This is where the leatherneck name came from.
From wikipedia
From wikipedia
Marine Corps history states that a sword of this type was presented to Marine First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon by the Ottoman Empire viceroy, Prince Hamet, on December 8, 1805, during the First Barbary War, as a gesture of respect and praise for the Marines' actions at the Battle of Derne.[3] Upon his return to the United States, the state of Virginiapresented him with a silver-hilted sword featuring an eaglehead hilt and a curved blade modeled after the original Mameluke sword given him by Hamet. Its blade is inscribed with his name and a commemoration of theBattle of Tripoli Harbor.[4]
Perhaps due to the Marines' distinguished record during this campaign, including the capture of the Tripolitan city of Dernaafter a long and dangerous desert march, Marine Corps Commandant Archibald Henderson adopted the Mameluke sword in 1825 for wear by Marine officers. After initial distribution in 1826, Mameluke swords have been worn except for the years 1859-75 (when Marine officers were required to wear the U.S. Model 1850 Army foot officers' sword), and a brief period when swords were suspended during World War II. Since that time, Mameluke swords have been worn by Marine officers in a continuing tradition to the present day.[5]
Two great traditions brought to you by the war against the Barbary Pirates. Are these some of the great contributions that Obama claims the Muslims made to the founding of our Country?