• Marine widow with newborn son mourns their loss at Arlington National Cemetary

    By Carissa Ray

    I had just seen these photos move on the wire and was preparing them for the PhotoBlog when the photographer posted a wrenching detail on Facebook that added another layer of depth. 

    Evan Vucci posted: Just photographed the funeral of Marine Cpl. Derek Wyatt who was killed in Afghanistan on Dec. 6. His son was born 24 hours after the news of his death. Heartbreaking...

    Evan Vucci / AP

    Kait Wyatt carries her son, Michael, during a burial service for her husband, Marine Cpl. Derek Wyatt at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 7. Wyatt, of Akron, Ohio, was killed Dec. 6 in Afghanistan. Wyatt's son was born 24 hours after his wife received the news of his death.

    Evan Vucci / AP

    Kait Wyatt clutches a flag during the burial service for her husband, Marine Cpl. Derek Wyatt at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Friday, January 7, 2011. Wyatt, of Akron, Ohio, was killed Dec. 6 in Afghanistan. Wyatt's son was born 24 hours after his wife received the news of his death.

    More on Cpl. Wyatt and memories of him in his Ohio hometown can be found at The Akron Beacon Journal:

    Akron Deputy Mayor Dave Lieberth said Mayor Don Plusquellic has sent a letter to Wyatt's parents indicating that ''he would like them to participate in a decision about how best to memorialize'' their son in his hometown. . .  Akron officials are also interested in discussing the broader issue of memorializing all those from the city who have died in war, Lieberth said.

    ''It needs to be bigger,'' he said of the discussion.

    There is no single city memorial to honor all who have died, Lieberth said, although there are memorials for the Civil War, World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam within the city.

    ''We need to find a way to remember those who died in service to our country,'' Lieberth said. (full story)

  • All-female U.S. Marine team in Afghanistan

    By Elena Grothe

    Here is a selection from the photo essay by Getty Images photojournalist Paula Bronstein that Getty moved this morning. Photographed last month, the images depict the women deployed as the second Female Engagement team in Afghanistan. Getty reports that the women gain access where men cannot and train for any possible situation, including learning Afghan customs and basic Pashtun language. View the full sideshow HERE.

    Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

    Sgt. Crystal Groves US Marine with the FET (Female Engagement Team) 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Regimental Combat team II stands in formation during a ceremony for the 235th birthday of the Marines on Nov. 10, 2010 at Camp Delaram in Helmand province, Afghanistan. There are 48 women presently working along the volatile front lines of the war in Afghanistan deployed as the second Female Engagement team participating in a more active role, gaining access where men can't. The women, many who volunteer for the 6.5 month deployment take a 10 week course at Camp Pendleton in California where they are trained for any possible situation.

     

    Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

    Hospital Corpsman Shannon Crowley, 22, US Marine with the FET 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Regimental Combat team II patrols in the bazaar as an Afghan man rides by watching Nov. 15 in Musa Qala, Afghanistan.

    Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

    Sgt. Sheena Adams, right, U.S. Marine with the FET 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Regimental Combat team II comforts an Afghan translator, left, who was crying after hearing about the death of a fellow marine on Nov. 16 in Musa Qala, Afghanistan.

    Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

    U.S. Marines with the FET 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Regimental Combat team II on patrol on Nov. 25 in Musa Qala, Afghanistan.

    Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

    Sgt. Sheena Adams, 25, US Marine with the FET 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Regimental Combat team II blows bubbles with Afghan boys surrounding her while on patrol on Nov. 21 in Musa Qala, Afghanistan.

    Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

    Sgt. Sheena Adams, 25, U.S. Marine with the FET 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Regimental Combat team II works late into the night on her laptop on her reports on Nov. 12 in Musa Qala, Afghanistan.

    Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

    Hospital Corpsman Shannon Crowley, 22, U.S. Marine with the FET 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Regimental Combat team II walks out of the shower tent on Nov. 17 in Musa Qala, Afghanistan. With 269 male marines and 3 females living at a small outpost the females have only one hour a day (30 minutes in the morning and 30 in the afternoon) to shower.

    Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

    Sgt. Sheena Adams, 25, and Lance Corporal Kristi Baker, 21, and Hospital Corpsman Shannon Crowley, 22, US Marines with the FET 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Regimental Combat team II pose at their forward operating base on Nov. 17, 2010 in Musa Qala, Afghanistan.

    See more images by Paula Bronstein from a women's prison in Afghanistan on PhotoBlog HERE.

  • Happy 235th birthday, United States Marine Corps

    Currier and Ives via Library of Congress

    The Attack on the Castle Chapultepec (the "halls of Montezuma") took place in 1847. This print was published a year later.

    Dusan Vranic / AP

    Sgt. Daniel Roberts, of Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A. stands in front of Marines of India company, 3rd Battalion 5th Marines, First Marine Division, as they mark 235th anniversary since the Corps was founded in 1775, in a small fire base, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010, in Sangin, Afghanistan.

    Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters

    A setting with dog tags, a purple heart medal awarded to wounded troops, a plate, cup, plastic cutlery and a burning candle sits on a table to symbolize all former U.S. Marines who have served, fought, died or been wounded in battle, at a dinner marking the anniversary of the Marine Corps at Musa Qala in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province. Missing from the setting is lemon and salt, traditionally included to represent the bitterness of losing friends and comrades.

    By Stokes Young, nbcnews.com

    GlobalSecurity.org has a good history of the USMC, starting at its birth in 1775. While we have a picture of the 'halls of Montezuma' from the Marine Corps Hymn above, you'll need to go here or here for pictures of the 'shores of Tripoli.' And, there are a lot of video tributes based on the hymn at YouTube.

    I recently came across a terrific newsreel about Marines in the NBC News archives. It deals with the battle of the Chosin Reservoir 60 years ago, in late 1950, during the Korean War. It's worth a look:

     

    You can also click the tag "marines" below to see other coverage of the Corps here on Photoblog.

    Do you have a favorite (or least favorite) memory of being a Marine, of a Marine in your family, or a favorite photograph, book, film or song about Marines? If so, please post in the comments below. . .

  • Afghanistan graffiti

    Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters

    Graffiti left behind by Taliban fighters is seen on the walls of a compound now used as a command center for the U.S Marine Corps's First Battalion, Eighth Marines at Musa Qala in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, November 10, 2010.Musa Qala is an important battleground in the war against Taliban insurgents and the narcotics industry. The town has changed hands several times, most recently in December 2007 when Afghan and international forces retook the town from the Taliban.

    Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters

    Graffiti reading "Get Hard, Stay hard," by a previous deployment of the U.S Marine Corps's, adorns the walls at Musa Qala in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, November 10, 2010.

    Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters

    Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters

    By Mish Whalen

    I've seen a lot of photos out of Afghanistan but these caught my eye and left me wanting to see more. I want to thank all the men and women who have served and continue to serve their country in the armed forces, on this Veteran's Day eve.

  • Firefight in Nabuk, Afghanistan

    Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters

    SSgt. Ysidro (L) Gonzalez of Alice, Texas, from the 1st Battalion 8th Marines Alpha Company bends over from fatigue upon returning to base after an intense battle against Taliban insurgents that lasted several hours and led to four Marine casualties in the town of Nabuk in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, November 1, 2010.

    Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters

    Cpl. Shaun Clarkson of New Jersey, from the 1st Battalion 8th Marines Alpha Company ducks from incoming fire from Taliban insurgents while reaching for more ammunition during a gun battle in the town of Nabuk in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, November 1, 2010.

    Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters

    HN. Donald Howard (2nd R) of Columbus, Ohio checks on concussed Alpha Company 1st Battalion 8th Marines Sgt. Thomas James Brennan (L) of Randolph, Massachusetts, LCpl. James Roche (2nd L), LCpl. John Chun, both of New Jersey and LCpl. James Edward Orr (R) of Eufaula, Alabama in a compound offering cover after rocket propelled grenades exploded near their positions during a battle against Taliban insurgents in the town of Nabuk in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, November 1, 2010.

    Finbarr O'Reilly / Reuters

    Sgt. Thomas James Brennan (2nd L) of Randolph, Massachusetts from the 1st Battalion 8th Marines Alpha Company shouts to his comrades to keep out of the line of fire from Taliban insurgents during a firefight in the town of Nabuk in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, November 1, 2010.

    By John Brecher

    I wonder what it's like to face the next patrol after a day of close calls that leave soldiers Marines concussed and exhausted.

  • Scott Olson / Getty Images

    U.S. Marine marksman Cpl. Jacob Hoag of Bend, OR with India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment provides security for a patrol at outpost West above Forward Operating Base (FOB) Zeebrugge on Oct. 22 in Kajaki, Afghanistan.

    Scott Olson / Getty Images

    Hoag's unit, the Marines of India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment are responsible for securing the area near the Kajaki Dam on the Helmand River.

    Marine sniper overwatch in Kajaki

    By Stokes Young, nbcnews.com

    Type your comment here ...

  • Scott Olson / Getty Images

    MARJA, AFGHANISTAN - SEPTEMBER 24: U.S. Army flight medic SGT Tyrone Jordan of Charlotte, NC attached to Dustoff Task Force Shadow of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade carries Marine LCpl. David Hawkins of Parker, CO to a MEDEVAC helicopter after he was wounded by a blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) September 24, 2010 near Marja, Afghanistan. Task Force Shadow is responsible for evacuating wounded Afghani and Coalition forces as well as local nationals throughout southern Afghanistan.

    Task Force Shadow

    This image jumped out at me as soon as it came through the feed this morning. Amazing image, I'd love to see the video from the camera that the medic is wearing. For more images from Afghanistan click here.

    As of Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010, at least 1,200 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S. invasion in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.