Museum Opening on May 17th

We are excited to share the National Museum of the Marine Corps will open to the public beginning on Monday, 17 May after a temporary closure related to COVID-19. To ensure the safety of visitors, volunteers and staff, the Museum will limit capacity. Face coverings must be worn by all visitors over the age of six, and are highly recommended for children between the ages of two to six. Scuttlebutt Theater, Tun Tavern, the Medal of Honor Theater and the gift shop will be open to visitors as well. Learn more about visiting the Museum here.

Kwanzan Cherry Trees

Did you know the National Museum of the Marine Corps now has 175 Kwanzan Cherry Trees lining the roadways of the Museum grounds? These trees serve as a testament that the Marine Corps is a vanguard in protecting civil liberties as an important aspect of supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States. All 175 trees were a gift from LtCol Eric Terashima, USMCR. Read more about LtCol Terashima and his decision to donate the trees to the Museum here. You can visit the grounds each spring to catch a glimpse of the trees in bloom!

Outdoor Floral Workshop

The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and Rosewood Floral Design are offering an outdoor floral workshop at the Semper Fidelis Memorial Chapel on Saturday, 8 May. The workshop will provide a creative and inspiring learning experience for all skill levels. Arrangements make great gifts for Mother's Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day or as a centerpiece for your home. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, limited spaces are available and advanced registration is required. Register today!

Ending Soon! USA Today Best History Museum Contest

USA Today has selected the National Museum of the Marine Corps as one of America’s best history museum contest candidates.

Supporters of the Museum are encouraged to vote for the Museum here and can vote once a day. Winning museums are determined by the number of votes received. Polls close at 12:00 noon on 10 May and winners will be announced 21 May. The leaderboard can be seen here.

Marine Highlight

Gen Roy S. Geiger rose in rank from PFC to full general, serving initially as an infantryman, then as a pioneering aviator. He commanded a bomber squadron in WWI, helped innovate close-air support techniques in Central America, led the storied “Cactus Air Force” at Guadalcanal, and commanded amphibious forces in Guam, Peleliu, and Okinawa.

With LtGen Simon Bolivar Buckner’s death on Okinawa, Geiger took command of the Tenth Army, becoming the first Marine and only aviator of any service to command a field army.

The Foundation honors his legacy each year with our General Roy S. Geiger Award which is given to the author of the best article published in the field of Marine Corps aviation.

Marine Corps History

8 May 1945 : This year marks the 76th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day when Allied forces formally accepted Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces, signifying the end of World War II in Europe. In the Pacific, the war against Japan continued for three more months.

Learn more about WWII on this walking tour of Museum's gallery with docent, Mike Styka.

Marine Corps Trivia

The answer to our last trivia question is the Mameluke Sword! You can see Lt O’Bannon’s Presentation Sword in Museum's Defending the New Republic Gallery. ⁠

Here's this week's question - do you know the answer? Check back in our next issue for the correct answer!

Q: The last major World War II battle for Marines took place on what island?