Marine Corps League Wants You
written by BOB REuTER
OCTOBER 23, 2024
What is the Marine Corps League? It would be easy to say that the League was founded on November 10th, 1922. It is the only congressionally chartered United States Marine Corps-related veterans organization in the United States. Its charter was approved by the 75th US Congress and signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 4, 1937. Major General John A. Lejeune, the 13th Commandant of the Corps is one of its founding members.
The mission statement of the League says “The mission of the Marine Corps League is to promote the interest and to preserve traditions of the United States Marine Corps; strengthen the fraternity of Marines and their families; serve Marines, FMF Corpsmen, and FMF Chaplains who wear or who have worn the Eagle, Globe and Anchor; and foster the ideals of Americanism and patriotic volunteerism.”
So what do all those words mean? Simply put, it is a large group of Marines who assemble at hundreds of locations around the country to share the brotherhood that is the Marine Corps spirit and esprit de corps. It gives Marines (including FMF corpsmen and chaplains) of all ages, backgrounds, and battlefields the chance to gather and share those qualities that separate Marines from others. It also provides those same Marines the opportunity to continue to serve. While on active duty, they served their country. Once those active-duty uniforms have been hung in the closet for the last time, the desire to serve is still strong. Marine Corps League members continue to serve their communities by doing volunteer work at VA Clinics and serving in the American Legion, VFW, AmVets and DAV posts across the country. They search for new ways to help their fellow veterans of all branches overcome the shades of war that plague so many veterans. They proudly wear new Marine Corps League ribbons that demonstrate their willingness to continue to provide service to their fellow veterans, to their families and to their communities.
In addition to community service, we conduct an annual ‘all Veteran’ picnic and fireworks display. We invite not only veterans but also their children and grandchildren. We hold an annual Marine Birthday Ball, this year celebrating the 249th anniversary of the birth of the Marines. We participate in Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances as well as Veterans Day observances at local elementary schools. We will be leading the Downtown Evansville Christmas Parade, proudly carrying the American flag and the Marine Corps League flag to start the Parade. We have recently created the “Sgt. John Mills, USMC Scholarship” which will provide financial asssitance to the children of veterans in our area. The scholarship is a 501 (c) (3) corporation so all contributions are fully tax deductible.
One of our most revered activities is honoring our fellow Marines who have died. With permission of the family, we go to the funeral home visitation to offer our condolences and say ‘farewell’ to a brother or sister Marine. We go in our Marine Corps League uniforms and do a short talk about what it means to be a Marine. We read a prayer written tewnty years ago by one of our Marines. After presenting our prayer folder to the family, we face the deceased Marine and render a slow salute. We then pay our individual respects to the Marine and leave the funeral chapel. When allowed by the family, we will conduct graveside services including folding the flag and presenting it to the next of kin, the 3 volley ‘salute to the dead’ and rendering of “Taps.” We have received many comments from families who now understand the fact that their Marine had ‘another family’ for support during their time in the Corps.
The River Cities Detachment 1090 in Evansville was issued its current charter in 2001. We presently have 92 members of whom 52 are life members of the League. Our membership boasts Marines and FMF Corpsmen, male and female, ranging in age from early 20’s to mid 90’s. From recent conflicts in the Middle East to the jungles of Vietnam and all the way back to the Korean War. Many of our members served during those infrequent periods of relative peace in the world.
To help make our League more ‘family-friendly,’ many of our ‘significant others’ have joined the League as Associate Members. Associate Members have most of the rights of ‘regular’ members. Anyone can apply for membership as an Associate. At our regular monthly meetings (held at American Legion Funkhouser Post 8) Marine Corps League of our wives accompany us and
enjoy dinner from the menu at the Post. For more information about the Marine Corps League, the Sgt. John Mills, USMC Scholarship, and the River Cities Detachment 1090 go to www.mclrivercities1090.com or search for River Cities Detachment.
Young or old(er), combat veteran or peace time, man or woman – our regular members all share the unique bond of having stood on those yellow footprints at Parris Island or San Diego and weeks later earning the right to be called “Marine.” Membership in the Marine Corps League truly shows the meaning ot the slogan “Once a Marine, always a Marine.”
