LINCOLN PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) — The United States Marine Corps marked its 250th anniversary Monday, with veterans and active-duty Marines reflecting on centuries of service and the unbreakable bonds.
The Marine Corps League Downriver Detachment hosted an all-day celebration in Lincoln Park to honor the milestone, bringing together Marines from different generations to share stories and commemorate their shared heritage.
Watch Demetrios Sanders' video report below:
"You put that EGA on, you've got friends for life and you've got guys that'll back you up no matter what," said Greg Meyring, commandant with Downriver Marines Corps Detachment.
Among the dozens in attendance was Donald St. Amant, who served from 1966 to 1972, working with scout dogs in Vietnam.
"We walked point for the grunts. It's kind of a special job," St. Amant said.
For St. Amant, the brotherhood that defines the Marines has remained constant throughout the Corps' 250-year history.
"It starts when you step on the yellow footsteps in bootcamp and once you're in, it's a lifetime. So once a Marine, always a Marine," St. Amant said.
Gerry Whitcomb joined the Marines in 1990 after a life-changing encounter with recruiters following her father's death.
"The Marine Corps recruiter showed up in dress blues and roses, and it just took my breath away and I thought that's what I want to be. I want to present myself like that, I want to be the best," Whitcomb said.
Whitcomb, who worked in intelligence while on active duty, expressed excitement about the expanded opportunities now available to women in the Corps.
"Back when I went in, you couldn't be a pilot. Now we have female Marine pilots. I mean, it's grown so much," Whitcomb said.
Tyler Saris, who served in the 2010s, credits the Marines with teaching him valuable life lessons that continue to guide him.
"Do the right thing when nobody's watching, and I carried that my whole life. My father instilled it in me when I was a kid, but the Marine Corps really drilled it into you in bootcamp and when you got outside," Saris said.
Saris said he still misses the service and values the opportunity to connect with fellow Marines from different eras.
"I'm a big history buff, so I love listening to their experiences, how they did in Vietnam, World War II, Korea. No matter what generation we're from, we're all the same," Saris said.
Looking toward the future, Marines expressed confidence in the Corps' continued legacy.
"Hopefully, somebody will be standing here saying the same thing I'm saying. The guys before us set the standard; the guys coming up are going to set the standard," Meyring said.
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