Marine Corps birthday

Marine Corps League St. Mary Detachment No. 600 celebrated the Marine Corps’ 240th birthday with a supper and cake-cutting ceremony. In the tradition, the commandant (center, Commandant Department of Louisiana David Martin) cuts the cake and hands it to the oldest Marine (right, William Brashear, World War II veteran and Montford Point Marine) who then hands it down to the youngest Marine (Philip Naquin, left, Iraqi Freedom veteran). Duval Arthur, St. Mary Parish homeland security and emergency preparedness director, was the guest speaker and gave the keys to the parish to Brashear and Mathew Hartman, both Montford Point Marines and World War II veterans. There are only 17 alive and registered in Louisiana. Hartman did not make it to the birthday.