The US Marine Corps is 250 years old as of 2025, turning 251 years old in 2026.

Quick Answer

  • The US Marine Corps’ official birthday is 10 November 1775.
  • That means:
    • In 2025, it marked its 250th anniversary.
* In 2026 (this year), it is **251 years old**.

How That Date Was Chosen

  • The Second Continental Congress passed a resolution on 10 November 1775 to raise two battalions of Marines for service at sea and on land.
  • This force was known as the Continental Marines , and that date is now celebrated as the Marine Corps’ official birthday.

Many Marines still honor 10 November every year with formal birthday balls and unit ceremonies around the world.

A Tiny Bit of Historical Nuance

  • The original Continental Marines were disbanded after the American Revolution in the 1780s.
  • A permanent United States Marine Corps was re-established by law on 11 July 1798 , tied to the newly organized U.S. Navy.
  • In 1921, Major General John A. Lejeune issued an order formally recognizing 10 November 1775 as the birthday to connect today’s Marines with their Revolutionary War predecessors.

So when people ask “how old is the US Marine Corps,” they are almost always using the 1775 founding date, which makes it over 250 years old today.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.