Marine Corp Birthday Ball set for November 9th

Plans are underway for the local Marine Corp Birthday ball for Fallon this year, which will be hosted by the Marine Corps League High Desert Detachment. The celebration will be held on the 9^th since the 10^th falls on a Sunday this year. A quick history of the Ball from the Official United States Marine Corps Website: The annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball is a celebration of Marine Corps history and traditions.  It represents where the Marine Corps started and where it is now; while giving us a glimpse of the past, present and future.  Throughout the world on 10 November, Marines celebrate the birth of their Corps -- the most loyal, feared, revered, and professional fighting force the world has ever known. The first "formal" Birthday Ball took place in Philadelphia in 1925.  Guests included the Commandant, the Secretary of War (known today as the Secretary of Defense), and a host of statesmen and elected officials.  Prior to the Ball, Gen. Lejeune unveiled a memorial plaque at Tun Tavern, the birthplace of the Marine Corps.  Then the entourage headed for the Benjamin Franklin Hotel for an evening of celebration. Over the years the annual Birthday Ball grew, taking on a life of its own.  In 1952, Commandant Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. formalized the cake-cutting ceremony and other traditional observances.  Current Marine Corps policy mandates that the first piece of cake must be presented to the oldest U.S. Marine present and passed to the youngest Marine representing the passing of tradition from generation to generation.  Among the many such mandates is the reading of the Commandant's birthday message to the Corps. For information contact Paul "Pip" Valentin at [email protected].     Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.