The iconic image of a U.S. Marine in their dress blue uniform is instantly recognizable: a sharply tailored silhouette featuring a high, red-trimmed collar, pristine white gloves, and gleaming brass accents. For many, this uniform embodies the essence of American military pride and tradition. Indeed, the Marine Corps dress blue uniform is steeped in history, but the stories behind its distinctive elements are often more nuanced – and sometimes more myth than reality – than recruits are led to believe.
As a former Marine recruit, like many others, I was taught that every detail of the dress uniform was directly linked to the Corps’ storied heritage and combat valor. However, conversations with the Marine Corps Historical Company and explorations at the National Museum of the Marine Corps revealed that many of these foundational narratives are, at best, half-truths, shaped by historical necessity and strategic public relations.
The Myth of Jones’ Marines and the Red Trim
Popular lore attributes the blue color of the uniform to the Marine Corps’ naval affiliations and the striking red trim to the Marines who served with distinction under Captain John Paul Jones on the Bonhomme Richard during the Revolutionary War. Jones, a celebrated naval commander, was known for his daring and tactical brilliance, but the romantic connection between his Marines and the red trim is largely apocryphal.
US Marine Corps dress blue uniform, highlighting the iconic marine blue color and red trim details. This photo emphasizes the dress blue uniform’s sharp appearance, often associated with USMC tradition and heritage.
“Regrettably, there’s no factual basis for that story,” explains retired Gunnery Sergeant Thomas E. Williams, Director of Operations for the United States Marine Corps Historical Company. “These kinds of legends often arise from the Marine Corps’ ongoing struggle for institutional survival. Throughout its history, the Corps has fought battles on two fronts: against external enemies and domestically to maintain its identity and relevance.”
Significant internal battles occurred during President Andrew Jackson’s era and again after World War I. In the post-WWI period, under the leadership of General John A. Lejeune, the Marine Corps engaged in what could be termed the “Battle of Capitol Hill” to secure its place within the military landscape.
Williams adds, “While these cherished myths may not be historically accurate in every detail, they served a crucial purpose in reinforcing the Corps’ image and legacy during critical periods.”
The public affairs efforts during General Lejeune’s command strategically linked fragmented historical elements to craft a compelling narrative about the uniform’s heritage. The connection to Jones’ Marines might stem from a 1779 entry in John Adams’ diary, which describes Jones and his Marines clad in “English uniforms, red and white,” noting their distinct appearance compared to the standard Continental Army uniforms.
However, the reality is more pragmatic. When the United States Marine Corps was formally established in July 1798 (the Continental Marines, its predecessor, had been disbanded post-Revolutionary War), the first Marine blue uniforms were adapted from surplus rifleman uniforms originally designed for the Legion of the United States.
According to “Uniforms of American Marines: 1775-1932,” by Marine Major Edwin North McClellan, the Historical Section’s former officer-in-charge, this initial blue uniform consisted of “Plain short coats of blue, with a red belt, edged with red, and turned up with the same, with common small naval buttons, with blue pantaloons edged with red, and red vests.” Resourceful as ever, the early Marines adapted available resources to create their distinctive look.
Quatrefoil: Fashion, Not Function
The ornate, cross-shaped braid, known as the quatrefoil, adorning the top of a Marine officer’s cover (hat), is another element shrouded in myth. Popular Marine Corps legend claims that during the War of 1812, Marine officers wore this rope cross to be easily identified by Marine sharpshooters positioned in the ship’s rigging during combat.
However, the practicality of this explanation is questionable. It’s highly unlikely that sharpshooters high in the rigging could effectively distinguish a small quatrefoil on the deck of an enemy ship, some 60 feet below. The more probable origin of the quatrefoil is simply that it was a popular French military fashion of the time, adopted by both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.
Leatherneck Collar: Posture over Protection
Similarly, the stiff, standing collar on both officer and enlisted dress blue uniforms is linked to the historical “leatherneck,” a high leather stock worn by Marines in the early 19th century. This leather stock did indeed give rise to the “leatherneck” nickname, but contrary to common Marine Corps teachings, it was not designed to deflect sword blows.
“Having examined many of these historical weapons, I can confidently say that a leather stock would offer minimal protection against a cutlass strike to the neck,” Williams clarifies. “The primary function of the leather stock was to enforce upright posture and a more imposing military bearing.”
Blood Stripe: A Half-Truth of Valor
The scarlet “blood stripe” emblazoned down the outer seam of dress blue trousers for officers and NCOs is traditionally said to commemorate the Marines who bravely fell at the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican War in 1847.
While valorous Marines did perish at Chapultepec, the blood stripe’s origin is more complex. Marine sergeants were actually wearing a dark blue stripe, edged with red, during the Battle of Chapultepec. The first truly red trouser stripes for officers and noncommissioned officers emerged in 1892. While not initially created to honor Chapultepec specifically, the Marine Corps now rightfully associates the blood stripe with the sacrifices of all Marines killed in action.
Close up detail of the Marine Corps dress blue uniform, showcasing the red “blood stripe” on the trouser leg. This highlights a key feature of the uniform often associated with valor and sacrifice, although its historical origins are debated.
Enduring Symbols: Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
Despite the myths surrounding some elements, certain aspects of the dress blue uniform genuinely reflect the Marine Corps’ heritage. The gold buttons adorning the dress blue coat feature one of the earliest Marine Corps emblems – the eagle and anchor with an arc of 13 stars – and have been a consistent part of the uniform since 1804. This makes it the oldest military insignia in continuous use in the United States.
In 1868, the current and globally recognized emblem, the eagle, globe, and anchor (EGA), was officially adopted. Each component of the EGA carries significant symbolism: the eagle represents the United States, the nation the Corps defends; the globe signifies the Marine Corps’ worldwide presence and global reach; and the anchor symbolizes the Corps’ naval roots and amphibious capabilities, projecting power across any coastline. Together, the EGA embodies the Marine Corps’ unwavering commitment to national defense across air, land, and sea.
The EGA is prominently displayed in multiple locations on the dress blue uniform, underscoring its central importance to Marine identity: on the front of the dress white cover, on each side of the stand-up collar, and on the belt buckle of enlisted Marines from Corporal rank upwards.
Swords of Tradition: Mameluke and NCO Sword
The sword, whether referred to as a sabre or saber, holds the distinction of being the oldest weapon still officially carried in the U.S. military. The Marine Corps incorporates two distinct swords as accoutrements to the dress blue uniform, each carrying its own historical significance with less embellishment of myth.
Marine officers carry the Mameluke sword, an elegant curved blade with a distinctive hilt, which honors First Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon. In 1805, O’Bannon led a daring 600-mile march across the North African desert to capture the Barbary Coast city of Derna, marking the first time the American flag was raised in victory over foreign soil. This pivotal event is immortalized in the Marine’s Hymn line, “to the shores of Tripoli.”
Marine NCOs have carried swords since the earliest days of the Corps, utilizing them on the battlefield through the Civil War. The first officially standardized NCO sword was introduced by Commandant Archibald Henderson in 1826. The current Marine NCO sword, a symbol of authority and tradition carried during parades and ceremonies by enlisted Marines of Corporal rank and above, was authorized by the sixth Commandant of the Marine Corps, Colonel John Harris.
The Enduring “Lejeune Version”
With uniform elements tracing back to the very foundations of the United States and the Marine Corps itself, it’s understandable why Marines take immense pride in the impeccable presentation of their dress blues. Having explored both the factual history and the enduring myths surrounding these iconic uniforms, if you were to ask me about the dress blue uniform’s history, I might still offer you what I now affectionately call the “Lejeune version” – a blend of compelling narrative and historical simplification.
–Joseph Andrew Lee, USO Multimedia Journalist.
