USMC Enlisted Emblem
The Marine Corps Emblem: Elements and Meaning
For Marines, the Eagle, Globe, & Anchor is a hallowed symbol. It’s a badge of honor. Marines wear the Eagle, Globe, & Anchor on their uniforms; it’s a central part of the Marine Corps flag; and many Marines get it tattooed on their body. Earning the Eagle, Globe, & Anchor is what makes a Marine…a Marine.
The Eagle, Globe, & Anchor consists of three parts. The top part is the Eagle.
The eagle signifies the Marines’ commitment to support and defend the Constitution. It also represents the fact that we fight ‘in the air.’ Our aviation heroes include such figures as the Honorable John H. Glenn, Jr (Marine fighter pilot, test pilot, astronaut, and U.S. Senator).
The Eagle carries a banner in his beak, which is embroidered with our motto, Semper Fidelis. On the Marine Corps flag, there is another banner underneath the whole emblem that says, ‘United States Marine Corps.’
The central part is the Globe. It depicts the Western hemisphere, because that’s where the bulk of the Corps’ action took place in its early history. The Globe also represents our global reach. If you pay close attention to the Marine Corps flag, you’ll notice that the Globe consists of two colors, and shows some lines of latitude.
Behind the Globe is the Anchor, which stands for our ties to the U.S. Navy. Since the earliest days, the Marines have worked with the Navy to be an amphibious fighting organization, able to project force ashore. The Anchor is ‘fouled,’ meaning it has rope (or line) wrapped around it. The Anchor’s fouling does not have a ‘bitter end,’ or a loose end; it is essentially perpetual. This shows that we aren’t going to disappear anytime soon; our time as a fighting force won’t come to an end.
Whether in a full color tattoo, on a t-shirt, on a Marine’s uniform, on a bumper sticker, or on any of the Marine Corps flags that fly across the globe, the Eagle, Globe, & Anchor is an important symbol of the Marine Corps’ culture and history.
Check out all the Marine Corps Flags and related accessories here:
https://www.gettysburgflag.com/military-flags/marine-corps-flags
Do not forget the latitude lines
. 7 for the 7 seas