2010 Marine Corps Ball

Hilton Hotel Saturday, November 6, 2010

Honorable Minister(s); Honored members of the military forces of the United States of America, of the Republic of Cameroon, and of allies and partner nations; Colleagues; Guests; Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening and happy 235th birthday to the United States Marine Corps.  I am honored to be part of the Marine Ball for the first time in Cameroon in my capacity as United States Ambassador to this beautiful country.  However, it is worth noting that this evening marks the 14th Marine Corps Ball that Babs and I have attended.

Let me start by paying tribute to all of the men and women who have served or are serving the United States of America in uniform here in Cameroon and elsewhere, and by saying a special thank you to the members of the Embassy’s Marine Security Guard Detachment who have organized tonight’s event.

The men and women of our Marine Corps Security Guard Detachment are among the over 1,200 U.S. Marines world-wide who protect our U.S. Embassies and Missions abroad.  They guard U.S. diplomatic facilities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and I am grateful to them for their work.  I am sure many of you are familiar with the Marine Corps, but I would like to share with you some of the traditions in tonight’s event.

The United States Marine Corps is one of the most honorable forces in our military services, and the history of the Marine Corps predates even the birth of our nation.  The U.S. Continental Congress commissioned the first Marines on November 10, 1775, in Philadelphia with a congressional resolution declaring that two battalions of Marines be formed to serve as landing forces in the war between Great Britain and the colonies.  The commission authorized a gentleman named Robert Mullen, the owner of a tavern in Philadelphia, to recruit the two battalions....and maybe that explains why some Marines have had an attraction to watering holes ever since.

As the Marine Corps matured, it developed signature components to the annual commemoration of its founding.  One such tradition is the reading of General Lejeune’s Birthday Message (which you heard earlier and which is printed in your program).  The message comes from an official Marine Corps order issued by the General in 1921 which directed that the order be read to every Marine Corps command on November 10.

Another tradition is the cake cutting ceremony which must follow a formal outline that has been in existence since 1956 and includes using a sword to cut the cake.  Traditionally the first piece of cake is presented to a guest of honor.  The next piece is given to the oldest Marine present and the third piece is given to the youngest Marine.  The shape of the cake is less traditional....since the Marine’s have to rely on someone else to bake and decorate it.  I understand that in 1937 at a Marine Ball in Washington, D.C., they had a gigantic cake designed to represent the famous original tavern in Philadelphia....you can see that bar really is part of the tradition!

The Marines are part of the U.S. Navy, but throughout American history they have served not only at sea but also in the air and on land.  As they will tell you, they are Marines and not sailors, and they have had some of the toughest assignments in the hottest spots across the globe...from the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli.  But they have also carried out some of our greatest humanitarian missions.  Let me tell you about a recent one.

As many of you may recall, last February, we expected a visit from the USS Gunston Hall, a U.S. Navy ship, as part of an ongoing international training program known as Africa Partnership Station or APS.  Two Cameroonian Navy officers were on the Gunston Hall when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12.  The Gunston Hall was diverted to Haiti just two days later fully loaded with food and supplies.  Immediately after its arrival at Haiti's Killick Coast Guard Base on Jan. 18, the crew assisted in turning a rubble-strewn soccer field into an impromptu helicopter landing zone for a Honduran medical evacuation team, and they also began distributing food and supplies to the victims of the earthquake as well as participating in other humanitarian relief efforts.

The international crew members, including the two Cameroonian officers on the Gunston Hall, witnessed unforgettably inspiring moments during that tragedy in Haiti, including the arrival of help just in time to save lives.  I want to thank Cameroonian defense authorities for allowing those two Cameroonian officers to participate alongside our U.S. Marines in those urgent relief efforts in Haiti.

While Marines are often engaged in this sort of large-scale humanitarian support, those of us who work with them in the context of an embassy community know that they thrive on outreach on an everyday basis – whether hosting welcoming events for new members of the community, bringing Cameroonian youngsters in for a game of Frisbee, or distributing toys at Christmas to local disadvantaged children.  Our detachment is in many ways the heart of our community, serving as a social gathering point and as representatives of the outreach and spirit of volunteerism that represent the United States at their best.  I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our Marines for the excellent role they play in our community. 

Those of us who work at U.S. Embassies love to go to Marine Corps Balls to honor the fine young men and women who guard our diplomatic missions, and to honor veterans of the Marine Corps (several of whom are here tonight).  It is also an opportunity for us to honor all who have served in uniform.  As you may know, there is a friendly but fierce rivalry between the services of the U.S. military.  Tonight I will offer the Marines’ top reasons for why they are so great:

1. Dress blues.  They’re the coolest uniforms in any military worldwide.
2. The most respect.  When the Marine Corps came back to Haiti after 60 years, an old man standing on the beach in Haiti shouted “Welcome back!”
3. Toughest mascot.  The Marine Corps mascot is a bulldog.  The Navy mascot is a goat.
4. Music.  The only official, congressionally sanctioned hymn for any of the services:  The Marines’ Hymn.
5. Toughest boot camp.  A few years ago there were Navy and Marine boot camps next to each other in San Diego, California.  The sailors at the Navy boot camp would occasionally jump the fence and accidently land in Marine Corps boot camp.  The Marines would train them for a couple of days, and when the recruits were sent back to the Navy they were ready to be sailors!

   
 Thank you for joining us tonight in celebrating the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

Happy Birthday, Marines.  Ladies and gentleman, please have a wonderful evening.

Thank you.