Happy 247th birthday to the Marine Corps
On Nov. 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was created by a resolution of the Continental Congress and since then many countless men and women have borne the name Marine.
The Wapakoneta VFW Post 8445 celebrated the Marine Corps’ 247th birthday on Nov. 10, 2022 at 7 p.m. This is the second year the Marines and other veterans have come together to celebrate the anniversary. The celebration is put together by J and Jeanne Goodes.
The post’s chaplain, navy veteran Loren Elsass, presented the benediction during the Marine's celebration.
The traditional Marine Corps birthday cake was escorted to the front of the room by Ryan Doran, who served from 2002 to 2017, and Tim Palmer, who served from 2015 through 2019. A display table was lightly lit up to honor the men and women who have lost their lives while fighting for the nation’s freedom.
Col. Goodes and Cmdr. John Gorman carried the cake to the senior ranking Marine to cut the cake. The guest of honor was served the first piece, while the second and third pieces were served to the oldest and youngest Marine. The oldest Marine was St. Marys native Don Martindale, a veteran of Korea, who served from Aug. 28, 1951, to Aug. 28, 1953. The youngest marine was Lance Cpl. Ethan Rupert, who enlisted on Jun. 4, 2018. He is also a St. Marys native, but was born Oct. 20, 1999, at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
After the cake was cut and the pieces served, the traditional 14-point toast to the Marines took place to honor all who have
served in the Marine Corps:
· Ace Ambos toasted to the Continental Marines who fought for freedom and liberty.
· Josh Jolly toasted to the Marines of the 19th century who fought from “the halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli.”
· Delmar Merricle toasted to the Marines of WWI who fought from the Argonne Forest to Belleau Wood.
· Marcos Campos toasted to the Marines who fought in the island campaigns of WWII.
· Ethan Rupert toasted to the Marines who fought in Korea from Inchon to the Chosin Reservoir.
· Ed Biggers toasted to the Marines who fought for freedom in Vietnam.
· Dave Volbert toasted to the Marines who fought oppression in Lebanon and Grenada.
· Tim Palmeri toasted to the Marines who fought for Kuwait’s liberty in southwest Asia.
· Ryan Doran toasted to the Marines who fought in the Operation Enduring Freedom.
· Mark Brown toasted to the Marines who fought in the Operation Iraqi freedom.
· Ed Bigger toasted to the comrades in arms, the United States Navy Corpsmen.
· Jerry Rupert toasted to the Marines currently deployed on the forward edge of our nation’s defense.
· John Gorman toasted to their fallen comrades.