Customs
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Marine
Corps Emblem and Seal
The
history of the Marine Corps emblem is a story related to the
history of the Corps itself. The emblem of today traces its
roots to the designs and ornaments of early Continental Marines
as well as British Royal Marines. The emblem took its present
form in 1868. Before that time many devices, ornaments, and
distinguishing marks followed one another as official marks
of the Corps.
In
1776, the device consisted of a "foul anchor" of
silver or pewter. The foul anchor still forms a part of the
emblem today. (A foul anchor is an anchor which has one or
more turns of the chain around it). Changes were made in 1798,
1821, and 1824. In 1834 it was prescribed that a brass eagle
be worn on the hat, the eagle to measure 3 ½ inches
from wingtip to wingtip.
During
the early years numerous distinguishing marks were prescribed,
including "black cockades", "scarlet plumes,"
and "yellow bands and tassels." In 1859 the origin
of the present color scheme for the officer's dress uniform
ornaments appeared on an elaborate device of solid white metal
and yellow metal. The design included a United States shield,
half wreath, a bugle, and the letter "M."
In 1868,
Brigadier General Commandant Jacob Zeilin appointed a board
"to decide and report upon the various devices of cap
ornaments of the Marine Corps." On 13 November 1868,
the board turned in its report. It was approved by the Commandant
four days later, and on 19 November 1868 was signed by the
Secretary of the Navy.
The emblem
recommended by this board consists of a globe (showing the
Western Hemisphere) intersected by a foul anchor, and surmounted
by a spread eagle. On the emblem itself, the device is topped
by a ribbon inscribed with the Latin motto "Semper Fidelis"
(Always Faithful). The uniform ornaments omit the motto ribbon.
The general
design of the emblem was probably derived from the British
Royal Marines' "Globe and Laurel." The globe on
the U.S. Marine emblem signifies service in any part of the
world. The eagle also indirectly signifies service worldwide,
although this may not have been the intention of the designers
in 1868. The eagle which they selected for the Marine emblem
is a crested eagle, a type found all over the world. On the
other hand, the eagle pictured on the great seal and the currency
of the United States is the bald eagle, strictly a North American
variety. The anchor, whose origin dates back to the founding
of the Marine Corps in 1775, indicates the amphibious nature
of Marines' duties.
On 22
June 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an Executive
Order, which approved the design of an official seal for the
United States Marine Corps. The new seal had been designed
at the request of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General
Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.
The new
seal consisted of the traditional Marine Corps emblem in bronze;
however, an American bald eagle replaced the crested eagle
depicted on the 1868 emblem, and is depicted with wings displayed,
standing upon the western hemisphere of the terrestrial globe,
and holding in his beak a scroll inscribed with the Marine
Corps motto "Semper Fidelis" (Ever Faithful) with
the hemisphere superimposed on a foul anchor. The seal is
displayed on a scarlet background encircled with a Navy blue
band edged in a gold rope rim and inscribed "Department
of the Navy, United States Marine Corps" in gold letters.
Coincident with the approval of this seal by the President,
the emblem centered on the seal was adopted in 1955 as the
official Marine Corps Emblem.
Reference
Section
History and Museums Division
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