Established in November 2006, the National Museum of the United States Marine Corps can be very much described as a work in progress, as several galleries devoted to the history of the Marines following the Vietnam War have yet to be completed. This was partially by design, as the museum — which replaced the former Marine Corps Historical Center at the Washington Navy Yard and the Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum — sought to open in time for surviving veterans of the “Greatest Generation” to visit and experience what the museum had to offer.
It was a sound decision, and this ensures that visitors will have a reason to return in the coming years, as the galleries devoted to the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the Global War on Terror are set to open. Already, the National Museum of the United States Marine Corps has become a top tourist attraction in the state, drawing in more than 500,000 people annually.
The facility is on track to welcome its seven millionth guest this November.
As visitors approach the museum, they’ll take in the striking exterior that was designed by Curtis W. Fentress of Fentress Architects. It was meant to evoke the image of the flag raisers of Iwo Jima — while others suggest it could represent the raised barrel of an artillery piece, a bayoneted rifle or a drawn Mameluke sword. None of the interpretations should be considered wrong, however.
Fittingly the museum exhibits the flags from the first and second Iwo Jima flag raisings, including the second flag that was in the iconic 1945 photograph.
In the Air and on the Ground
Within the 210-foot stainless steel spire is the “Leatherneck Gallery,” which highlights some of the air and ground equipment that has been essential to the Marine Corps’ operational success.
Suspended over the gallery are five aircraft that were flown by Marine Corps aviators including Curtiss “Jenny” from the Banana Wars of the 1920s; an SBD Dauntless dive-bomber that was employed by the bombing squadrons of the Second World War; a pair of Corsair fighters from World War II and the Korean War; and an AV-8B Harrier “jump jet,” the mainstay of Marine aviation in the late 20th and early 21st century.
At ground level, there is a display of an LVT-1 amphibious tractor breaching the defensive log wall on the Pacific island of Tarawa, while a Sikorsky UH-34D helicopter depicts Marines heading for cover as they exit the helicopter during Operation Starlite in 1965 during the Vietnam War. Each mannequin within the museum is also cast from actual Marines today, and great efforts were made to capture key moments in time down to the smallest details.
History of the Marines
The “Making Marines” gallery allows visitors to understand the first moments of those who served — including the drill instructor’s shouts while standing on the famous yellow footprints. Visitors can also try their marksmanship skills at an M-16 laser rifle range, which serves as a reminder that “Every Marine is a rifleman.”
The history of the United States Marine Corps from its establishment on November 10, 1775, to the modern day is chronicled within the 100,000-square-foot facility. The story begins within the Defending the New Republic gallery, spanning the Marine Corps’ history from its formation through its role in engaging with Barbary pirates off the northern coast of Africa to the “shores of Tripoli” — and to the Corps’ service helping suppress the slave trade and the landings during the Mexican War to the “Halls of Montezuma” in Mexico City.
The gallery further notes that for the first 90 years of service, the Marine Corps was never more than 4,000 strong, yet had the distinction of fighting at home and abroad. The gallery offers a glimpse of life aboard a fighting ship and includes significant Marine Corps artifacts including swords, flags, muskets, powder horns, broad axes, bugles, and other weapons from those early operations.
The Global Expeditionary Force gallery highlights the role that the Marines played as America entered the world stage — from the Korean Expedition of 1871 to the Spanish-American War in Cuba and the Philippines in 1898, and to the Boxer Rebellion in China, including the siege of Peking in 1900. The gallery also covers the Marine Corps’ role in quelling disorder in Latin America and protecting U.S. interests, while it also highlights the formation of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band under John Philip Sousa.
The gallery further includes an experimental Curtiss A-2 amphibian aircraft, a King armored car that was tested at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and a number of notable firearms from the era — with a focus on the development of the M1911 .45 caliber pistol that was found necessary to address the shortcomings of the standard sidearms of the era.
Gung Ho! World War I to Vietnam
The National Museum of the Marines Corps not surprisingly has a major focus on the conflicts of the 20th century, beginning with the World War I: 1914 to 1918 gallery, which immerses visitors in the French countryside and the Battle of Belleau Wood near the Marne River. It highlights the horrors of the three-week-long engagement, in which on the first day on June 6, 1918, the Marine Corps suffered casualties that eclipsed all those sustained by the service in its first 143 years, and it has become a key component of the lore of the USMC. The gallery contains a number of key artifacts including a Model T truck, an 1897 French 75mm field gun, and even General John A. Lejeune’s M1911 pistol.
Another display is dedicated to noted war correspondent Floyd Gibbons, who can be seen at Belleau Wood typing his report: “U.S. Marines smash Huns!”
As might be expected, the World War II: 1939-1945 gallery is focused on the Marine Corps service in the Pacific and how it turned early losses into victories and redefined the meaning of “uncommon valor.” The gallery showcases the gripping story of the Pacific campaigns. It includes exhibits on the weapons, equipment, and vehicles that were employed — while also highlighting the role that women played in the war, as well as the accomplishments of Navy corpsmen and Navajo code talkers. A poignant display of 6,000 Marine Corps and U.S. Navy insignia also represents the cost in human lives that was required to take Iwo Jima, and it honors the sacrifices and accomplishments of the “Greatest Generation.”
The Korean War: 1950-1953 gallery helps make sure that this “forgotten war” is remembered, including how the Marines endured horrific conditions that were at times reminiscent of the trench warfare of the First World War. A special room is dedicated to the Battle of Chosen Reservoir, where the temperature is lowered to help visitors feel the plight of the Marines who were cold, tired, and dangerously short on ammunition.
Another Korean War display honors Staff Sergeant Reckless, a decorated warhorse that was a mare of Mongolian horse breeding. Purchased by Marines for around $250, she was trained to be a pack horse. She often carried supplies to the front without a handler. Wounded twice, she was the first horse to have participated in an amphibious landing. Later, she was allowed to return to the United States where she lived out her life as a decorated Marine.
The final open gallery in the museum is the Vietnam War: 1954-1975 gallery. It chronicles what is now the longest war in the Corps’ history, during which 500,000 Marines served, nearly 13,000 were killed, and 52,000 were wounded. The gallery brings to life horrific scenes of close combat and small moments of compassion on the field of battle at such places as Howard’s Hill, Marble Mountain, Quang Nam, Khe Sanh, and Dong Ha.
When entering the gallery, visitors are “airlifted” into a “hot” landing zone at Hill 881 South near Khe Sanh, and then experience the block-by-block, house-by-house fighting for control of Hue City.
Future Exhibits
The National Museum of the United States Marine Corps continues to expand its collection and galleries. Visitors can get a preview by walking along the second level where they can see the future exhibits that will cover the latter stages of the Cold War to the Global War on Terror. This will include an F/A-18 Hornet that was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base with reserve squadron VMFA-321. It was the first aircraft to patrol the airspace around the nation’s capital when terrorists struck on 9/11.
In addition, the recently completed Legacy Walk on the main level provides a quick initiation into the storied history of the Marine Corps — highlighting its nearly 250-year history. This begins with Colonial Marines perched high atop a sailing ship to the modern day, while it also honors the ultimate sacrifice made by some Marines and their families.
