Tie cloves . Stewards: place the Port decanters on the table, and everyone charges their glass. President of the Mess: Mister Vice, the regiment., Vice President of the Mess: Ladies and Gentlemen, the 6th Marines., Band: plays six bars of Mademoiselle from Armentieres.. Cigars appeared and the president of the mess lit the smoking lamp; however, ashtrays had not been provided. Lieutenant Jones: In 1917, the 6th Marines deployed to France and became one of the four infantry regiments in the Second Division, American Expeditionary Forces. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; The following day, General Kolers aide-de-camp received a telephone call from his counterpart at Kadena: Driving home from your mess night last night, the general remarked that was the best affair Ive ever attended; you call the Marines and find out how its doneand were going to have one just like it.. During the dinner, the battalions pipe major played several traditional highland ballads to the tune of his own wailing on the bagpipes, and a guardsman danced. Band: plays The Marine Corps Hymn; at the completion of the music, officers and guests respond with the Marines and drink the punch all at once. From that date until World War II altered the social stratification of the British officer corps, it served as the cornerstone of the military social institution. Shocked and dismayed by the ukase, the socialite wife of the CMC outmaneuvered Daniels with authorization to use liquor in cooking. Probably the first mess night in the form we know today occurred at Eighth and Eye in the late summer of 1954. The following morning, Colonel Davis summoned his adjutant and instructed him to arrange a similar gathering hosted by the 4th Marines, and to invite the officers of the Scots Guards. Those officers and guests remaining quaffed their brandy or diet soda and departed. Mess night is a ceremonial occasion where Marines, wearing their dress blue uniforms with ornate medals, gather to share the Corps customs and courtesies as well as build camaraderie and Esprit de Corps. The choice of toasting with Port wine has its origins more in politics than in gastronomy. While serving as the adjutant of the 4th Marines in Shanghai in 1927, Captain Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., coached the regiments swimming team. The band of the Royal Berkshires always paraded the main course to the thumping of a Russian drum captured during the Crimean War. Life in an officers mess was the epitome of the world of gentlemen, and seniors expected juniors to conform. Top with a sprinkle of nutmeg and a dash of Angostura Bitters. The mess committee elected to forego the ritual cigar because the facility is a no smoking building, as are most government buildings. Yield 1 serving (s) Number Of Ingredients 9 Ingredients Steps: Mix in a blender until smooth. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro joined newly commissioned Marine Corps officers with The Basic School's Alpha Company for a mess night at Lopez Hall on Camp Barrett, April 27, 2022. Both Marines left visibly impressed. I observed more than one lieutenant bring out his container of chewing tobaccoarugha! When that great prohibitionist moralizer, Josephus Daniels, took up the portfolio of Secretary of the Navy in 1913, he argued that officers should not be granted a privilege denied enlisted Sailors and Marines. A vintage Port is held in wood for 22 to 30 months, then bottled. Sadly, the young officers of this TBS class had not attended a mess night. Ironically, it was held at TBS, but much, if not everything, had changed. The combination of these temperance attitudes served to dampen any enthusiasm for formal dinners as most observers, like Mrs. Barrett a decade before, could not imagine formal dining without aperitifs and wines. two twelve-ounce cans of frozen lemonade concentrate Add ground beef, then season with salt and . Servants served a typical English meal of several courses, and wine was not necessarily part of the dinner. Historically, grog was a drink that sailors made for long voyages. pour over cracked ice in a glass punch bowl; garnished with No matter his or her rank, the chaplain is always seated at the head table. Members of the mess: The 6th Marines followed by a sip of punch. David Bessey) Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "An army marches on its stomach.". 11, 51. The remaining officers are seated according to ascending seniority toward the head table. Although the attending officers drank to the health of King George V with a glass of fine Port, the battalion commanderthe President of the Messinvited the pipe major to join him in a glass of whiskey after the performance. The Vice President of the Mess checked the token place setting provided by the head steward. one pint of peach brandy President of the Mess: Mister Vice, the United States Marines., Vice President of the Mess: Gentlemen, long live the United States and success to the Marines.. President of the Mess: Mister Vice, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II., Vice President of the Mess: Ladies and Gentlemen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.. The evening reached its climax for many of us as we joined our seniors at the bar, snifters of brandy in hand. Marines of the mess sit down to a formal dinner, normally Prime Rib. Appropriate reference was made during the evening to the history of the other armed services, and thus the assembled Marines paid deference to the senior officers of the Army, Navy and Air Force in attendance. The committee asked the menu adhere rigidly to custom and tradition. The signal for dinner might be chimes or simply the mess corporal announcing gentlemen, dinner is served. The commanding officer, or more likely the senior dining memberprobably a bachelor majorentered the dining room first, followed by the other officers in strict order of seniority. President of the Mess: Ladies and Gentlemen, the mess will adjourn for ten minutes.. On the morning of the dining in, the committee met at the officers club to review final preparations. Officers and guests may finish their cup of punch, if desired. -Grandly proclaims job is to train young men and women into Marine Officers which entails not only teaching them skills necessary to lead Marines and win nation's battles, but also to be exemplary gentlemen. He taught history at the Naval Academy from 1977 to 1982, and retired from active service as a Marine Corps officer. Garnish glasses with margarita salt of choice, serve slightly chilled to room temp. Lieutenant Col. Nathaniel K. Robinson, president of the mess, said the event was a time to reaffirm our common bond as Marines., Mess night, a tradition as old as the Corps itself, has historically been a time when those who execute policy have an opportunity to meet those who make it, Robinson said. To the accompaniment of a fife and drum, a steward brings a plate with a token piece of the main course to the President of the Mess who pronounces I proclaim this meal fit for human consumption or I commend this meal to the enjoyment of the mess. The steward retreats from the dining room to an additional musical accompaniment. Mix 1 quart orange juice with cup of white sugar and cup of brown sugar. BACK TO TOP CONNECT Some officers, if they could afford it, might have a glass of Port or a snifter of brandy; most could not, however. This Order has been revised to incorporate minor changes to existing procedures and rearrange . Skillman, J. H. Eating Through the Years,U.S. Everyone says, The President of the United States, takes a sip of Port, and sits down. 1810: the guests of the mess arrive; sponsors greet them and see to their liquid refreshments. Then, just before he left office, a group of general officers honored General Shepherd at a mess night at Quantico. Constant reference to the origins of our tradition of themess night to Eighth and Eye intrigued me. However, for some reason, this same logic doesn't rule . Except for the annual celebration of the Marine Corps Birthday, no social function associated with the smaller of Americas naval services is more enjoyed, admired and imitated than the mess night. General Shepherd remembered attending a formal dinner in France in 1917, hosted by the 115th Battalion Chasseurs Alpine. maple sugar and grenadine to taste Male recruits consume approximately 3,950 calories and females consume 2,700 calories each day (Photo by Lance Cpl. Used to such affairs, most of the Leathernecks who participated remained nonplussed if not bemused by the lack of post-dinner high jinks and the heavy weight of so many senior officers. In the fall of 1953, General Shepherd visited the 3rd Marines at their camp at Mount Fuji, Japan. The contents should be non-alcoholic as to not dampen the spirits . This traditional beverage was supposedly served to potential Marine Corps recruits at Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, during the American Revolution, according to Marine Corps History Division website, https://www.mcu.usmc.mil/historydivision/Pages/Customs_Traditions/Mess_Night.aspx. Huntley, VA, 7 June 1979. The stimulus for such an inquiry had languished for a decade or more, clues had been provided by the Marine Corps most eminent historian and it appeared as if I hadappeared as if I had to accept my own challenge. Even the popular tradition of the parading of the beef or main course for approval by the President of the Mess is found in the rich martial traditions of British military lore. Stewards: remove the soup bowl and spoon. A gentleman lived as comfortably as circumstances allowed, and the most comfortable way to live in the field was to establish an officers messa view that survived well into World War II. Lovette, Leland P.Naval Customs, Traditions, & Usage, 4th ed. Field Marshall Montgomery, for example, began his army career earning nine pounds a monthhis mess dues cost him thirteen pounds! Barnett had just reported aboard, having caught up with the cruiser in the harbor of Smryna, and found the evenings entertainment most enjoyable. Brigadier General Williams essay, Mess Night, appeared in the pages of the Marine Corps Gazette. Toasting or the raising of glasses in tribute to someone or an institution as a measure of respect, is a social custom more than a millennium old. In the fall of 1955, General Shepherd held a CMCs mess night in his quarters to formally introduce General Randolph McC. Sometimes, Marines may fabricate false allegations or tease one another just to stir up their comrades. 1815: The guest of honor, and his spouse; and the guests of the mess, and their spouses arrive to be greeted by the president and vice president of the mess. Naval Institute Proceedings62 one part dark Jamaican rum Unpublished memoirs Stewards serve a small dessert, a specialty of the club, called chocolate decadence (a chocolate mousse). 29 Sep 2016| The grog is a bowl filled with a concoction resembling punch. Brown the ground beef in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, until meat is no longer pink. Naval Institute Proceedings64 (June 1938): 891-93. 1800: The members of the mess, and their spouses, arrive at the officers club. The steward carries the plate around the head table and serves it to the President of the Mess, who says: I pronounce this beef fit for human consumption and commend it to the enjoyment of the mess and our guests. The steward retrieves the plate and utensils, rejoins the fifer and drummer, and the three of them march out of the dining room to another chorus of The Roast Beef of Old England.. The rules of the mess are standards of etiquette which must be adhered to. Fraser, Angus M. GentlemenDinner is Served,Marine Corps Gazette41 Moreover, the social and gender practices of the Marine Corps have changed radically. Then-Colonel Williams attended the Joint Services Staff College, Chesham and several subsequently as an instructor at the School of Combined Operation, Framington. Both Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak and Brigadier General Robert H. Williams attended guest nights in the officers messes of British battalions during their tours in China. 24 April 1979. Glassware is arraigned beginning from the top of the setting to the right in a semicircle: water glass, port goblet, claret glass, white wine goblet, and sherry glass. Thus, the infamous General Order No. Instructing his captive and bemused audience to take notes, the impeccable adjutant ate and drank his way through a token dinner. President of the Mess: Parade the beef!, A steward appears with a token slice of prime rib on a plate, with a knife and fork; accompanied by a drummer and fifer playing The Roast Beef of Old England the party marches up the center of the dining room. You give of yourself just like you are spending your adult lives giving and serving our country, he continued. Colonel Williams commanded the regiment, and he entertained the CMC with a mess night conducted in strict compliance with the British tradition. The Royal Navy's grog recipe includes water, dark rum, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Stewards: remove the small plate and wine glass. --non alcoholic wines and beers should also be available. Planners eschewed any notions of turning the evenings merriment into one of Bacchanalian revelry, and instead pursued a program to highlight our rich martial traditions. Everyone for the rest of the night became "You do this, and RugbyGuy0089 go drink one (grog) for Chesty/Smedley Butler/A.A. And choose to dine at home with Port. Major General George Barnett recalled such an affair while serving in the San Francisco in 1897. (PDF), By Lieutenant Colonel Merrill L. Bartlett, USMC (Ret.) When a member of the mess violates one of the rules, fellow Marines may charge him or her with a violation. In some regiments, the senior subaltern or senior dining officer enforced such rules by levying small fines. While many claim to make a traditional navy grog recipe, there are several accepted forms. Reminds diners of the Marine Corps service in France during World War I. The term "grog" can describe many different kinds of alcoholic drinks. While his earlier treatment appeared in the pages of theMarine Corps Gazette, no one appeared willing to undertake such a project. He has a master of arts degree from San Diego State University, and has completed his studies for a doctorate in history at the University of Maryland, College Park. The adjutant, proud of his distinguished regiment, summoned the young officers to the mess one afternoon. Unlike Americans, Britains responded to each toast by draining their glasses and sometimes throwing them over the left shoulder so that no lesser toast might be drunk. Toasts were always drunk with Port wine, and in bumbers. This unusual name for a wine glass had its origins from the continental custom of always toasting the Pope first,au bon Pere, which in its convoluted form became simply bumper. In the Book of Navy Songs (Naval Institute Press, 1955), a doggerel proclaims most proudly: Make it a bumper, comrades, The preferred time in most military organizations is often a Friday or Saturday night and the best place is usually the Officers' Open Mess or Community Club as they generally are more familiar with dining-in procedures and are mutually accessible to all parties. of honey butter. Contributed by Catsrecipes Y-Group Source: North Carolina Regiment of Young Marines, page 17 Recipe by: YM Rect. This traditional beverage was supposedly served to potential Marine Corps recruits at Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, during the American Revolution, according to Marine Corps History Division website, https://www.mcu.usmc.mil/historydivision/Pages/Customs_Traditions/Mess_Night.aspx. only small amounts of alcohol. easy INGREDIENTS 2 oz Dark Rum .75 oz Lime Juice .5 oz Demerara Syrup 1 oz Water INSTRUCTIONS Step one Add all ingredients to a tiki mug filled with ice and stir to combine. Stewards serve a cold soup, gazpacho, with a glass of sherry. The Vice President of the Mess moves to the head table. These helpful inputs usually came accompanied with the loan of a dog-eared pamphlet, adorned with a units crest, that were provided as souvenirs at earlier mess nights. General Shepherd remembered an impressive evening. Forty-five days to the Dining In, written invitations (in a pleasing style of calligraphy) were sent to: guest of honor; Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command; and Commanding General, Marine Corps University. Perhaps the most strictly controlled of all wines, government officials mandate the location of the vines and its maturation. (June 1936): 842. (March 1957): 39-41. The Marine Corps and the Coast Guard refer to it as mess night and the Army calls it regimental dinner. Stewards remove the Port decanters and glasses, and replace them with decanters of Fortitudine punch and punch glasses. Captain Smith: Request permission to address the mess., Captain Smith: In 1942, the 2d Division deployed from Camp Elliott to New Zealand. President of the Mess: Parade the main course.. As Guy Crouchback, British novelist Evelyn Waughs amusing character in Sword of Honor, learned rather quickly. The grog bowl is an "accessory" traditional to a dinings-in, although it is not required. Roy, R. Frederick, Washington, D.C., 11 July 1979. Nathan Hanks Band plays The Air Force Song. Everyone says The U.S. Air Force, takes a sip of Port, and sits down. Finally, Colonel Heinl recalled mention of affairs vaguely similar to a mess night at the turn of this century in the personal papers of senior officers, maintained at the Marine Corps Research Center. Naval Institute Proceedings67 (March 1941): 361. The formalities of mess night begin when the mess marches in, followed by the head table guests. As predicted, the eminence gris of Marine Corps history steered me in the correct direction. Members of the regiment earned three Medals of Honor; one out of every two Marines suffered wounds. The Mess Night Committee selected Croft Porto 1991 after tasting several imported and domestic varieties. Flags were placed behind the head table. Band plays Anchors Aweigh. Everyone says The U.S. Navy, takes a sip of Port, and sits down. Stewards remove the dinner plate, bread plate, utensils used for the main course and wine glass. Roots of the United States Navy Tradition Formal dinners in wardrooms afloat and. The Dining In Committee elected as the outset to plan an affair modeled on the British tradition of the Guest Night, and thus more like what had emerged as a Marine Corps tradition in the mid-1950s. Latrop, Constance D. Alcohol: Its Origins and Use in the U. S. Navy, co-author (with Colonel Joseph H. Alexander) ofSea Soldiers in the Cold War: Amphibious Warfare in the Age of the Superpowers, 1945-1991(Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1994); and co-author (with Dirk Anthony Ballendorf) ofPete Ellis: An Amphibious Warfare Prophet, 1880-1923(Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1996). But except for a token glass of fizzy wine and a slight improvement over the rations usually offered each evening, nothing appeared to suggest a mess night. Even the Nazi threat provided no excuse. Stewards: serve bowl of Hanoi beef soup (Pho Bo Ha Noi). Colonel Heinl supervised the memorable event, held at Harry Lee Hall. Those who arrived earlyand no one arrived late could have a glass of sherry or a pink gin. Following the Marines' significant number of fines and trips to the grog, issued by the president of the mess, Del Toro took to the stage to emphasize the . Marines, it appeared, wanted to dress up and eat and drink by the numbers, all the while reminding themselves of the hallowed traditions, customs and rich history of their Corps. Sometimes, the sailors added lemon or lime. Join Date Jan 2011 Location Knoxville, TN Posts 3,756 Credits . At the left of the plate (which is removed just after the serving of the first course) are the forks: seafood, salad, dinner, and dessert in that order from left to right. In his first night in the mess as a second lieutenant, he made the social gaff of ordering a glass of claret; the senior subaltern rebuked him with a jocular Hullo! Its a time for old sea stories, speeches and jokes, as well as ovations; but most importantly, it is a time to strengthen the customs and traditions of our Corps.. After hearing both sides of the argument from the accused and accuser, the president of the mess imposes fines; in most cases one dollar or a drink from the grog, for any infractions deemed appropriate. Diners eschewing alcohol might prefer this libation, especially after dinner. The dessert is accompanied by coffee; the place cards have been marked so those desiring caffeine-free coffee will be served accordingly. two quart bottles of club soda Correspondence with the author A subsequent tour in the Washington, D.C. area allowed me to pursue this goal. At the conclusion of dinner, the battalion commander rose to propose a toast to the best fighters, the best drinkers, and the best lovers in Francethe Chasseurs Alpine.. An anthem is played in its entirety, also, for every toast. He devoted several minutes to explain the requirement for bladder control and the planning that accompanied it. 1900: A bandsman rings six bells with a ships bell to indicate 7:00 P.M. or 1900. Four or five times a week, a battalions officers sat down to such formal dinners. This favorite of Vietnamese from the. Naval InstituteProceedings, won the 1981 and 1987 Colonel Robert D. Heinl, Jr. awards: Ouster of a Commandant in November 1980, and Old Gimlet Eye in November 1986. The President of the Mess serves himself last. Remove the spice bag and add a fifth of Port. One member of the committee received the task to collate the responses to the invitations (R.S.V.P. Naval Institute Proceedings63 (August 1937): 1169. Band plays The Army Goes Rolling Along. Everyone says The U.S. Army, takes sip of Port, and sits down. Following that lead about the British mess nights in China, I corresponded with Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak and read Brigadier General Robert C. Williams charming memoir. Passing of the Old Marine Barracks,Washington Evening Star, 16 February 1908, part 4, p. 2. The Old Corps: A Portrait of the U.S. Marine Corps Between the Wars(Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1982), pp. The guest of honor had not even departed when a sizeable portion of the lieutenantspresumably those earmarked to take the PFT before sunrise the following morningdisappeared. At this juncture, toasts must be rendered to each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, if a member of that branch is present; each toast is followed by the appropriate song of that branch. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, it was a common custom for the aristocracy to lay aside a pipe of port for each male member of the progeny. Dinner in a British mess was the evening meal of an English gentleman. Bonner, John T. Sober Reflections on a Mess Night,U.S. (Volunteering) is a hallmark of Marines, Gillan said. cup honey President of the Mess: Mister Vice, the U.S. Army., Vice President of the Mess: Ladies and Gentlemen, the U.S. Army.. A traditional prime rib came as overcooked roast beef, and the lone drummer made his only appearance of the evening to escort the token meat course to the president of the mess for approval. Purpose a. As Mrs. Barnett recalled the evening in her memoirs, the Senator on her left declined a second helping of dessert with a grave response: Madam, I just couldnt eat another drop!. -Declares skills of love as important step to become gentlemen. Stir: 2 tbs. The mess committee elected to forego the ritual cigar because the facility is a no smoking building, and because of the presence of the ladies. Pour: the mix and strawberry slush over cracked ice into a punch bowl; stir in the ginger ale. He returned home an unabashed Anglophile, earning the sobriquet British Bob among friends and fellow officers. Lucas, Lelia Gordon. Most Marines likely shared the Air Force generals sentiments following their first mess night; I know I did. Chaplain: offers a brief, non-sectarian grace. Sheehan, J. M. Wardroom Mess,U.S. Arugha! The final toast of the evening was to their famous regiment and its raising by King Charles II in 1662. Following the war, Marine Corps officers serving in the United Kingdom brought home warm memories of the institution fostered by the British officers mess. Mix: 2 ten-ounce cans of frozen daiquiri mix with 2 cups orange juice and 1 liter of ginger ale. Later, while at Quantico, Butler threatened to put the tiny municipality adjoining the base off-limitsunless the city fathers eliminated the bootleggers selling alcohol to his troops. PI062: Parris Island's Strict Food Menu a Recipe for Nutritional Marine Corps Recruit Training. Drawn from the aristocracy or upper middle classes, the British officer of the 19th Century would find no achievement in living in squalor while in the field. The President of the Mess pours the guest of honor on his right and passes the decanter to his left; the decanter continues to the end of the head table as each diner pours for himself. north is to remind everyone that when the 3rd Marine Division redeployed from Southern I Corps to Quang Tri Province astride the Demilitarized Zone, it faced the trained regulars of the North Vietnamese Army or NVA. During the next three years, it participated in amphibious operations in the Solomons, Gilberts, Marshalls, and Okinawa., President of the Mess: Mister Vice, the 2d Division., Vice President of the Mess: Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2d Division., Band: plays six bars from Victory at Sea.. MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA -- The Mess Night is a Marine Corps tradition designed to bring a unit together at the dinner table with an odd conglomerate of stern ceremony and light . Traditional roast beef was followed by rum sherbet, and a salad of champagne frappe. Departing the mess 31 1. Krulak, Victor H. 17 August 1978. Guest of honor, retired Marine Col. Dan Gillan, president and chief executive officer, Albany Area Young Mens Christian Association, spoke to the Marines about the importance of volunteerism. This study of a popular and time-honored military and naval social custom is long overdue. Dining In,Leatherneck, January 1975, pp. Colonel Robert D. Heinl, Jr., shared Williams love for fostering history and tradition in the British military style. Drain excess fat and set aside. Fortitudinewas the motto of the Marine Corps during the early 19th Century; it means strength, fortitude, or even guts. 1900: a steward sounds six bells. Those officers and guests desiring to avail themselves of the bathroom facilities do so before the beginning of the dinner. Our presence seemed to indicate formal initiation into the ranks of such icons as John Quick, Dan Dailey, Smedley Butler, John Lejeune and Chesty Puller. Bravely despise Champagne at Court Following a similar, celebratory dinner a couple of years before in the islands, Smedley D. Butlerobviously in his cupsserenaded the nearby jungle foliage for the remainder of the night; a future CMC, Ben H. Fuller, thought the spectacle so outrageous that he recorded the incident for his personal papers, labeling it Butlers Bawl., Even after four decades, General Holland M. Smith remembered the conduct of the officers mess in nearby Olongapo and Colonel Lincoln Karmanys strict compliance to the social niceties of the mess. Coffee is poured. You can substitute pineapple juice for the water. This traditional beverage was supposedly served to potential Marine Corps recruits at Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, during the. With widely different social perspectives, and the changes that accompanying them, Marine Corps mess nights have become increasingly dissimilar. The members of the mess enjoy the main course: -roast new potatoes with margarine and fresh-cut parsley.