LAKE HAVASU CITY – Lake Havasu’s Marine Corps League will be bringing back the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. The Lake Havasu Marine Corps League is a volunteer organization with roughly 160 veterans from Armed Forces branches. The many events that the group puts together are usually fundraisers in an effort to develop goodwill in the community.
The group provides assistance to veterans along with their families who may be in need. The Marine Corps League is also partnered with Be Connected, a service that provides veterans assistance with education, housing, employment, physical health and much more. It was on October 21, 1921 that Major Edwin North McClellan who was in charge of the Marine Corp’s fledging historical section, had a memorandum sent to Commandant John A. Lejeune.
It was a memorandum that encouraged him to make the Marine’s original birthday of November 10th to be Marine Corp’s holiday. It was a holiday intended to be celebrated throughout the Corps. In 1925, the first formal ball was celebrated.
The birthday celebrations have had various formats. Many were dances, sporting events, music performances, and pageants. By the 1950s, the celebrations were formalized by Marine Corp General Lemuel C. Shepard.
This would bring about the cake cutting ceremony. A ceremony which would be in the Marine Drill Manual by 1956. Traditionally, the first slice of cake would go to the guest of honor.
The second piece would then go to the oldest Marine who usually hands it off to the youngest Marine. The gesture is symbolic of seasoned marine passing along their knowledge to a new era of Marines. A reading of Marine Corps Order 47 usually occurs at the celebration.
Each year, it’s republished along with a message from the current Commandment. A banquet dance is normally planned for this. Lake Havasu will be participating in the Marine Corp’s Birthday Ball. Guests should be in semi formal to formal attire, or Marine uniform.
The evening will begin with a social hour followed by dinner. The speaker of the evening will be Colonel Wilburn(Bud)Meador. Dancing will begin and music will be provided by musician Pamela Harkness. Festivities are scheduled to happen on Friday November 10th from 5pm to 9:30pm, Lake Havasu invites the community to celebrate Marine Corp’s Birthday. At the London Bridge Convention Center.
Learn more about Lake Havasu’s Marine Corp League visit mcllhcdetachment757.org
Phaedra Veronique
