Army & Navy: Merited Recognition

From the Halls of Montezuma To the shores of Tripoli

We fight our country's battles On the land as on the sea;

The famed hymn of the U.S. Marines last week underwent another of its few changes since an unnamed hero wrote it to music from an ancient French opera during the Mexican War 95 years ago. "Out of well-merited recognition" for the feats of such men as Guadalcanal's Major John Smith, U.S. ace (19 planes), the fourth line of the hymn henceforth will be: In the air, on land and sea.

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