US Marines Sword

I was driving down the highway today, and I saw a tractor-trailer that had a Marines advertisement on the side of it. It had an enormous close-up of the traditional Marine Corp. sword. My eyes were immediately drawn to the engraved blade, particularly the part closest to the hilt. There, larger than my head, was a Star of David!

I came home and looked it up, and sure enough, all Marine Corps ceremonial swords have the star engraved on the blade, just above the hilt. Why is it there?

Here's a picture.

It's the Star of Damascus - not the Star of David.



ed: delete other comment

[edit on 24-6-2010 by FreshAir]

Originally posted by FreshAir
It's the Star of Damascus - not the Star of David.

Yeap, here's the story:

www.hqmc.net...

Why is the Star of David on Marine Corps swords?
Written by Will Donaldson (Webmaster)
Tuesday, 10 October 2006

Its not. According to the US Naval Academy, that it is not the Star of David. It is the Star of Damascus, the symbol of world renowned steel and sword craftsmen. These craftsmen used two triangles joined together as a sign of their sword making guild which became know as the Star of Damascus. This symbol means the sword was fashioned with Damascus steel and over 1,000 years of craftsmanship.

A Mameluke Sword is a cross-hilted, curved, scimitar-like sword. It is related to the shamshir, which had its origins in Persia from where the style migrated to India, Egypt and North Africa. Adopted in the 19th Century by several western armed forces, including the French Army, British Army and the United States Marine Corps, the Mameluke sword remains the ceremonial sidearm for some units to this day.

Today's U.S. Marine Corps officers' Mameluke sword closely resembles those first worn in 1826.A sword of this type was presented to Marine Corps Lt. Presley O'Bannon by the Turkish viceroy, Kurchet Ahmet Pasha, on December 8, 1804, during the First Barbary War, as a gesture of respect. Perhaps due to the Marines' distinguished record during this campaign, including the capture of the Tripolitan city of Derna after a long and dangerous desert march, Marine Corps Commandant Archibald Henderson adopted the Mameluke pattern for the Corps' official dress sword in 1825, with initial distribution in 1826, and except for the period 1859-75 (when Marine officers wore Army M1850 foot officers' swords) a continuing history of use as of 2006.

reply to post by Pauligirl


Pauligirl
I am a former marine...thanks.............
aecond line

reply to post by speaknoevil07


quick funny sword story... while on the rock, in "corporals academy", one staff sgt sliced his ear half off during our initial poi.

uncle sams misguided children we may be.. but no finer a crew, the enemy shivers, the prom queen quivers.

this should be of interest- www.freemasonrywatch.org...