Collin J Hoeferlin's Portfolio

Originally published November 21, 2019 by “Inside Columbia Magazine.” Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

For many people, volunteering their time in service of others is a hobby, a way to give back to their community. However, there are a rare few for whom volunteering in service of others isn’t just a hobby — it’s a way of life. Susan Haines is one of those people, having made her mark locally, statewide and nationally over the years.

Haines is the national executive director of an organization called Exercise Tiger, a role that she refers to as a “passion.” Exercise Tiger was part of the World War II D-Day invasion plan that, unlike some of the more famous actions from that fateful day, was sworn to secrecy for nearly 40 years. Haines’ organization prides itself on recognizing not only the veterans who survived this exercise, but also those who paid the ultimate price and gave their lives while serving in it, including many Missourians. (Missouri sustained more casualties in this exercise than any other state.)

Locally, the Exercise Tiger organization is responsible for creating a national memorial on the grounds of the Audrain County courthouse, as well as getting the portion of Highway 54 running from I-70 to Mexico renamed the “Exercise Tiger Expressway.” Nationally, the organization hosts a number of ceremonies across the country each year, and recently the U.S. Coast Guard has become involved, laying memorial wreaths at sea to mark the anniversary of the exercise.

The organization hosts an Adopt a Warrior benefit, which is an annual event that honors military veterans and active-duty service members at a red-carpet event. This was the 21st annual event and was hosted at the historic Tiger Hotel on Nov. 15. Those nominated for this award are done so by their commanding officers and all that are eligible receive the Medal of Combat Valor. Exercise Tiger also seeks to recognize the efforts and sacrifices made by military dogs, and annually awards the Silver Tiger K-9 Medal of Honor award.

“Our veterans … and those who serve today met challenges and overcame them … the USTF (U.S. Tiger Foundation) takes pride in honoring all veterans and active troops, [including] canines,” Haines says. In fact, they are one of the only military organizations that honor active duty army and Air Force canines.

“We are a forgotten warrior foundation,” Haines says. “We overlook no one – our state and national veterans and military members are our most prized possession and resource.”

Remarkably, despite dedicating so much of her time and effort to Exercise Tiger, Haines has also been a longtime volunteer with cancer patients, particularly women undergoing the effects of chemotherapy. Haines and her husband, who had been a naval petty officer, opened the Captain’s Quarters salon in Columbia more than 40 years ago, in 1977.

Eleven years later, in 1988, Haines was devastated to learn that her sister had been diagnosed with seven different types of cancer simultaneously. This news immediately spurred Haines to take action, using her skills as a stylist to help provide hair stylings and create wigs for women undergoing the side-effects of chemotherapy. Shortly after, Haines partnered with the American Cancer Society’s “Look Good, Feel Good” campaign, a program that assists cancer patients with make-up tutorials and other means of regaining confidence that may have been lost during chemo treatments.

Haines tragically ended up losing her sister. However, she made a promise to her sister that she would continue with this program, as it made such a positive impact in so many lives.

Haines’ work with the American Cancer Society was so impactful, that in 2008 she was awarded with the Missouri State Sunrise Award in recognition of her contribution to helping cancer patients across Missouri. Two months later, Haines received the same award, this time on the national level.

Susan Haines is a tour-de-force when it comes to serving others and her volunteer efforts are most definitely a way of life for her. “When you love what you’re doing,” Haines says, “it’s not a job.”

Originally published September 25, 2019 by “Inside Columbia Magazine.” Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

In the past decade alone, Columbia has seen its population increase by almost 15,000 residents (to a total of nearly 125,000). Many of those residents were attracted by the city’s strong, and growing job market, good public schools, and the appeal of a combination of Columbia’s small-town feel and big-city amenities. As the city has grown, so too, has the need for venues capable of hosting a variety of gatherings, ranging from weddings to corporate events. Fortunately, several attractive new alternatives have recently opened.The first, Cooper’s Ridge, is located approximately 20 miles west of Columbia in Boonville. A few years ago, husband and wife team Sean and Kelly McCollegan, along with their then-business partners, decided to open a venue capable of hosting both weddings and corporate events in the area. After looking at various properties, they found a 38-acre spread west of town that was previously home to the Sieckman Furniture store.Over the next year, Sean and Kelly worked hard to refurbish the dilapidated remains of the furniture store and bring their vision of creating the venue to fruition. During this time, the McCollegans’ original partners decided to leave the venture, at which point another couple, Jeff and Brandi Huebner, bought a stake in the business. After more hard work completing renovations and getting everything into place, Cooper’s Ridge hosted its first event, a wedding, in May of 2018 and, according to Brandi, a few months later, in August, things began to really “take off.”In the little more than a year later, Cooper’s Ridge has hosted dozens of additional weddings and corporate events, including 54 so far this year. According to Brandi, the venue has seen roughly a 50-50 split between weddings and corporate events. However, the number of corporate events they have been and will be hosting has been “snowballing,” as more people are becoming familiar with the venue and all it has to offer.Despite its close proximity to Columbia, Cooper’s Ridge has a very relaxed, rural feel to it and offers guests a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city. Additionally, Cooper’s Ridge aims to be as accommodating as possible. Event hosts are given the freedom to choose anyone (with a license) who they’d like to cater their event, instead of restricting hosts to choose from just a few select catering partners, as many event centers require. Cooper’s Ridge also prices events all-inclusively, so event hosts know ahead of time how exactly much their event will cost and won’t be hit with additional fees after the fact.With Cooper’s Ridge open for barely a year, they’re “focused on improvement [and] taking things as they come,” Brandi says, and that the venue is still a “work in progress” as they keep an eye toward the future. The partners hope to find additional ways to take advantage of the land at their disposal, possibly adding additional residences for guests as well as using some of the land for agricultural cultivation.The second venue recently opened is the Atrium Events Center. Located in the heart of downtown Columbia, on the corner of Ninth and Walnut Streets, the Atrium Events Center is the latest in a number of businesses that have occupied the property, beginning with the Powers House Hotel in the late 1800s and also including a furniture store, an Oldsmobile dealership, and, most recently the Parker Funeral Home.The property is now owned by John Ott and the Atrium has been leased to and is managed by Travis Tucker, owner of Bleu restaurant. According to Tucker, the renovations required to repurpose the building were extensive, with little more than the walls and frame remaining from the original structure.According to Tucker, the Atrium is different from other event venues in The District in that it will provide more space than many existing options, with room for 400 seated guests or 600 at “cocktail hour” events. It also boasts a bold “industrial modern” style that “holds a character and charm unique to Columbia,” Tucker says. The Atrium opened in early August of this year and has already booked a burgeoning list of events for 2020.Finally, the Drury Plaza Hotel Columbia East, located at the I-70/Highway 63 intersection, opened last summer. In addition to its 210 guest rooms, the hotel also houses an 3,200-square foot convention center able to host a wide variety of events and meetings for up to 300 individuals. This is Drury Hotels’ second property and event center in Columbia, with the other being located near the intersection of I-70 and Stadium Boulevard.With these recent additions, companies and residents in Columbia and surrounding communities now have a broader variety of places to choose from.

Originally published by “Inside Columbia.” Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

From its frontier days as a stop on the Boonslick Trail to the thriving Midwestern college town it is today, Columbia’s history has been influenced by food since the very beginning. In her new book, “Iconic Restaurants of Columbia, Missouri,” Columbia native Kerri Linder explores and examines how local restaurants have influenced and reflected the city’s growth over the last two centuries. 

A lifelong, third-generation Columbian, Linder graduated from the University of Missouri in 1990. After working in corporate accounting for a number of years, Linder combined her love of local cultural history and food by founding Columbia Culinary Tours in 2014. This new venture allowed Linder to share her passions and knowledge with others, making quite an impact on the Columbia food scene in the progress. 

After seeing the success of Columbia Culinary Tours, The History Press of Charleston, South Carolina, approached Linder about writing the Columbia edition of their Iconic Restaurant series. Despite never having written a book before, after some serious contemplation, Linder sold her company to one of her tour guides and his wife to focus her full-time efforts on writing this book. 

According to Linder, it took about six months of preparatory work and four months of “really getting into it” to complete the writing process from start to finish. One of the largest challenges posed in writing a book of this nature was tracking down historical records up to two centuries-old for some of the older restaurants discussed in the book. To this end, Linder credits the Boone County Historical Society, the State Historical Society of Missouri, as well as the Gentry family (one of the city’s “founding” families), with being especially helpful in helping her piece together much of the city’s early restaurant history. 

As a lifelong Columbian, Linder found researching the book to be illuminating and informative. “First off, learning more about Colonel Richard Gentry and the business that was conducted at his tavern,” Linder replies when asked what she learned about the role various restaurants have played in shaping Columbia’s history. “I was also surprised by how many diners there used to be downtown due to the lack of dining services offered by the [city’s] universities in the past. I had also never heard of the Ever Eat Café and enjoyed learning about how [owners] Ralph and his mother, Bessie Morris, took pride in their café being a ‘home away from home’ for college students.” During the depression, hungry students could grab meals on credit at the café.In writing this book, Linder hopes readers will better understand, “…how much it meant or means to the owners of these restaurants to be a part of the local community…It’s not just a business to them, it’s more like family.”

Originally published September 10, 2019 by “Inside Columbia Magazine.” Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

If you were out and about in Columbia and overheard a conversation, it probably wouldn’t surprise you to hear someone talking about their mid-Missouri roots. Mary Daugherty could be one of those people. Her roots, however, run deeper than most. And that’s not just a figure of speech.

For some, gardening is a hobby. For Daugherty, being a horticulturist is a passion that borders on a lifestyle. “It’s almost spiritual to be in nature and enjoy what you’re doing,” she says. And enjoy it she does.

Growing up on a farm, Daugherty spent countless hours watching her mother, an organic farmer, grow both flowers and vegetables, learning all the while. Although it would be a number of years before Daugherty would have the chance to begin her own garden, “My mother gave me the interest,” she says.

Daugherty and her husband, Jerry, met as students at the University of Missouri in the late 1960s, married (they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and have two adult children), and made Columbia their home. In 1988, the Daughertys purchased a wooded lot in town, cleared it, and began building their home. This afforded Daugherty the opportunity she’d been waiting for — the chance to have her own garden.

In the more-than-three-decades since, Daugherty’s garden — slowly but surely — has grown into a thing of beauty, with Mary providing the “vision” and doing the actual planting and gardening while Jerry handled the construction that brought her gardening vision to life.

“There are dozens and dozens of different types of flowers and shrubs [in the garden],” Daugherty says, with hydrangeas, Asiatic lilies, and roses being among her personal favorites. Daugherty also has a strong interest in growing plants native to Missouri, as well as learning about and growing new plants that don’t require much sunlight, as her backyard garden receives a lot of shade.

While many are still trying to stay warm inside in early March, this is when Daugherty begins her annual process. “I start pretty early in March,” she says, “[I] get a head start on weeding, mulching and fertilizing. I love working outside when it’s cool. Spring is perfect.”

As with everything, though, gardening doesn’t come without its obstacles. For Daugherty, that means dealing with pests, both large and small. “Deer can be a problem,” Daugherty says. “We have a tall, see-through fence that runs the perimeter of the back yard, but every now and then one gets past.” Daugherty also mentions that groundhogs used to be a problem, but after she stopped planting impatiens (also known as Touch-Me-Nots), the problem went away. “If you can’t outsmart them, you work with what you’re given,” she says with a laugh. Japanese beetles, however, are no laughing matter, with Daugherty identifying them as by far the biggest nuisance. “They love roses,” Daugherty says, “especially the fancy ones. They have expensive taste.”

Despite her intense passion for gardening, Daugherty isn’t much interested in entering garden shows or competitions. Instead, this is purely a labor of love. “I like planting, potting and arranging,” Daugherty says. But her favorite aspect of gardening? “Watering,” Daugherty says. “It’s slow and deliberate. It gives you a chance to appreciate, smell and take note of everything and be inspired. It can be a very thoughtful moment.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Daugherty’s passion for gardening isn’t limited merely to her own. Along with several friends, Daugherty volunteers her time helping take care of the garden located at First Christian Church in downtown Columbia.

When she’s not in a garden, Daugherty partakes in additional hobbies, such as traveling and collecting wine with her husband. Daugherty also enjoys cycling, cooking and keeping a nice home. “I’m just a typical homebody,” Daugherty says. A homebody? Maybe. Typical though? Mary Daugherty is anything but typical — in the best way possible.

Originally published September 9, 2019 by “Inside Columbia Magazine.” Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

There’s no shortage of tigers around Columbia — particularly on a football Saturday — but perhaps none are as unique as the tiger statues created through the collaborative efforts of Tigers on the Prowl, a local 501C3 charity, and the Columbia art community. Chuck Crews is the founder and the man behind Tigers on the Prowl.

Crews moved to Columbia more than 30 years ago and was interested in organizational fundraising and charity work. While on vacation a number of years ago, Crews traveled to Eagle River, Wisconsin. It was there that he came across a number of decorated eagle statues situated throughout town, all to be auctioned for local charities. He saw the perfect opportunity to give back to the Columbia community he so deeply cares about.

Crews’ initial attempt, approximately 10 years ago, didn’t go as he hoped as the project, unfortunately, had “no traction.” Undeterred, however, Crews continued to work to get the project off the ground. The venture took a positive turn in 2013 when he found someone who could (and perhaps more importantly, would) make tigers for the event Crews envisioned.

In 2014, for the event’s first year, 10 local Columbia businesses and charities each teamed up with one of 10 local artists and the first 10 tigers were created. In the years since, Tigers on the Prowl has raised more than $600,000 for local charities, an average of more than $120,000 per year.

Tigers on the Prowl has grown steadily over the years and 2019 has the potential to be the most charitable year yet for the organization, with more than 15 sponsors and an equal number of artists participating. For this year’s event, Tigers on the Prowl teamed up with the Columbia Art League to help inform the local art community of the event and their ability to participate in it. Submissions were collected and the board of Tigers on the Prowl decided on the final artists. This year’s festivities will culminate on Oct. 1 at the annual art auction and dinner.

In addition to his work running Tigers on the Prowl, Chuck Crews also manages to find time to be on the board of directors of Love INC, also a 501C3 charity in Columbia. Love INC (Love in the Name of Christ) is a national association that allows community and church members to come together to work to improve their communities as well as the lives of some of its members. Crews has been on the board of Love INC for about two years, but he has been active with the organization for around a decade.

Crews says that the goal of Love INC is to help people who are having a rough go of things in life, for whatever reason, improve their prospects for overcoming that adversity and succeeding in the future. The organization is also in the process of opening a café that will employ members of Columbia’s special needs community and hopes to move forward with that project soon.

Speaking to Crews brings to mind the Dr. Seuss quote, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” Fortunately, Crews and others like him do care “a whole awful lot” about the community.

Originally published July 8, 2019 by “Inside Columbia Magazine.” Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

For many people, volunteering or providing service to others is a noble, if occasional, undertaking. For a much smaller group, however, volunteering and providing service to others is more than an undertaking — it’s a way of life. Long-time Columbia resident Barb Melson is one such person.
Melson, who grew up in Centralia, moved to Columbia with her husband in 1971 after graduating from what was then Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State) with degrees in Health and Physical Education. For the next 37 years, she was able to positively impact the lives of thousands of students at Hickman High School, Jefferson Junior High School and Smithton Middle School.

After retiring from teaching, Melson began selling real estate for House of Brokers in Columbia. As a realtor, Melson is passionate about helping her clients sell their homes if they’re moving, as well as helping potential buyers find the perfect home and making them feel like they’re a part of the community she cares so much about.

“I encourage people in the community to take a step back and see what they can do to improve [the community],” Melson says. “To receive much, we must give much. If we all give a little, we all benefit.” And these aren’t just words.

Since 2002, Melson has dedicated thousands of hours to maintaining an Adopt-a-Spot location on Park DeVille Drive near the Wal-Mart on West Broadway. Melson’s decision to adopt a location stemmed from her love of gardening and her desire to make the community a nicer place. She takes pride in the upkeep and appearance of her chosen spot.

Except for the months of December, January and February, Melson and her beautiful blue Thunderbird can be found at her spot daily for at least a couple of hours. Whether it’s mulching, planting, pruning, watering, putting down MiracleGro or cleaning up trash and litter, Melson works hard to ensure her spot is in tip-top shape, and her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.

It’s not uncommon for Melson to be out at a restaurant or the grocery store and have someone come up and say “thank you” for her hard work or to leave a note on her car expressing appreciation for her efforts. “People take notice,” Melson says. “They do. The community is very appreciative of volunteers.”

In addition to her work as a realtor and an Adopt-a-Spot volunteer, Melson finds the time to volunteer with Meals on Wheels as well, having recently completed her second three-year term on the board of directors, and now serving as a driver who delivers meals to seniors on Mondays, an activity she thoroughly enjoys. “This is something that crosses communities,” Melson says, “I strongly support it.”

As for what keeps a woman like Barb Melson going strong after all these years? “I’m doing it for the community and I feel very strongly about giving back,” Melson says, “as the community has given me a lot.”

Originally published June 23, 2015 by MarineParents.com, Inc. Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

The Marine Corps, more so than any other branch of America’s military, values and embraces its history. Beginning in boot camp, every Marine is educated on the Corps’ proud and storied past as they learn what it means to be part of such a prestigious organization. In the spirit of the value the Marine Corps places on its history, we wanted to give you, Marine families and supporters, an opportunity to embrace and learn about this part of Marine Corps legacy as well.

Korea

June 25 marks the anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War, as on that day in 1950, eight divisions of the North Korean People’s Army crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Within three days the capital, Seoul, had been captured.

On June 30, President Harry S. Truman ordered an American naval blockade on the Korean coast and authorized the sending of American ground troops to Korea. Two days later, Commander in Chief of the Far East, General Douglas MacArthur, formally requested a Marine regimental combat team be deployed to Korea.

For the next three years, a joint South Korean and United Nations force (led by the Americans) battled Chinese and Soviet-backed North Korean forces for control of the Korean Peninsula.

Background

From 1910 until the last days of World War II, the Kingdom of Korea was ruled by the Japanese Empire. In August of 1945, as part of an agreement with America, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and occupied the Korean Peninsula north of the 38th Parallel, while American forces occupied the southern half of the peninsula. Following Japan’s surrender and the subsequent ending of WWII, two separate Korean governments were established by 1948, both of which claimed to be the legitimate government and neither of which recognized the 38th Parallel as a permanent border. The communist North Korean government was backed by the Soviet Union and China, while the democratic South Korean government was backed by America and the United Nations.

War Breaks Out

As Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union/China and the West grew, it became apparent that it was only a matter of time until armed conflict would become inevitable. On June 25, 1950, this scenario became a reality when approximately 75,000 North Korean soldiers crossed the 38th Parallel, marking the first military action of the Cold War. After two months of fighting, South Korean forces were on the brink of defeat, being forced back to the Pusan Perimeter (a 140-mile defensive line on the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula).

Desperate not to lose any more ground, American, South Korean, and U.N. forces launched a surprise amphibious attack at Inchon in mid-September of 1950, some 200 miles northwest of the Pusan perimeter, catching North Korean troops by surprise and prompting General MacArthur to proclaim, “The Navy and Marines have never shone more brightly than this morning” as he watched the Marines storm the beach and capture the city.

The success of this operation turned the tide of the war, as it set the stage for the retaking of Seoul less than one month later. After recapturing Seoul, there some additional fighting back and forth across the 38th Parallel, but as the war wore on, the fighting stalled and casualties mounted on both sides with little to show for it.

Finally, in July of 1953, an armistice was signed, bringing the fighting to and end. The armistice also established the Korean Demilitarized Zone, separating North and South Korea, and allowed for the return of prisoners on both sides.

The “Chosin Few”

While the success and significance of the landings at Inchon are undeniable, what is (arguably) the most revered and legendary battle of the war (to most Marines, anyway) took place three months later at the Chosin Reservoir in South Hamyong Province, North Korea.

In December of 1950, during the coldest Korean winter in almost a century, U.N. forces, most of whom were U.S. Marines, were in pursuit of North Korean troops when they were surprised by 10 Chinese infantry divisions hidden in the Taebek Mountains. The Chinese were able to surround the Marines and outnumbered the Marines by a margin of approximately twenty-to-one.

However, despite having the odds stacked horribly against them, the Marines, under the command of the legendary Brigadier General Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, were able to fight their way east 78 miles to the port city of Hungman on the Korean coast over the course of 13 days in what many consider to be one of the most harrowing campaigns in American military history. Along the way, the Marines lost more than 700 men, but killed more than 25,000 Chinese soldiers in the process. Upon reaching the port city of Hungman the Marines were evacuated, marking the complete withdrawal of American and UN troops from North Korean territory. Ever since, survivors of this campaign have been known as the “Chosin Few.”

Legacy

Compared to most other major military conflicts the United States was involved in in the 20th Century, the Korean War receives relatively little recognition, leading many to refer to it as “the Forgotten War.” However, despite it’s label, the Korean War was significant for many reasons.

The Korean War was not only the first military action of the Cold War (as mentioned earlier), but it was also the first war in which the United Nations played a role. 41 UN member nations sent supplies to South Korea, with 16 also sending troops (approximately 90% of whom were American).

The Korean War also led to a revival of the Marine Corps, which had been drastically reduced in size following the conclusion of World War II. It was the first war in which the Marine Corps used helicopters and jet airplanes in combat. In total, almost 425,000 Marines served in Korea, approximately 4,500 of whom were killed in action, with a further 26,000 receiving non-fatal wounds. Additionally, the Korean War was the stage for two of the more famous operations/battles in Marine Corps history— the aforementioned landings at Inchon and the battle of the Chosin Reservoir.

Originally published October 22, 2013 by MarineParents.com, Inc. Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

October 23, marks the anniversary of the single deadliest day for the Marine Corps since Iwo Jima in World War II. However, the chain of events that led up to this tragic event began more than a year prior, in June of 1982.

The Marine Corps, more so than any other branch of America’s military, values and embraces its history. Beginning in boot camp, every Marine is educated on the Corps’ proud and storied past as they learn what it means to be part of such a prestigious organization. In the spirit of the value the Marine Corps places on its history, we wanted to give you, Marine families and supporters, an opportunity to embrace and learn about this part of Marine Corps legacy as well.

Background

October 23, marks the anniversary of the single deadliest day for the Marine Corps since Iwo Jima in World War II. However, the chain of events that led up to this tragic event began more than a year prior, in June of 1982.

On June 6, 1982, the Israeli Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon in response to an assassination attempt on Israel’s ambassador to the UK by Palestinian terrorists, in an attempt to create a buffer zone between Israel and a joint Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Syrian force stationed in Lebanon. After two and a half months of fighting, a 2,000 member multinational peacekeeping force, including 800 Marines from the 32d Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU), was deployed to Beirut to oversee the withdrawal of PLO guerillas on August 25.

Just over two weeks later, following the PLO’s retreat, President Reagan ordered the Marines to withdraw from Beirut on September 10. However, following political and religious unrest, including assassinations and massacres on civilians, the 32d MAU was redeployed to Beirut before the end of the month, rejoining the multinational peacekeeping force that had by now grown to 2,200 French and Italian service members. At the end of October, the 32d MAU was relieved by the 24th MAU. In February, the 32d MAU re-designated as the 22d MAU and relieved the 24th MAU, before the 24th MAU returned the favor at the end of May. By the time October, 1983 rolled around, there were roughly 1,800 Marines stationed in Beirut, 300 of whom were living in a four-story building at the Beirut Airport.

October 23, 1983

On the morning of October 23, 1983, tragedy struck as two almost simultaneous suicide-attacks against American and French forces took place. Shortly after 6:00 am, a 19-ton yellow Mercedes-Benz truck was spotted circling in the parking lot of the airport. At first, this did nothing to raise suspicions, as large trucks were a common site at the airport and the Marines were expecting a water truck that morning. However, it became apparent that this truck was not the water truck they were expecting when the driver gunned the engine and crashed through a barrier of concertina wire that separated the parking lot from the building the Marines were living in at the airport. The driver then raced past two sentry posts, through an open vehicle gate, jumped an 18-inch round sewer pipe, crashed through 4 layers of sandbags and a portable sentry booth, and came to a rest in the open-air atrium of the Marine barracks building.

At 6:22 am, the driver, an Iranian national named Ismail Ascari, detonated the explosives in his truck, causing an explosion equivalent to more than 10 tons of TNT. Less than 10 minutes later, a similar attack hit the Drakkar building, which was being used to house French paratroopers at the time.

The damage done by these two bombs was staggering. The force of the explosion in the Marine barracks was so strong that it literally lifted the entire four-story building off the ground, despite having concrete support bases 15-feet in circumference that were reinforced by one-and-three-quarter-inch steel rods, before it crashed back down and imploded, collapsing upon itself amid a cloud of flaming gas and rock. The explosion at the Drakkar building wasn’t quite as large, with estimates putting it as slightly less than half as powerful as the explosion at the Marine barracks, but it was still powerful enough to bring down the nine-story building from 15 yards away (the bomb was most likely detonated by remote control).

Aftermath

In the explosions, 241 American service members (220 Marines, 18 sailors, and three soldiers), 58 French paratroopers, and a small number of Lebanese civilians lost their lives. A further 128 American and 15 French forces were wounded in the blasts. For the American military, this was the single deadliest day since the first day of the Tet Offensive in Vietnam while for the French it was the deadliest since the end of the Algerian War, approximately two decades earlier.

The bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut had numerous consequences, some of which we’re still dealing with, in a way, today. Perhaps the most visible consequence occurred in early 1984 when, due to decreased Congressional support for American involvement in Lebanon following the bombings, President Reagan ordered the Marines to withdraw from Beirut. The bombings were also the first major bombings by the group that would go on to become Hezbollah in 1985, setting the stage for three decades worth of ongoing violence and death committed in the name of the organization. And, while no one could have known it at the time, the events that took place in Beirut would, in many ways, parallel the current situation playing out in the Middle East, with sectarian violence, suicide bombings, and proxy wars tearing apart an already unstable portion of the globe.

Originally published July 10, 2013 by MarineParents.com, Inc. Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

The Marine Corps, more so than any other branch of America’s military, values and embraces its history. Beginning in boot camp, every Marine is educated on the Corps’ proud and storied past as they learn what it means to be part of such a prestigious organization. In the spirit of the value the Marine Corps places on its history, we wanted to give you, Marine families and supporters, an opportunity to embrace and learn about this part of Marine Corps legacy as well.

Background

Two hundred and thirty-seven days before the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, what would prove to be a defining moment in our country’s history took place a mere two miles away. That night, November 10, 1775, at the Tun Tavern, a committee from the Continental Congress drafted a resolution calling for two battalions of Marines able to fight on land or at sea as landing forces for the Continental Navy. And with that, the Continental Marine Corps was born.

Milestones & Accomplishments During the War

The first Commandant of the Marine Corps was Major Samuel Nicholas and his first Captain and recruiter was Robert Mullan, the owner of Tun Tavern. By early 1776, Commandant Major Nicholas had his men prepared for battle.

In March of 1776, Nicholas led his men on the first landing on a hostile shore in Marine Corps history when he led approximately 210 Marines on a raid of Nassau on the Island of New Providence in the Bahamas. The raid, while not as successful as initially hoped for, did succeed in capturing the town, along with a large number of guns, mortars, and gun powder. March also saw the first Marine combat death, that of Lieutenant John Fitzpatrick.

A month later, in April of 1776, John Martin, enlisted to serve aboard the USS Reprisal, making him the first of at least 12 African-American Marines to serve during the Revolutionary War.

In January of 1777, Continental Marines joined with George Washington’s Continental Army to defeat the British at the Battle of Princeton in New Jersey, marking the third defeat in 10 days for the British, raising morale among American troops and inspiring more young men to join the fight against the British.

A year later, in January of 1778, Captains John Rathburn and John Trevett led a second raid on Nassau, once again capturing it. Their victory marked the first time the “Stars and Stripes” (the American flag) was raised over foreign soil.

In April of that same year, Marines under the command of John Paul Jones made two daring raids on British soil, once at the port of Whitehaven, in northwest England, the second later that day at St. Mary’s Isle in southwest Scotland.

In 1779 a Marine detachment secured New Orleans, preventing British traders from entering the city. While in New Orleans, Marines also led a series of raids of British Loyalists living on the shores of Lake Ponchartrain, outside the city.

In 1781, the Continental Marines engaged in what would be their last official act of the Revolutionary War when they escorted a supply of silver from Boston to Philadelphia. The silver was a loan from King Louis XVI of France and allowed the Bank of North America, the nation’s first central bank, to open.

While the last official action seen by Continental Marines during the Revolutionary War was the escorting of the silver, the last actual action they saw was in March of 1783 during the final confrontation of the war, a duel between the USS Alliance and the HMS Sybil off the coast of Florida, 5 weeks after the war had ended.

In all, over the course of 7 years of battle, the Continental Marines had only 49 men killed and just 70 more wounded, out of a force of roughly 130 Marine Officers and 2,000 enlisted.

Aftermath

In the immediate aftermath of the war, both the Continental Marines and the Continental Navy they served under were disbanded. This lasted barely a decade until 1794 when, in preparation for the Quasi-War with France, Congress authorized the re-formation of both the Navy and Marine Corps.

Legacy

During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Marines’ uniforms consisted of a green jacket with high leather collar, or stock, to protect the neck against sword blades. While the Marines changed the color of their uniforms to blue in 1798 (to honor their naval tradition), the stock remained a part of the Marine Corps’ uniform until the 1870s. Over time, the wearing of leather stocks around the neck led sailors on the ships the Marines were serving on to refer to the Marines as “leathernecks,” a nickname by which Marines are still known today.

Additionally, the Revolutionary War not only led to the founding of the United States (Continental) Marine Corps, but also highlighted for the first time the versatility that Marines have come to be known for. They fought on land, they fought at sea on ships, and they performed numerous amphibious assaults (which, over time, would become one the Marine’s most dangerous and defining capabilities, as would be seen in the Pacific Theater of World War II and at Inchon in Korea).

From its earliest days, the Marine Corps has played a vital role in securing and defending the freedom of our nation. While the role played by the Marines in the Revolutionary War is often overlooked, it should not be underestimated. As the great American author James Fenimore Cooper once wrote: “At no period of the naval history of the world, is it probable that Marines were more important than during the War of the Revolution…the history of the Navy, even at that early day, as well as in these later times, abounds with instances of the gallantry and self-devotion of this body of soldiers.”

Originally published February 24, 2015 by MarineParents.com, Inc. Written by Collin Hoeferlin.

The Marine Corps, more so than any other branch of America’s military, values and embraces its history. Beginning in boot camp, every Marine is educated on the Corps’ proud and storied past as they learn what it means to be part of such a prestigious organization. In the spirit of the value the Marine Corps places on its history, we wanted to give you, Marine families and supporters, an opportunity to embrace and learn about this part of Marine Corps legacy as well. In this piece, we take a further look at the first African-American officer in the United States Marine Corps – Frederick C. Branch.

Background

Frederick Clinton Branch was born in Hamlet, North Carolina, in 1922, the son of an African Methodist Episcopal Zion minister. After graduating high school in New York, Branch enrolled at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, before transferring to Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While enrolled at Temple, Branch received his draft notice from the US Army in 1943 and reported to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for basic training.

Marine Corps Career

After reporting to Fort Bragg for induction into the Army, Brach was chosen to become a Marine and was sent to the nearby Camp Montford Point for Recruit Training, becoming one of the more than 20,000 Montford Point Marines(African-American Marines who underwent separate, segregated Recruit Training at Camp Montford Point between 1942 and 1949.) After Recruit Training, Brach applied for Officer Candidate School (OCS), but was denied due to his race and was sent to serve with a supply unit supporting operations against the Japanese in the Pacific instead.

While serving in the Pacific, Branch’s performance earned him a recommendation for OCS from his commanding officer. He was then sent to Purdue University in West Lafaeyette, Indiana, to receive his officer’s training in the Navy’s V-12 program, the only African-American candidate in a class of 250. At Purdue, Branch made the dean’s list and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on November 10, 1945. As World War 2 had already concluded, 2nd Lt. Branch went into the Marine Corps Reserve.

During the Korean War, Branch was re-activated, commanding an antiaircraft training platoon at Camp Pendleton, California. Branch was discharged from active duty in 1952 and returned to the Reserve. Three years later, in 1955, having reached the rank of Captain, Branch retired from the Corps due to ongoing discrimination and promises for advanced training were not kept.