History of The Marines’ Hymn
The Marines’ Hymn holds a special place in the nation’s musical culture. For generations of Americans, this song has been a time-honored tribute to the United States Marine Corps and its enduring legacy. The song is a musical symbol of the Marine Corps’ ethos, and singing the hymn is one of the first traditions a Marine learns at recruit training. The words are a rallying cry and a reminder that each Marine is part of a centuries-old tradition of excellence in service and loyalty in brotherhood.
The music of 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,” which is the musical source of The Marines’ Hymn.
The earliest known connection between Offenbach’s music and the U.S. Marine Corps began with Francis Maria Scala, leader of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band from 1854-1871. In 1868, Scala arranged Offenbach’s duet as a dance number for the band. He rewrote Offenbach’s duet, sped up the tempo and slightly changed the melody, turning it into a Quickstep march, one of the most popular dances at the time.
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 Battle Color of the Marine Corps was 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.”
By 1915 the Marine Band was performing The Marines’ Hymn on all of its concerts. The following year, Assistant Commandant Colonel John A. Lejeune wrote a memorandum which stated that Lieutenant William H. Santelmann, Leader of the Marine Band, was creating a new arrangement of the “old marines’ hymn.” The Commandant wanted it to be sent to all the bands in the Marine Corps. The new instrumental arrangement was published that summer and credited to Marine Band musician Edward M. Van Loock, a talented clarinetist and composer who had immigrated from Belgium before joining the band.
In 1929 the Commandant of the Marine Corps authorized the first official version of The Marines’ Hymn, in which the fourth line of the first verse originally read "On the land as on the sea." This was revised to its present version on Nov. 21, 1942, when the Commandant approved changing this line to “In the air, on land and sea," acknowledging the important role of aviation within the Corps.
In the decades since, The Marines’ Hymn has become part of American popular culture. It’s been played on the radio, sung on television and used as the soundtrack of classic Hollywood films. Even Bugs Bunny put on a uniform and sang through the hymn in support of the Marines during WW2.
For Marines, singing the hymn is more than just obeying an order. It is an act of respect toward all who came before and a reminder of their duty to all those who come after. The Marines Hymn has helped to unite a country behind these brave “soldiers of the sea.” Singing it is an act of pride and reverence that unites those who have worn the Marine Corps uniform and represent the values of honor, courage and commitment.
“From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country’s battles
In the air, on land, and 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.”