The Town of Marblehead became the backdrop for history Thursday as Marines, local officials, and residents gathered at Fort Sewall to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.
The event marked the start of Marine Week Boston, a series of commemorations running Aug. 20-25 across Greater Boston. It combined traditional military ceremony with Marblehead’s deep Revolutionary War roots, reinforcing the community’s role in the nation’s founding and the Corps’ legacy.
The afternoon ceremony began with music by the Quantico Marine Band before the presentation of colors, the national anthem, and a dramatic flyover of F/A-18E/F Hornets.
The program also included a cake-cutting, a musket salute by Glover’s Regiment, and a precision exhibition by the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, whose 24 members perform without verbal commands.
Col. J.J. Wilson, commanding officer of the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-250, told the crowd it was an honor to be in a place so central to Marine history. “Since 1775 your Marines have fought in every time and place, from the shores of Tripoli to the streets of Fallujah,” Wilson said. “Marines have stood watch, defended liberty, and served with unwavering dedication.”
Wilson reminded attendees that Marblehead was the launch site for the first Marine aviator, Lt. Alfred Cunningham, who in 1912 took off from Marblehead Harbor in a Burgess seaplane, earning the title “father of Marine aviation.” “When you see these aircraft flying overhead … remember that story began right here in Marblehead,” Wilson said.
Speakers throughout the day connected the celebration to Marblehead’s Revolutionary War legacy.
Select Board member Moses Grader recalled Fort Sewall’s defense of the USS Constitution during the War of 1812 and pointed to Gen. John Glover’s Marblehead Regiment, which ferried George Washington across the Delaware and fought at Trenton and Saratoga. “We Marines and Marblehead believe that the Marblehead regiment provided Washington the first model of an American amphibious combat force,” Grader said.
Grader, a former Marine Corps infantry officer who served in the 1980s and retired as a captain, also shared his experiences, including deployments in the Mediterranean and Latin America during the Reagan era.
He said he had a strong family tradition of service, influenced by his father’s role in the Foreign Service and Marine security attachments.
“When I traveled around the world with my dad, who was in the Foreign Service, the Marine security attachments at the embassy were always great. I always admired the Marines. I think when you’re away and you grow up overseas, away from America, it really becomes part of you,” he said.
The Marblehead Select Board issued a proclamation declaring Aug. 21 United States Marine Corps Day in town, citing Marblehead’s role in both the origin of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviation, and honoring residents who served in every conflict since the Revolution.
Rep. Seth Moulton, a Marine veteran and Marblehead native, offered personal reflections on his path to service, recalling a childhood encounter with a Marine helicopter pilot. “Being good in the Marine Corps is not just about being good at your job, but also about being good to those you serve,” Moulton said.
He urged young Americans to consider service, calling this “the most important time to have leaders in our armed services with smart minds and moral courage.”
Rep. Jenny Armini and Sen. Brendan Crighton presented official citations from the Massachusetts Legislature, while community members applauded veterans who stood to be recognized during the ceremony.
The celebration concluded with a performance of the Marine Hymn, a musket salute, and an 11-minute drill display that drew cheers from the crowd. Afterward, the Quantico Marine Band continued the festivities with a free concert at The Landing Restaurant on Front Street.
For many, the day underscored both local pride and national history. “It made sense to have at least one event in Marblehead,” Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said. “We’re just pleased that they’re here, and we’re looking forward to the community enjoying the celebration.”
Ronny Knight, Commander of the Marblehead VFW, noted that many residents were surprised to learn of the town’s role as the birthplace of Marine aviation. “It shows an awful lot of pride,” Knight said. “We’re all very proud of our service, no matter what branch. It wasn’t a show of power. It was a show of pride.”
Knight also reflected on how such ceremonies can inspire young people to serve. “If there’s a young man or woman at the event questioning whether they should go into the military, and they watch those Marines, they might think, ‘I could do that too.’ It doesn’t mean they have to be a Marine; it could be Coast Guard, Army, Navy, or Air Force. But it plants the seed of service.”
As Knight put it, the ceremonies were less about military display and more about shared values. “It showed that pride, that we are Americans. We may differ… but when you see something like this, we can all be on the same page.”
As the Marine Corps prepares for its official 250th birthday in 2025, Marine Week Boston offered New Englanders a chance to celebrate not just a military institution, but a tradition of service, sacrifice, and fidelity that continues to shape the nation.
