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United States
Marine
Corps
and the U.S.S. Little Rock CL 92 / CLG 4 . Page last updated: 14 May, 2026 |
THE MARINES’ HYMN History of the Hymn Official Version Change to Last Verse (1942) The Music The Marines’ Hymn is one of the most readily recognized
songs in the world today and is the oldest of the service songs of our country.
The history of the hymn has been clouded by the passing of time and confused
by oral tradition. But there is no confusion on the part of the hearer when
The Marines’ Hymn is heard. It is as easily identified with the Marine Corps
as “The Star Spangled Banner” is with our nation. To all Marines it has
become a sacred symbol of the pride and professionalism of a Marine and
you will find them standing straight and tall at the position of attention
when it is performed.
The music to the hymn is believed to have originated in the comic opera Geneviéve de Brabant composed by the French composer Jacques Offenbach. Originally written as a two-act opera in 1859, Offenbach revised the work, expanding it to three acts in 1867. This revised version included the song “Couplets des Deux Hommes d’Armes” and is the musical source of The Marines’ Hymn. The author of the words to the hymn is unknown. One tradition suggested that an unknown Marine wrote the words in 1847. This would have been 20 years before the music was written by Offenbach and is not likely. The first two lines of the first verse were taken from words inscribed on the Colors of the Corps. After the war with the Barbary pirates in 1805 the Colors were inscribed with the words “To the Shores of Tripoli.” After Marines participated in the capture of Mexico City and the Castle of Chapultepec (also known as the Halls of Montezuma) in 1847, the words on the Colors were changed to read “From the shores of Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma.” The unknown author of the first verse of the hymn reversed this order to read “From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.” Marine's Hymn “From the Halls of Montezuma To the shores of Tripoli; We fight our country's battles On the land as on the sea; First to fight for right and freedom And to keep our honor clean; We are proud to claim the title Of United States Marine. Our flag's unfurled to every breeze From dawn to setting sun; We have fought in ev’ry clime and place Where we could take a gun; In the snow of far-off Northern lands And in sunny tropic scenes; You will find us always on the job The United States Marines Here's health to you and to our Corps Which we are proud to serve; In many a strife we've fought for life And never lost our nerve; If the Army and the Navy Ever look on Heaven's scenes; They will find the streets are guarded By United States Marines.” The Change: The original authorized version
(1929) was changed on Nov. 21, 1942, by the Commandant of the Marine Corps
so as to change in the words of the fourth line of the first verse from:
"On the land as on the sea." to “In air, on land, and sea.”
"The President's Own" USMC BAND
Another rendering by Stephen Melillo Click here to see the music for the Marine's Hymn. |