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The Museum of the Marine will bring a world-class museum to Jacksonville, NC that will honor the contributions and sacrifices of Marines, their units, their families, and the Carolina communities that support them by making known the personal stories that reflect the courage and dedication that are the hallmarks of our Nation's history.
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Esprit de Corps, camaraderie, courage....these are only a few of the qualities that represent the bond of brotherhood that develops among Marines. These are bonds that last a lifetime not only exist inside the Corps, but spill over to the Marine families and the communities that surround these military bases.
The Museum of the Marine will highlight the strength of the military family, of parents who hold it all together on the homefront, and of children whose pride in their Marine parent helps them hold steady while enduring the long separations of deployment during times of crisis. People taking care of each other. A community that wraps its arms around those left behind. Sleepy towns now forever transformed by the arrival of the Corps. The Museum of the Marine will allow visitors to walk through a "virtual scrapbook" and explore their stories of service and sacrifice.
Marines are duty-bound to honor the long tradition of those who have gone before them in the Corps. No other branch of service imbues such pride in its members as the US Marine Corps. Every Marine is taught the history of the Corps, and every Marine understands that his actions reflect on all Marines, past, present and future. The Museum of the Marine will allow visitors the opportunity to understand the ethos of the Marine Corps and reflect upon those qualities that are important to all Americans. The Museum of the Marine will honor the epic accomplishments of these Marines from WWII forward. How did Marines from this region change the shape of warfighting? What other roles does a Marine play? Visitors will develope an understanding of how, through war and peace, the Marine Corps has always been America's 911 force.
It was 1939, and
the United States was on the brink of war. The Marine Corps needed an amphibious
base on the East coast in order to validate its new amphibious doctrine. The long
standing tradition of how the Corps conducted business was about to change. The
Marine Corps had long since used the Carolinas to train Marines, but would now build a
significant presence in the Carolinas right at the eve of the World War II era. The
coastal area of Jacksonville, NC was the ideal to train Marines in these new tactics.
Before Marines were deployed to "fight the good fight" in the Pacific Islands, their new
training on land, in air and on sea would further develop in the Carolinas.
This region would also see the first African American Marines trained at
Montford Point, as well as play a major role in the training and integration of Women
Marines. Carolina Marines would lead the charge with their use of "war" dogs in the
the Pacific and continued to push the envelope with the integration of helicopters onto
the modern battlefield. Today, new airframes such as the MV-22 Osprey ensure
Marines are equipped with the best that technology has to offer.
Day and Night renderings of The Museum of the Marine's entrance.
The Museum of the Marine's courtyard.
The Museum of the Marine's great hall and lobby.
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