It makes me pause - this performance was likely done in mid to late 1942. The Marine Corps greatest achievements in WWII were yet to come - Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, ....As an American I stand in awe and appreciation for what those American men did for me, for us. and asked really nothing in return. And we pissed it all away.
As a Brit who hopes to join the Royal Marines, I must say the US Marines have some style. Our nations have lost that something that made us special, I hope we regain that soon. Love Semper Fidelis.
@@GlasgowIsBlue I had a Uncle who was in the United States Marine Corp. He was In Afghanistan for a while but as a American I can say that the Marine Corp is something you don't want to mess with.... Unless you want to meet the Devil Dogs.....
Sadly the Marine Corps Band of Washington DC is not the large organization it was in WWII when this was filmed. The chorus is gone, the larger sized orchestra pieces are gone. All that remains is a 160 member organization of the band including administration. The full band complement is around 130 Members. Which includes all instruments found in both Bands and orchestras broken down to ensembles Marching Band, concert band, orchestra, chamber orchestra, jazz and dance band even a rock band. There is one soloist singer/moderator. The entire organization rarely performs together...but the total performances number around 500 per year including the yearly national tour. This operational pace is unequaled in most other military organizations in the US Military. Always outstanding they don't call them the Presidents Own for nothing.
Today this country is a democrat hellhole….with a dementia ridden hair sniffing pervert installed as president……infested with blm anarchists and woke hate America first smart phone zombies.
Every Marine stands on the shoulders of the Marines who came before him. That's our ethos, that's why we fight and win, we are honoring our fellow Marines who we love and respect.
Since this film was made early in the war, the footage is of pre-war Marines--can you imagine guys boarding a landing craft wearing TIES?--also the aerial footage is of Douglas Devastator dive-bombers which were already obsolescent, despite being only a few years old--they were shot to pieces during the Battle of Midway
The HBT P42 uniforms were already being issued at this time to Marines in the PTO. But yes, there is a picture of recruits doing an O-course at MCRD San Diego 1942 with ties on (called Service Bravos today). I cant fathom that haha.
Nobody f'd with us then. Back then we were sons of pioneers, rebels and knew what we beliefed about God, country, family and no one messed with us. NAZIs and Imperial Japan trusted that our young men were soft and wouldnt fight well. They thought liberty bred softness. It CAN but it doesnt have to. It breeds weakness when combined with licentiousness like now. Different America back then. They fought even harder back then BECAUSE of liberty; they grew up yp tougher and poorer than now and didn't want to lose their freedom. The tyrants guessed wrong because they didnt understand us.
Does anyone have the lyrics of the vocal in "Semer Fidelis?" I've never heard words sung to this particular piece. Sounds like they're singing "On the sea or shore, tho it's peace or war, we're the watchdogs of America, at the (something) (something) (something), we're the first to land, the United States Marines."
Where did "The Corps", get all of those violinists? It was cool, to listen to them play the theme from "Flash Gordon 'Conquers' The Universe!". I kept expecting to see "Flash Gordon", dueling "Ming, the Merciless" in the background, at one point!
The string players are members of the U.S. Marine Band as are the vocalists. All members play marching instruments, however the band often performs in an orchestral setting. On those occasions, the members play a sting instrument in which they they are proficient.
Obviously these Marines (unlike some Scottish pipers) were not in any danger, while other Marines ( including my father) were doing what/where, risking life and limb?
Wouldn’t say that. Lots of musicians were put into the war effort when we seriously started pushing the Japanese out of the pacific. Lots of music was written because of these men and their time in the pacific.
