Join us to honor 250 Years of the United States Marine Corps and remember Lieutenant William Sharp Bush
On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress resolved to raise two battalions of Marines. We celebrate this occasion and also pay tribute to Lieutenant Bush, the first Marine to lose his life in combat while serving aboard USS Constitution in 1812.
DATE
November 17, 2025
TIME
8:00 AM
LOCATION
Morning Colors in front of “Old Ironsides” On PIER 1, followed by breakfast at the USS Constitution Museum
GUEST SPEAKER
Representative Seth Moulton, Massachusetts Sixth District
Congressman Seth Moulton is a Marine Corps veteran who served four tours in Iraq. He led a frontline infantry platoon in the first Marine company to enter Baghdad, helped establish an independent Iraqi media, and later advised senior Iraqi leaders as part of General Petraeus’s team. Bringing the same sense of duty to Congress, he champions legislation to improve veterans’ care, strengthen mental-health resources, and modernize infrastructure—advancing American leadership, innovation, and opportunity at home and abroad.
About the U.S. Marine Corps Birthday Breakfast
This event celebrates the U.S. Marine Corps Birthday on November 13th and honors the memory of LT William S. Bush, the first U.S. Marine Corps officer to die in the War of 1812. During USS Constitution’s battle with HMS Guerriere the ships exchanged cannon fire until they collided and their rigging became entangled. LT Bush raced to lead his men on board Guerriere, but as he turned to ask Captain Isaac Hull, “Shall I board her?,” he was shot down by the British. Two centuries later, Constitution and the U.S. Marine Corps continue their honorable service to our country. The USS Constitution Museum serves as the memory and educational voice of ‘Old Ironsides’ and ensures that her stories, including those of the U.S. Marine Corps and LT Bush, are preserved and shared with future generations.
Supported by the Colonel Drew Ley Fund
This event is supported by the Colonel Drew Ley Fund. The Fund is dedicated to the memory of Life Trustee Colonel Andrew “Drew” J. Ley, USMCR (Ret.). To honor Drew, the Fund supports continued Marine Corps activities at the Museum.
