In November 1775, the Continental Congress commissioned Major Samuel Nicholas as the first officer of the newly formed Continental Marines. A native of Philadelphia and a man of deep integrity, Nicholas embodied what North Carolinians later enshrined as their state motto: Esse Quam Videri — To Be, Rather than to Seem. Nicholas’s leadership was not…
On October 23, 1983, a truck bomb destroyed the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 241 U.S. service members—Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers—who were serving as peacekeepers in a land torn by conflict. The tragedy was, at the time, the deadliest single-day loss for the Marine Corps since Iwo Jima. At the Beirut Memorial in Lejeune…
This September, we remember Dr. William Kenneth “Doc” Morgan, Sr., whose life embodied service to country, community, and family. Born in Fairmont, NC, in 1933, Dr. Morgan pursued both academics and athletics with distinction before attending the UNC School of Dentistry. Upon graduation in 1959, he entered the United States Naval Dental Corps. He was…
When HM1 (FMF) Luis Fonseca Jr. arrived in North Carolina for field medical training, he was a young Navy corpsman with a deep sense of purpose but no idea how quickly his courage would be tested. At Camp Lejeune and the Field Medical Training Battalion, he was trained not only in trauma care and field…
Navy Cross Recipient | Onslow County Resident | 21 Years of Distinguished Service This month, Carolina Museum of the Marine proudly honors Master Sergeant Joe Blick, a decorated combat veteran and longtime resident of Onslow County whose legacy reflects the very leadership, service, and character we strive to preserve. Master Sergeant Blick served in the…
This month, Carolina Museum of the Marine honors Staff Sergeant Jonathan Wayne Richardson, a North Carolina native whose courage, leadership, and selfless devotion to duty represent the finest traditions of the United States Marine Corps. Born in Buncombe County, NC, SSgt Richardson enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2003 and quickly stood out for his…
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