Mineral Wells Index (Mineral Wells, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 136, Ed. 1 Tuesday, November 13, 2012 Page: 4 of 10
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Mineral Wells Index / Tuesday, November 13, 2012 ♦ Call Classifieds at 940-327-0838
PAGE 4
Local
15TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT
Mineral Wells Marine takes part
in Corps’ birthday celebration
Lance CpI. Solis part
of traditional passing
of celebration cake
from oldest to
youngest Marine
By CPL. TIMOTHY CHILDERS
15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
USS RUSHMORE - Normally during
the most important of Marine Corps
celebrations, Marines would be looking
sharp in their dress blue uniforms and
seated at tables in a ballroom.
Things were done differently during
this festivity.
Marines from the 15th Marine
Expeditionary Unit swayed in forma-
tion as the ship pitched and yawned
over a deep sea during the early cele-
bration of the 237th Marine Corps
Birthday on Nov. 7. Because the MEU
was scheduled to conduct a training
operation on Nov. 10, the official date
of the Marine Corps birthday, the event
was held several days early.
All Marines were in attendance for
the ceremony on the flight deck as the
official message from the 35th com-
mandant of the Marine Corps, General
James F. Amos, was read.
"The Commandant, in his message,
reminds us that only a few Americans
choose the dangerous, but necessary,
work of fighting our nation's enemies,"
said Lt. Col. John J. Wiener, command-
ing officer, Combat Logistics Battalion
15, 15th MEU.
"The Marine Corps is what it is
because of who you and I are, and we
are who we are, in no small part,
because of the training and experience
the Marine Corps afforded us. So, as
we celebrate our history, let's reflect on
what bonds us together," added
Wiener, speaking to troops during the
celebration.
The cake-cutting ceremony was the
main event in the time-honored ceremo-
ny. While most people use a spatula or
knife to cut the first slice of cake, Marines
use a sword to complete this rite.
CPL.TIMOTHY CHILDERS/COURTESY
Lt. Col. John J.Wiener, commanding officer, Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, gives a
speech during an early Marine Corps birthday celebration on the flight deck of the USS Rushmore on Nov. 7.The 15th
MEU is deployed as part of the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group as a theater reserve and crisis response force through-
out U.S. Central Command and the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.
The first slice of cake was given to
the guest of honor, Cmdr. Brian
Finman, commanding officer, USS
Rushmore. The second slice was hand-
ed to the oldest Marine attending,
Master Sgt. Jason C. Topp, operations
chief, CLB-15, 15th MEU. After taking a
bite, he handed to the youngest Marine
present, Lance Cpl. Marcos A. Solis, a
motor transportation operator from the
same unit.
"This is the first time I've had the
honor to be the oldest Marine at the
ceremony," said Topp.
"It's humbling after being in the
Marine Corps for more than 23 years
to be that Marine. It's something
everyone thinks about but never
believes will happen. I was able to
pass on some words of wisdom to the
youngest Marine present," added the
41-year-old, Marblehead, Mass.,
native.
The passing of the slice of cake from
the oldest Marine to the youngest
Marine present symbolizes the passing
of history and traditions to the next
generation.
"It was great for my first time cele-
brating the Marine Corps birthday,"
said Solis. "It was an exciting experi-
ence. It's an important tradition because
it gives us time to reflect and honor
what we did in the past," said the
19-year-old Mineral Wells native.
After the ceremony, the Marines
were dismissed to the mess-decks for
evening chow. It's customary for
Marines around the world to be served
a much deserved steak-and-lobster din-
ner as they reflect on the Corps' illus-
trious past and promising future.
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May, David. Mineral Wells Index (Mineral Wells, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 136, Ed. 1 Tuesday, November 13, 2012, newspaper, November 13, 2012; Mineral Wells, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth707131/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Boyce Ditto Public Library.