<P> The history of the Marine Corps began when two battalions of Continental Marines were formed on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia as a service branch of infantry troops capable of fighting on both at sea and on shore . By the mid-20th century , the U.S. Marine Corps had become a major theorist of amphibious warfare , which were utilized in the Pacific theater of World War II . As of 2016 , the USMC has around 182,000 active duty members and some 38,500 reserve Marines . It is the smallest U.S. military service within the DoD . </P>
<P> The history of the Marine Corps began when two battalions of Continental Marines were formed on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia as a service branch of infantry troops capable of fighting on both at sea and on shore . By the mid-20th century , the U.S. Marine Corps had become a major theorist of amphibious warfare , which were utilized in the Pacific theater of World War II . As of 2016 , the USMC has around 182,000 active duty members and some 38,500 reserve Marines . It is the smallest U.S. military service within the DoD . </P>
when did the marines become their own branch
when did the marines become their own branch
10 November 1775
10 November 1775