Marine Company of the California Naval Militia

The Marine Company of the California Naval Militia served both on ship and ashore, while aboard ship their duties closely approximate those of the sailor in the line of the Navy and while serving ashore their duties are of the same nature as those of the army soldier, but their uniform is distinctly military in style and appearance.

Marine Corps Officer

The uniform for the officers of the Marine Corps Branch of the Naval Militia of the several states and territories is the same as that for the officers of the regular U.S. Marine Corps with the addition of a distinctive mark showing the state or territory to which they belong.  This distinctive mark is the authorized abbreviation for the state or territory in metal block letters worn in rear of the Marine Corps device on each side of the collar.  When sworn into the service of the United States the Naval Militia becomes a part of the National Naval Volunteers and the officers wear a metal letter "V" in place of the state or territory letters described above. Officers of the Marine Corps Reserve wear the same uniform as the officers of the regular service with the addition of a letter "R" worn as prescribed for the state letters of the Marine officers of the Naval Militia organizations.

Enlisted Marine of the Naval Militia

Like the officer, the enlisted men of the Marine Corps Branch of the Naval Militia wear the same uniforms as the enlisted men of the regular Marine Corps with the addition of the letters indicating the state to which they belong.  Likewise, when the Naval Militia is sworn into service of the United States in time of war, they too become part of the National Naval Volunteers and the letter "V" is worn in place of the letters indicating the state.

Origins of the Marine Corps Reserve

The true origins of the Reserve extend back to the Colonial period in American history.  Several states along the East Coast and on the Great Lakes had Naval Militias that included detachments of Marines, as did the state of California.  The men of the Marine Corps Branch of the Naval Militia men drilled without pay like their counterparts in the Naval Militia. In 1915 the Congress officially created a Naval Reserve.  Then on August 29, 1916, Congress passed statutory authority for the creation of the Marine Corps Reserve. The first test for the newly created Marine Corps Reserve came when the United States entered World War I.  Marine Corps combat units, with many National Naval Volunteers in their ranks, were among the first to be sent to the battlefields of France. The integration of reservists into the regular Marine Corps was so seamless that combat records do not even indicate which Marines were regular and which were reservists. 

Click the Bear Flag in the center to learn more about the Naval Militia Marine.

(c) Copyright 2002

Marine Corps History Detachment

Naval History Research & Study Element

California Center for Militay History