United States Marine Corps History Division

Military history arm of the United States Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps History Division

The progenitor to the modern Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, this insignia was first used by Marines in 1804.[1] Seen today on uniform buttons, it also serves as the History Division's unofficial logo.

Active| 8 September 1919
Country| United States
Branch| United States Marine Corps
Type| Historical
HQ| Marine Corps Base Quantico
Website| www.usmcu.edu/Research/History-Division/
Commanders
Director| Dr. Edward T. Nevgloski[2]

Military unit

The United States Marine Corps History Division is an arm of the Headquarters Marine Corps tasked with researching, writing, and maintaining the History of the United States Marine Corps. It also provides reference and research assistance; preserves personal experiences and observations through oral history interviews; and deploys field historians to record history in the making. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

## History

[edit]

The History Division was formed on 8 September 1919, by Order Number 53 of Commandant of the Marine Corps George Barnett as the Historical Section of the Department of the Adjutant and Inspector.[3] After World War II, the organization was known as "Marine Corps History and Museums Division" until the splitting of the division in 2005 in order to create the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

## Organization

[edit]

The United States Marine Corps History Division is a staff organization with the primary task of researching and writing the Marine Corps’ official history. The unit is not a division-sized military formation.[4] It is organized into four branches:[5]

* The Historical Branch prepares a wide variety of official publications that tell the Marine Corps story as accurately and comprehensively as possible. Publications include: articles, monographs, occasional papers, and definitive histories. The Branch also includes the Oral History Program, which obtains, catalogs, transcribes, and preserves personal narrative, experiences and observations of historic value from active duty and retired Marines for use as reference source material.
* The Historical Reference Branch provides historical research and reference services and historical analysis. In addition, the Branch supports specific programs: Unit Lineage and Honors, Commemorative Naming, Marine Corps Flag Manual, and Marine Corps Chronology.
* The Field History Branch deploys Individual Mobilization Augmentee detachment historians to collect historically relevant material (oral history, written/electronic plans, operation orders, maps, overlays and artifacts) for use as reference material. The Branch also consists of a Mobilization Training Unit whose members support the History Division with specific projects.
* The Editing and Design branch designs and lays out manuscripts, maps and other graphic materials to support the History Division’s publications.

### Directors

[edit]

Since its inception, the following individuals have served as director:[3]

#  | Rank  | Name  | Tenure began  | Tenure ended

|
|
|
|

1  | 4Major | McClellanEdwin N. McClellan | 8 September 1919 | 31 May 1925
2  | 4Major  | SturdevantEdward W. Sturdevant  | 1 June 1925 | 15 August 1928
3.03  | 3Captain | BurnhamLucian W. Burnham  | 16 August 1928 | 31 July 1929
3.5acting  | 0Mr.  | JenkinsJames C. Jenkins  | 1 August 1926 | 26 September 1929
4  | 3Captain  | PlattJonas H. Platt  | 27 September 1929 | 19 June 1930
5  | 4Major  | McClellanEdwin N. McClellan | 20 June 1930 | 2 March 1933
6  | 3Captain  | EllsworthHarry A. Ellsworth  | 3 March 1933 | 30 August 1934
7  | 4Lieutenant colonel | DeCarreAlphonse DeCarre | 31 August 1934 | 5 February 1935
8.08  | 5Lieutenant colonel | MetcalfClyde H. Metcalf  | 6 February 1935 | 31 December 1938
8.1acting  | 0Mr.  | JenkinsJames C. Jenkins  | 1 January 1939 | 4 October 1942
8.28  | 6Colonel | MetcalfClyde H. Metcalf  | 5 October 1942 | 15 April 1944
8.3acting  | 3Captain  | CarletonPhilips D. Carleton  | 16 April 1944 | 2 May 1944
9  | 6Colonel  | PottsJohn Potts  | 3 May 1944 | 2 January 1946
10  | 6Colonel  | KenyonHoward N. Kenyon  | 3 January 1946 | 15 October 1946
11  | 5Lieutenant colonel  | MurrayEllsworth N. Murray  | 16 October 1946 | 20 December 1946
12  | 5Lieutenant colonel  | HeinlRobert D. Heinl Jr.  | 21 December 1946 | 12 June 1949
13  | 5Lieutenant colonel  | GayleGordon D. Gayle | 13 June 1949 | 13 August 1951
14  | 5Lieutenant colonel  | HoughFrancis O. Hough  | 14 August 1951 | 8 June 1952
15  | 5Lieutenant colonel  | EdwardsHarry W. Edwards  | 9 June 1952 | 17 July 1955
16  | 6Colonel  | HarrisonCharles W. Harrison  | 18 July 1955 | 24 July 1959
17  | 4Major  | KuokkaHubard D. Kuokka  | 25 July 1959 | 17 August 1959
18  | 4Major  | FinkGerald Fink  | 18 August 1959 | 7 January 1960
19  | 6Colonel  | MillerWilliam M. Miller  | 8 January 1960 | 31 July 1961
20.020  | 6Colonel  | RoeThomas G. Roe  | 1 August 1961 | 30 June 1962
20.1acting  | 4Major  | JohnstoneJohn H. Johnstone  | 1 July 1962 | 8 November 1962
21  | 6Colonel  | WagnerJoseph F. Wagner Jr.  | 9 November 1962 | 31 August 1963
22  | 5Lieutenant colonel  | ScheningRichard J. Schening  | 1 September 1963 | 14 November 1963
23  | 6Colonel  | CaldwellFrank C. Caldwell  | 15 November 1963 | 30 November 1970
24.024  | 7Brigadier general | SimmonsEdwin H. Simmons | 1 December 1971 | 1 July 1978
24.124  | 7Brigadier general (ret.)  | SimmonsEdwin H. Simmons  | 21 October 1978 | 3 January 1996
25  | 6Colonel  | MoniganMichael F. Monigan  | 4 January 1996 | 11 July 1999
26.026  | 6Colonel (ret.)  | RipleyJohn W. Ripley | 12 July 1999 | 31 August 2005
26.1acting  | 0Mr.  | MelsonCharles D. Melson  | 1 September 2005 | 8 January 2006
26.2acting  | 6Colonel (ret.)  | CampRichard D. Camp Jr.  | 9 January 2006 | 10 December 2006
27  | 0Dr.  | NeimeyerCharles P. Neimeyer  | 11 December 2006 | December 2017
28  | 0Dr.  | NevgloskiEdward T. Nevgloski  | 19 May 2019 | December 2022
29  | 0Dr.  | CallahanShawn P. Callahan  | 29 January 2024 | Present

## Publications

[edit]

The History Division maintains several publications, including the quarterly newsletter Fortitudine (ISBN 0-16-010404-1), which was a traditional motto of the Corps before semper fidelis was adapted in 1883. They also maintain an archive of all historical publications published since its founding.

## See also

[edit]

* Bibliography of early United States naval history
* Department of Defense Historical Advisory Committee
* History of the United States Marine Corps
* Marine Corps Museum
* Marine Corps University
* National Museum of the Marine Corps
* Naval History and Heritage Command
* United States Army Center of Military History

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Smith, Charles Richard; Charles H. Waterhouse (1975). A Pictorial History: the Marines in the Revolution (PDF). United States Marine Corps Historical Division. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
2. ^ "Staff Directorate". Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
3. ^ a b Amerman, Annette D. (Fourth Quarter 2009). "Celebrating 90 Years of Collecting, Preserving, and Promoting of Marine Corps History" (PDF). Fortitudine. 34 (4). Quantico, VA: United States Marine Corps Historical Program: 19–25\. ISBN 978-0-16-010404-6. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
4. ^ "Organization and Personnel – History Division". Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
5. ^ "Mission Statement". Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 2 February 2010.

## References

[edit]

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

United States Marine Corps

Leadership|

* Secretary of the Navy
* Under Secretary of the Navy
* Commandant of the Marine Corps
* Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
* Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
* Military Secretary to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
* Marine Corps four-star generals
* Marine Corps three-star generals
* 1942–1959
* 2000–2009
* 2010–present

| US Congress|

* House Armed Services Committee
* Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee
* Senate Armed Services Committee
* Seapower subcommittee

|

Major
commands|

* Organization of the Marine Corps
* Headquarters Marine Corps
* Marine Forces Command
* II Marine Expeditionary Force
* Marine Forces Pacific
* I Marine Expeditionary Force
* III Marine Expeditionary Force
* Marine Forces Reserve
* Fleet Marine Force
* Atlantic
* Pacific
* Marine Corps Combat Development Command
* Training & Education Command (TECOM)
* United States Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory
* Marine Corps Systems Command

Auxiliary|

* Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary

Structure|

* Marine air–ground task force
* Bases
* Battalions
* Regiments
* Brigades
* Divisions
* MEF/Corps
* Marine aviation
* Marine expeditionary unit
* Marine Security Guard
* Special Operations
* Marine Raiders
* Marine Raider Regiment
* Recon
* Force
* Division

Others: List of current formation types of the United States Marine Corps

Personnel
and training|

| Personnel|

Rank insignia
MOS
Notable Marines
Historical Marines
Marine Astronauts
Criminal Investigation Division
Judge Advocate Division
Chaplain of the Marine Corps
Associated organizations

|

Training|

Recruit Training
School of Infantry
Officer Candidates School
The Basic School
Martial Arts Program

Uniforms
and equipment|

* Uniforms
* Awards
* Badges
* Weapons
* Vehicles and aircraft
* Individual equipment

History
and traditions|

* History
* Culture
* Acronyms and terms
* Birthday
* Color Sergeant of the Marine Corps
* Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
* Flag
* Marine Band
* Drum and Bugle Corps
* Horse Marines
* Marine One
* Color Guard
* Silent Drill Platoon
* White House Sentries
* Service Numbers
* Marine Corps War Memorial
* Marine Detachments
* "Marines' Hymn"
* Oorah
* History Division
* National Museum
* Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima
* Rifleman's Creed
* Semper Fidelis
* march
* History of Hispanics in the USMC
* History of women in the USMC
* Women's Reserve
* Honorary Marine
* Toys for Tots
* Gung ho

* Category

* v
* t
* e

United States Armed Forces

Legend
A = Army
MC = Marine Corps
N = Navy
AF = Air Force
SF = Space Force
CG = Coast Guard

Leadership|

* President of the United States
* Secretary of Defense
* Deputy Secretary of Defense
* Secretary of Homeland Security
* Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
* Joint Chiefs of Staff
* Chairman
* Vice Chairman
* Committees on Armed Services
* Senate
* House
* Active duty four-star officers
* Active duty three-star officers
* United States military seniority
* National Security Act of 1947
* Goldwater–Nichols Act

Components|

| Military departments|

* Department of Defense
* Secretary
* Department of the Army
* Secretary
* Department of the Navy
* Secretary
* Department of the Air Force
* Secretary
* Department of Homeland Security
* Secretary

|

Service branches
and heads|

* Chief of Staff of the United States Army
* Commandant of the Marine Corps
* Chief of Naval Operations
* Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
* Chief of Space Operations
* Commandant of the Coast Guard

Reserve components|

* Reserves:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* CG
* National Guard:
* A
* AF

Civilian auxiliaries|

* Military Auxiliary Radio System
* Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary
* Merchant Marine
* Civil Air Patrol
* Coast Guard Auxiliary

Unified combatant
command|

* Africa
* Central
* European
* Indo-Pacific
* Northern
* Southern
* Space
* Cyber
* Special Operations
* Strategic
* Transportation

Structure|

* United States Code
* Title 10
* Title 14
* Title 32
* Title 50
* The Pentagon
* Installations
* Units:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Logistics
* Media
* Unit mottoes

Operations
and history|

* Budget
* Current deployments
* Conflicts
* Wars
* Civil affairs

History|

* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG

Timeline|

* Colonial
* World War II

Demographics|

* African Americans
* Asian Americans
* Buddhist Americans
* Jewish Americans
* Muslim Americans
* Sikh Americans
* Hispanic Americans
* Civil War
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Marine Corps
* Navy
* Academy

History centers|

* Army Center of Military History
* Marine Corps History Division
* Naval History and Heritage Command
* Air Force Historical Research Agency

War artists|

* Army Art Program
* Air Force Art Program

Personnel|

| Training|

* Service academies:
* A (prep)
* MC/N (prep)
* AF/SF (prep)
* CG
* Merchant Marine
* ROTC
* A
* MC/N
* AF/SF
* Officer candidate/training school:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF/SF
* Warrant officer:
* A
* MEPS
* ASVAB
* The Basic School (MC)
* Enlisted recruit training:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF/SF
* CG
* Other education

|

Uniforms|

* Uniforms:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Awards & decorations:
* Inter-service
* A
* MC/N
* AF/SF
* CG
* Foreign
* International
* Devices
* Badges:
* Identification
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG

Ranks|

* Officer:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Warrant officers
* Enlisted:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG

Other|

* Oath:
* Enlistment
* Officer
* Creeds & Codes:
* Code of Conduct
* NCO
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* CG
* Service numbers:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* CG
* Military Occupational Specialty/Rating/Air Force Specialty Code
* Pay
* Uniform Code of Military Justice
* Judge Advocate General's Corps
* Military Health System/Tricare
* Separation
* Veterans Affairs
* Conscription
* Chiefs of Chaplains:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* CG

Equipment|

* A (Designations)
* MC:
* vehicles
* weapons
* other
* N
* AF
* CG

| Land|

* Individual weapons
* Crew-served weapons
* Vehicles (active)

|

Sea|

* All watercraft
* Ships:
* A
* N
* active
* future
* AF
* CG
* MSC
* Weapons:
* N
* Reactors

Air|

* Aircraft
* World War I
* active
* future
* Aircraft designation
* Helicopter arms

Other|

* WWII equipment
* Nuclear football
* Electronics (designations)
* Flags:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Ensign
* Jack
* Guidons
* Food
* WMDs:
* Nuclear
* Biological
* Chemical

* Category
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Navboxes
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG

* v
* t
* e

Historical societies for the southern United States

South Atlantic|

| Florida|

| Orlando|

* Historical Society of Central Florida
* Orange County Regional History Center

|

Others|

* Clearwater Historical Society
* Florida Historical Society
* Friends of Seagate Inc.
* Jacksonville Historical Society
* Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation
* Taylor County Historical Society

Georgia|

| Atlanta|

* American Baptist Historical Society
* Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
* International Time Capsule Society

|

Others|

* Historic Chattahoochee Commission
* Georgia Historical Society
* Georgia Salzburger Society
* Roswell Historical Society
* Southern Historical Association

North Carolina|

| Durham|

* Forest History Society
* Labor and Working-Class History Association

|

Others|

* Conference on Latin American History
* Hickory Sabre Society
* Society of North Carolina Archivists

South Carolina|

| Charleston|

* Historic Charleston Foundation
* Preservation Society of Charleston
* South Carolina Historical Society

|

Others|

* Beech Island Historical Society
* Sea Research Society

Virginia|

| Lexington|

* Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
* Society for Military History

|

Richmond|

* American Association for the History of Medicine
* Historic Richmond Foundation
* Preservation Virginia
* Virginia Department of Historic Resources
* Virginia Historical Society

Others|

* Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training
* Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
* Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture
* Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
* United States Marine Corps History Division

East South Central|

| Alabama|

* Alabama Historical Commission
* Historic Chattahoochee Commission

|

Kentucky|

* The Filson Historical Society
* Kentucky Historical Society
* Southern Association for Women Historians

Mississippi|

| Jackson|

* Mississippi Department of Archives and History
* Mississippi Heritage Trust
* Mississippi Historical Society

|

Tennessee|

* American Association for State and Local History
* East Tennessee Historical Society
* Oral History Association
* Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations
* Tennessee Historical Society
* West Tennessee Historical Society

West South Central|

| Arkansas|

* Arkansas Historical Association
* Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society
* Sequoyah Research Center

|

Louisiana|

* Louisiana Historical Association
* National Center for Preservation Technology and Training
* North Louisiana Historical Association

Oklahoma|

* American Journalism Historians Association
* Cherokee Heritage Center
* Oklahoma Historical Society
* Pushmataha County Historical Society

Texas|

| Austin|

* Texas Historical Commission
* Texas Jewish Historical Society
* Texas State Historical Association

|

Fort Worth|

* North American Society for Oceanic History
* North Texas Historic Transportation

Houston|

* Modern Greek Studies Association
* Southern Historical Association

Lubbock|

* American Cowboy Culture Association
* West Texas Historical Association

Others|

* Dallas Historical Society
* Gillespie County Historical Society
* National Coalition of Independent Scholars
* Society for the History of Discoveries
* South Texas Historical Association

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* 2

National|

* United States

Other|

* Yale LUX

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template