We are all members of the same great family … and a spirit of friendliness and goodwill should prevail.
Lieutenant General John Archer Lejeune (luh-jern),

13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Founder of the Marine Corps League

The Marine Corps League perpetuates the traditions and spirit of ALL Marines and Navy FMF Corpsmen, who proudly wear or who have worn the eagle, globe and anchor of the Corps. It takes great pride in crediting its founding in 1923 to World War I hero, then Major General Commandant John A. Lejeune. It takes equal pride in its Federal Charter, approved by An Act of the Seventy-Fifth Congress of the United States of America and signed and approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 4, 1937. The League is the only Federally Chartered Marine Corps related veteran’s organization in the country. Since its earliest days, the Marine Corps League has enjoyed the support and encouragement of the active duty and Reserve establishments of the U. S. Marine Corps. Today, the League boasts a membership of more than 60,000 men and women, officer and enlisted, active duty, Reserve Marines, honorably discharged Marine Veterans, qualified Navy FMF Corpsmen and qualified Navy FMF Chaplains and is one of the few Veterans Organizations that experiences increases in its membership each year.
The Marine Corps League is headed by an elected National Commandant, with 14 elected National Staff Officers who serve as trustees. The National Board of Trustees coordinates the efforts of 48 department, or state, entities and the activities of over 1000 community-based detachments located throughout the United States and overseas. The day-to-day operations of the League are under the control of the National Executive Director with the responsibility for the management and direction of all programs, activities, and affairs of the Marine Corps League as well as supervising the National Headquarters staff.
The prime authority of the League is derived from its Congressional charter and from its annual National Convention held each August in different major U.S. cities throughout the nation. It is a not-for-profit organization within the provisions of the Internal Revenue Service Code 501(c) (4), with a special group exemption letter which allows for contributions to the Marine Corps League, its Auxiliary and subsidiary units, to be tax deductible by the donor.
The Seacoast Detachment was founded in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1947. We are more than 100 members strong, with Marines and FMF Corpsmen from the NH Seacoast and York County, ME. In addition to our monthly meetings, we get together for Wednesday morning casual breakfast, a summer picnic at the New Castle Coast Guard Station, and of course at eh Marine Corps Birthday Ball each November.
Marines form the Seacoast Detachment can be seen throughout the year participating in various honors details, Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day events, Toys for Tots drives, and the Pease Greeters.