Gilded Age Marines

    The Gridley Legacy: John P.V. Gridley, USMC John S. Naylor – November 28, 2025   “I have not yet begun to fight.” – John Paul Jones “Don’t Give Up the Ship!” – James Lawrence “We have met the enemy and they are ours.” – Oliver Hazard Perry “You may fire when ready, Gridley.” – George Dewey These inspirational expressions are ingrained in the fiber of U.S. Navy history and lore. The stories behind the sayings are well known, but the story behind a Marine bearing the name Gridley may not be.  When Commodore Dewey maneuvered his squadron into Manila Bay for battle with the Armada, he relied on the captain of USS OLYMPIA, Charles Gridley, to initiate and lead the fight. Gridley, as well as the rest of Dewey’s squadron, fought admirably, routing the Spanish fleet, which was just then at anchor off the Cavite Arsenal. This complete victory made news around the world, and more than any other battle heralded the arrival of the modern American Navy.    CHARLES G...

Henry Leonard, USMC – An Uncommon Career John S. Naylor – November 16, 2025      Henry Leonard received his commission as a 2 nd  Lieutenant in the United States Marines in June of 1898, as one of the forty-three temporary lieutenants brought on board for the war with Spain. After training at the Washington Barracks, he commanded the Marine Detachment aboard USS DIXIE, and then SOLACE. In February of 1899 he and the rest of the temporary lieutenants were discharged, despite an imminent and most apparent expansion of the Corps. Not long after, more than thirty of these lieutenants found themselves back in uniform and promoted to 1 st  Lieutenant; the Marine Corps then assigned Leonard to the Marine Barracks aboard the Naval Station at Cavite, Philippine Territory, under Captain Charles Long, USMC. [1] By 1900, the Marines had six battalions in the islands, guarding the naval stations at Cavite, and Olongopo, and supporting the Army in fighting Filipino rebels. Ha...

A VISION OF THE USMC ADVANCED BASE FORCE JOHN S. NAYLOR 5 NOVEMBER, 2025 The fleet has sailed from here, in search of the enemy. The craggy, desert island’s deep-water harbor bustles as small craft move from shore to ship, some delivering supplies and repair parts to the destroyer tender just off the beach. Further out, two colliers swing at anchor, awaiting the return of the fleet.  Ashore, the sounds of Marines and sailors at work compete with the constant rush of the trade winds blowing across the baking hills. Seabirds at the trash dump keen; the sound of boats’ bells and ships’ whistles travel over the water. The canvas walls of the Navy maintenance shops rustle in the constant wind. Inside, out of the sun, machinists fabricate repair parts for damaged plants and condensers. Across the company road a Marine work detail expands the latrine trench behind the bivouac tents; others stack supplies outside the supply tents near the new wharf where corpsmen transfer the sick and woun...