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Leatherneck FAQ

What is the origin of the melody to "The Marines' Hymn"?

The exact history is unclear. Legend has it that in 1847 a Marine stationed in Mexico during America's war with that country wrote the original words of the first verse. The melody (although not exactly the same) can be found in the French composer Jacques Offenbach's operetta "Genevieve de Brabant," which was produced in Paris in 1867. The tune is believed to be originally from an old Spanish folk song.