Which U.S. military branch, founded on November 10, 1775, reached its 250th anniversary during the America250 period?

The United States Marine Corps, founded on November 10, 1775, reached its 250th anniversary in 2025 during the America250 period. The Second Continental Congress authorized two battalions of Marines to serve with the Continental Navy.

The first Marines were recruited at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, a location traditionally recognized as the Corps’ birthplace. Their early duties included shipboard security, naval combat, and amphibious operations during the Revolutionary War.

The Marine Corps was disbanded after the war and reestablished by Congress in 1798. It later became a permanent component of the U.S. military and is now part of the Department of the Navy.

Its birthday is not the same as the U.S. Army’s anniversary on June 14 or the Navy’s anniversary on October 13. Those services also trace their origins to congressional actions in 1775.