Veterans Day and the U.S. Marines at 250

Honor our vets and celebrate 250 years of the U.S. Marines with these great essays!

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Dear ,

As the Revolutionary War was heating up 250 years ago, the Continental Congress created one of America's most storied fighting forces — the U.S. Marines. As our Founding Editor Bruce Catton wrote in American Heritage, this "ancient fighting corps [is] covered with battle scars and proud of every one of them."

On the Marines' 250th anniversary, you can read about some of their most epic battles—from Belleau Wood to Chosin—in the archives of American Heritage.

As we commemorate their deeds on another Veterans Day, below are links to some inspiring essays on the history of the U.S. military and the veterans who so bravely served the nation.

And be sure to read our Fall 2025 issue if you haven't yet—our new issue comes out soon!

Best,

—Edwin S. Grosvenor, Editor editor@americanheritage.com

MARINES AND VETERANS DAY STORIES

The Marine Tradition

By Bruce Catton

The Corps is supposed to be tough, and is. This often confounds its enemies and sometimes irritates the nation’s other services.

Bloody Belleau Wood

By Laurence Stallings

Recalling a visit he later made to Bouresches on the anniversary of the battle, a Marine Corps veteran—who was himself grievously wounded in the last day of fighting—tells the story of one of the hardest days in American history.

Agony of the Lost Battalion

By Edward G. Lengel

In October 1918, 600 men of the 77th Division attacked a heavily defended German position, charging forward until they were completely surrounded by enemy forces. Only 194 of these men survived.

The Defense Of Wake

By Peter Andrews

Their High Command abandoned them. Their enemy thought they wouldn’t fight. But a few days after Pearl Harbor, a handful of weary Americans gave the world a preview of what the Axis was up against.

Eyewitness to Iwo Jima

By Alvin M. Josephy Jr.

A marine correspondent recalls the deadliest battle of the Pacific war.

The Hell That Was Chosin

By Robert Moskin

In the frozen mountains of Korea, the Marines endured a campaign as grueling and heroic as any in history.

The Oldest Marine Recruit

By Shane Manson

Paul Douglas was 50 years old when he left a career in politics to join the Marines at the outset of World War II, earning Purple Hearts at Peleliu and Okinawa.

An Early Armistice

The greatest war in history came to an end on November 11, but not without a final cruel twist.

READ MORE IN THE ARCHIVES

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DON'T MISS THE FALL 2025 ISSUE!

Important Early Maps of America

By Edwin S. Grosvenor

In the Age of Discovery, maps held closely guarded secrets for the kings, adventurers, and merchants who first acquired them.

“Shall We Have a King?”

By William E. Leuchtenburg

Some delegates at the Constitutional Convention wanted a strong executive, while others feared the American president might become a king.

Dickinson: Forgotten Founder

By Jane Calvert

John Dickinson played a pivotal role in our Nation’s founding, from the Stamp Act to ratifying the Constitution, but his contributions are largely forgotten by history.

The Birth of Birthright Citizenship

By Joseph Connor

A Chinatown cook's fight to re-enter the U.S. in 1895 went up to the Supreme Court, which upheld his claim to birthright citizenship and guaranteed it through the 14th Amendment.

Still "Crazy" for Patsy Cline

By Holley Snaith

Since her untimely death in 1963, the legendary country music star—and the first female singer to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame—continues to inspire new audiences and artists.

Little Round Top Restored

By Edwin S. Grosvenor

Recent rehabilitation of this important site at the Gettysburg battlefield provides a much improved experience for visitors.

I Watched LBJ Sign the Civil Rights Act

By Eugene Meyer

The author was a press researcher in 1964 when he tagged along to watch Lyndon B. Johnson sign the 1964 Civil Rights Act outlawing discrimination.

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