, the U.S. Marines were founded in 1775 when the Continental Congress passed a resolution for two battalions to be formed to serve as landing forces for the recently formed Continental Navy.
Their first battle occurred in 1776 in the Bahamas when a group of Marines serving under Captain Samuel Nicholas captured New Province Island from the British.
After the Revolutionary War ended in 1783, the Marines were disbanded, but they were established as a permanent force in 1798, under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Navy.
There are now more than 200,000 active-duty and reserve Marines.
