WHY THE NAME FORTITUDE ?

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MARINE CORPS MOTTO

As all good Marines know “Semper Fidelis” (“Always Faithful”) is the motto of the United States Marine Corps. 

That Marines have lived up to this motto is proved by the fact that there has never been a mutiny, or even the thought of one, among U.S. Marines.

Semper Fidelis was adopted about 1883 as the motto of the Corps. HOWEVER, Before that, there had been three mottoes, all traditional rather than official. 

The first, antedating the War of 1812, was “Fortitudine”.

Fortitudine is a Latin word meaning “with Fortitude”. 

Sometime during the period 1804 to 1812, Fortitudine was adopted as the first motto of the United States Marine Corps and impressed onto brass plates which were fastened to the front of an enlisted Marines’ cover. 

This tall cylindrical cover was referred to as a hat, cap, or shako.

So, we chose the English translation "FORTITUDE"  because it was the 

FIRST MOTTO of the United States Marine Corps (although unofficial);  it Honors the history and lineage of Our Marine Corps and it is very unique and distinguishable !!! 

The second, “By Sea and by Land,” was obviously a translation of the Royal Marine’s “Per Mare, Per Terram.” 

Until 1848, the third motto was “To the Shores of Tripoli,” in commemoration of O’Bannon’s capture of Derna in 1805. In 1848, after the return to Washington of the Marine battalion that took part in the capture of Mexico City, this motto was revised to: “From the Halls of the Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli" – a line now familiar to all Americans. This revision of the Corps motto in Mexico has encouraged speculation that the first stanza of “The Marines’ Hymn” was composed by members of the Marine battalion who stormed Chapultepec Castle.

Reference Branch 
USMC History Division