 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(April 2022) |
 December 1970 issue with Miss Alabama Ann Fowler in South Vietnam | |
| Frequency | Monthly |
|---|---|
| First issue | 1917 |
| Company | Marine Corps Association |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Website | www |
| ISSN | 0023-981X |
Leatherneck Magazine of the Marines (or simply Leatherneck) is a magazine for United States Marines.
The first Leatherneck was published Nov. 17, 1917, as a four-page newspaper. It was called The Quantico Leatherneck and cost 2 cents per copy.
The Quantico Leatherneck was started by off-duty US Marines, and in large part by the post printer, Sgt. Smith, in 1917. [1] The link to Editor & Publisher for February 19, 1921, page 38 contains a passionate article giving the details of the beginnings of the Quantico Leatherneck. Included: Captain Jonas H Platt, a newspaper man in civilian life, 1st Lt. Angus A. Aull (sp?)at the officers' training school held an honorary position with the paper and is the author of the linked Editor & Publisher article. Corporal W.L. Foster, a former reporter for the Cincinnati Post, identified the need for communication among the enlisted ranks. Foster’s forte was collection and composition. Sergeant J. C. Smith had a background in journalism with his strength lying in the editorial process according to an article published in the November 2017 Leatherneck authored by Bradley Davis. [2]
In 1918, "Quantico" was dropped from the publication's title after 45 issues. [3]
In 1920, with the formation of the Marine Corps Institute (MCI) by Commandant of the Marine Corps John A. Lejeune, Leatherneck became an official Marine Corps publication under the auspices of MCI, and was moved to Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. In the 1920s, the Leatherneck transitioned from a weekly newspaper to a semimonthly magazine in June 1925 and became a monthly magazine in June 1926 with a shift from a tabloid-sized newspaper to a 32-page magazine.
During World War II, many of the Marine Corps' combat correspondents were assigned to Leatherneck. Leatherneck acquired a certificate of incorporation in February 1943, the Leatherneck Association was formed to govern the magazine, making it more autonomous and answerable only to the Commandant.
1944, an additional Leatherneck office was opened at Camp Catlin, Hawaii, and a semimonthly Pacific Edition of the magazine was launched for Marines overseas.Special Pacific Edition World War II saw Leatherneck expand from a simple publication to a war-driven reminder to Marines everywhere of what was at stake in the fight.
Leatherneck Pacific edition was published on the 1st and 15th of each month as an advertisement free magazine for overseas Marines. It carried some of the same articles as the standard Leatherneck but there are many articles unique to this edition. The magazine also had in each issue the comics ‘Gizmo and Eightball’ by Fred Rhoads and Hashmark by Fred Lasswell. The magazine’s format was 10″ x 13″ with 40 to 48 pages.Volume 1 issue 1 was published July 1, 1944, Volume 2 Issue 1 was published January 1, 1945, Volume 3 Issue 1 was published July 1, 1945 with the last issue published in Volume 3 Issue12 on December 15, 1945 after the end of WWII.
1948 the name was changed to Leatherneck-Magazine of the Marines.
The magazine's name derives from the slang term "leatherneck" for a U.S. Marine, referring to the leather-lined collar or stock of the original Marine uniform.
Leatherneck was an official Marine Corps publication until 1972, staffed primarily by active-duty Marines. That year all active-duty positions were eliminated and the magazine returned to Quantico. In 1976, the Leatherneck Association merged with the Marine Corps Association (MCA). As of 2016, MCA continues to publish Leatherneck alongside another Marine Corps periodical, the Marine Corps Gazette .
"To be the magazine of Marines—yesterday, today and tomorrow."
Leatherneck is available in magazine form, online, and through a mobile application.
Col Mary Reinwald, USMC (Ret) became the first female editor-in-chief in 2014.
As of 2015, [update] the magazine has over 40,000 monthly readers.
Leatherneck staff and contributors have included the following:
The Leatherneck has been published since 1917
| No. | Cover | Year | Month | Volume | Issue | Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 1917 | November | I | I | First Issue was a 4-page newspaper and cost 2 cents per copy. |
| 2 |  | 1975 | January | LVIII | 1 | Designed by Jim Hopewell, our cover includes a reproduction of the historic resolution passed by the Continental Congress on 10 November 1775, authorizing "Two Battalions of Marines." From this resolution evolved the Marine Corps as we know it today. Leatherneck salutes the Corps in its 200th anniversary year. |
| 3 | 1975 | February | LVIII | 2 | Thirty years ago this month, Sgt Louis Lowery, then a roving photographer for Leatherneck, snapped a quick picture as the American Flag was raised on Iwo Jima. The photograph was memorable in that it was the first taken of the famous flag-raising. Recently, with no one shooting back at him, Lowery set up his camera and took an unhurried photo of the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Va. He got a better picture this time | |
| - |  | 1975 | 3 | LVIII | 3 | Marine reservists, most of them from Albuquerque, N.M., recently flew to Alaska for two weeks of cold weather training. Herb Richardson went along to take pictures and write the article, "North To Alaska," which begins on page 14. |
| 4 | 1975 | 4 | LVIII | 4 | LCp Matt Biggie is a member of the Marine Security Guard serving in Zaire's capital city of Kinshasa. In the background are the flags of the United African Organiza-tion. Cover photo by Tom Bartlett, whose story on Zaire begins on page 16. | |
| 1975 | 5 | LVIII | 5 | Marines and equipment get a tough workout at the Landing Force Training Command, Little Creek, Va. Herb Richardson was on hand to shoot the picture when Cpl Ralph Mayone, accompanied by Pfc Steve Vogrin, tested the installation of a deep-water, fording kit on a jeep. The vehicle splashed through the tank perfectly, and the troops dried out eventually. The LFTC article, called "Super Turtles," begins on page 20. | ||
| 1975 | 6 | LVIII | 6 | Marines of Alpha and Delta Companies, 2d Tank Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N. C., recently spent two weeks training at the Army's Fort Pickett, Va. Delta Company was there to learn about the newly adopted M-60 tank, while Alpha Company got in some last-minute firing with its trusty M-48's prior to deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Herb Richardson was on hand when one of the M-48's cut loose with its 90-mm. main gun. The story, "Track Training, begins on page 18. | ||
| 1975 | 7 | LVIII | 7 | Archibald Summers, first Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, was appointed in 1801-'02, although the office, as such, was not officially authorized until 1833. The painting of Summers on this month's cover is by Maj Charles Waterhouse, USMCR. The post was re-created in 1957. Since then, seven Marines have served as Sergeant Major of the Corps. C. L. Kammeier, Leatherneck's Editor-Publisher, salutes them in an article on page 18. | ||
| 1975 | 8 | LVIII | 8 | President Gerald R. Ford was accompanied by Navy Capt Bryan W. Compton, CO of the USS Nimitz, when the world's largest ship was commissioned at Norfolk, Va., recently. The cover was photographed by Tom Bartlett as the ship's Marine Detachment "presented arms" on the hangar deck. The Nimitz story and additional photos of her Marines begin on page 18. | ||
| 1975 | 9 | LVIII | 9 | The Vietnam Service Medal. Leatherneck dedicates this issue to all those who served in Vietnam, to their valor, their devotion, to their love of country. To those who fought and returned... and, to those who made the supreme sacrifice.... Cover photo by Lou Lowery, Leatherneck Photographic Director. The background photo was taken in Vietnam by Sgt Ernie Lebreque. | ||
| 1975 | 10 | LVIII | 10 | The Navy-Marine Team An early beginning 1775 An early toast to the Navy/ Marine Corps team was rendered in 1775 aboard a ship of the Continental Navy. The acrylic painting of the event on our cover is by Maj USMCR. Charles Waterhouse, USMCR. A story about the Navy / Marine Corps Team appears on page 18. | ||
| 1975 | 11 | LVIII | 11 | Heritage of Our Corps The Battle Standard of the Marine Corps, carried by Sgt L.M. Baade, Marine Color Sergeant. This standard proudly bears streamers representing those foreign and U.S. awards earned by Marine Corps units for combat action, as well as those of the campaigns and expeditions in which Marine Corps units have participated from the American Revolution through the war in Vietnam. Cover design: Jim Hopewell. Photo by Lou Lowery. | ||
| 1975 | 12 | LVIII | 12 | Merry Christmas to all from the staff of Leatherneck Cover design: Jim Hopewell. |
If, by default, this template's collapsible group/section is hidden ("collapsed") when the template is shown, use {{Leatherneck Magazine |List of Pacific Edition of Leatherneck Magazine Issues}} to set it to be visible ("expanded", "uncollapsed").
The Pacific Edition of the Leatherneck was published to distribute the magazine to troops in the field from offices in Hawaii and Guam.
| Cover | Volume | Issue | Year | Month | Day | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1 | 1 | 1944 | 7 | 1 | Cover: Artwork by Sgt. Pat Denman |
| 1 | 2 | 1944 | 7 | 15 | Cover: Attack and Counter-Attack on Hill 660 – Artwork by Koskinen | |
| 1 | 3 | 1944 | 8 | 1 | Cover: Short Belts – Short Range by artist Koskinen | |
| 1 | 4 | 1944 | 8 | 15 | Cover: Winning Pitcher..Spillane by artist Tom Lovell | |
| 1 | 5 | 1944 | 9 | 1 | Cover: War on Japan’s Doorstep – The Battle for Saipan by artist Sgt. John Clymer | |
| 1 | 6 | 1944 | 9 | 15 | Cover: Air Battle for the Marshalls – Artwork by De Grasse | |
| 1 | 7 | 1944 | 10 | 1 | Cover: Cover Art by artist Sgt Pat Denman | |
| 1 | 8 | 1944 | 10 | 15 | Cover: Gwendolyn the Gooney / Artwork by Anthony | |
| 1 | 9 | 1944 | 11 | 1 | Cover: 169th Anniversary United States Marine Corps – Artwork by Sgt. John Clymer | |
| 1 | 10 | 1944 | 11 | 15 | ||
| 1 | 11 | 1944 | 12 | 1 | ||
| 1 | 12 | 1944 | 12 | 15 | ||
| 2 | 1 | 1945 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 1945 | 1 | 15 | ||
| 2 | 3 | 1945 | 2 | 1 | Cover: Artwork by Sgt. John Clymer | |
| 2 | 4 | 1945 | 2 | 15 | Cover: Artwork by De Grasse | |
| 2 | 5 | 1945 | 3 | 1 | Cover: Artwork by Sgt. Fred Lasswell | |
| 2 | 6 | 1945 | 3 | 15 | Cover: Artwork by Fred Lasswell | |
| 2 | 7 | 1945 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 2 | 8 | 1945 | 4 | 15 | Cover: Mt. Suribachi | |
| 2 | 9 | 1945 | 5 | 1 | Cover: Artwork by Fred Lasswell | |
| 2 | 10 | 1945 | 5 | 15 | Cover: Artwork by Sgt. Bill O’Brian | |
| 2 | 11 | 1945 | 6 | 1 | Cover: Artwork by H. Koskinen | |
| 2 | 12 | 1945 | 6 | 15 | Cover: Artwork by Tom Lovell | |
| 3 | 1 | 1945 | 7 | 1 | Cover: Artwork by Fred Lasswell | |
| 3 | 2 | 1945 | 7 | 15 | Cover: Artwork by Sgt. Bill O’Brian. | |
| 3 | 3 | 1945 | 8 | 1 | Cover: Artwork by Tom Lovell | |
| 3 | 4 | 1945 | 8 | 15 | Cover: Artwork by Sgt. John Clymer | |
| 3 | 5 | 1945 | 9 | 1 | Cover: Artwork by Sgt. Fred Lasswell | |
| 3 | 6 | 1945 | 9 | 15 | Cover: Artwork by Anthony | |
| 3 | 7 | 1945 | 10 | 1 | Cover: Artwork by Sgt. Fred Lasswell | |
| 3 | 8 | 1945 | 10 | 15 | Cover: Kerr Eby, noted artist who achieved fame with his drawings and paintings of World War I, has seen action with Marines in the Pacific, in this war. Inserted in this issue of the Leatherneck are 24 pages of his sketches made of Marines on Pacific Island battlefronts. Cover of this Leatherneck issue is a Kerr Eby sketch depicting the use of a jeep as an ambulance during the Bougainville campaign. | |
| 3 | 9 | 1945 | 11 | 1 | Cover: 170th Anniversary United States Marine Corps – Artwork by Sgt. Fred Lasswell | |
| 3 | 10 | 1945 | 11 | 15 | ||
| 3 | 11 | 1945 | 12 | 1 | ||
| 3 | 12 | 1945 | 12 | 15 | Cover: Artwork by Anthony |
Roy Stanley Geiger was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served in World War I and World War II. In World War II, he became the first Marine Corps general to lead a field army.
John Archer Lejeune was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general and the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Lejeune served for nearly 40 years in the military, and commanded the U.S. Army's 2nd Division during World War I. After his retirement from the Marine Corps he became superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute.
Lemuel Cornick Shepherd Jr. was a General in the United States Marine Corps, 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Navy Cross recipient, veteran of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.
Earl Edward Anderson was a U.S. Marine four-star general. He was the youngest active duty Marine ever promoted to the rank of general and the first active duty Marine Naval Aviator to be promoted to a 4-star rank. He became Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps on April 1, 1972. He was promoted to general on March 31, 1972. General Keith B. McCutcheon had been promoted to four-star rank the day of his retirement for medical reasons on July 1, 1971. During his 35-year Marine career, he served in combat actions in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Fred D. Lasswell was an American cartoonist best known for his decades of work on the comic strip Barney Google and Snuffy Smith.
The Marine Corps League is the only congressionally chartered United States Marine Corps-related veterans organization in the United States. Its congressional charter was approved by the 75th U.S. Congress and signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 4, 1937. The organization credits Major General John A. Lejeune, the 13th Marine Corps commandant, as one of its founding members.
Robert Magnus is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 30th Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from September 8, 2005, to July 2, 2008. He retired from active duty on July 17, 2008, after 38 years of total service.
Allen Hal Turnage was a United States Marine Corps General who earned the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal while leading the 3rd Marine Division on Bougainville and Guam in World War II.
Major General Charles Dodson Barrett was the first commanding general of the 3rd Marine Division. He died while on duty in the South Pacific, 8 October 1943. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his outstanding service during World War II. Camp Barrett, home of The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico is named after him.
The United StatesFleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general and special forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Fleet Marine Forces provide the National Command Authority (NCA) with a responsive force that can conduct operations in any spectrum of conflict around the globe.
Edwin Howard Simmons was a United States Marine Corps brigadier general. He was a career officer who served in combat during three wars — including landing at Inchon and fighting at the Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. He was renowned as the official Marine Corps historian, being called "the collective memory of the Marine Corps". His 1974 book The United States Marines: A History is a seminal reference text.
General Merrill Barber Twining was a United States Marine Corps general who received a "tombstone promotion" to four-star general upon retirement. He was the brother of Air Force General Nathan Farragut Twining, and the nephew of Rear Admiral Nathan Crook Twining.
The Marine Corps Association is the professional organization for members of the United States Marine Corps and friends of the Corps. It is known for its publications Leatherneck Magazine and Marine Corps Gazette. As of 2009, MCA became part of MCA&F, the Marine Corps Association & Foundation.
General Vernon Edgar Megee was a United States Marine Corps general. He is recognized as a pioneer in the development of close air support for ground combat operations. He served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1956 to 1957; with his final billet from 1957 to 1959 as commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. When he retired from the Marine Corps, after 40 years of active duty service, he received a promotion to 4-star rank.
John William Thomason Jr. was a lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps, as well as an author and illustrator of several books and magazine stories.
The Marine Corps Gazette is a professional journal by and for members of the United States Marine Corps. Known as "The Professional Journal of U.S. Marines", the Gazette was founded in 1916 at Marine Corps Base Quantico by Colonel John A. Lejeune as the vehicle to launch the Marine Corps Association (MCA). The MCA continues to publish the Gazette alongside Leatherneck Magazine. The headquarters of the Gazette is in Quantico, Virginia.
Leslie Mather Palm is a retired United States Marine Corps major general and former publisher and CEO of the Marine Corps Association. His last active duty position was the Director, Marine Corps Staff, Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. (1996–1998). Palm retired on September 1, 1998.
Edwin North McClellan was a United States Marine Corps officer, author, and historian. He was the first director of the Historical Section of Headquarters Marine Corps, a historigraphical organization now known as Marine Corps History Division.
The "Marines' Hymn" is the official hymn of the United States Marine Corps, introduced by the first director of the USMC Band, Francesco Maria Scala. Its music originates from an 1867 work by Jacques Offenbach with the lyrics added by an anonymous author at an unknown time in the following years. Authorized by the Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1929, it is the oldest official song in the United States Armed Forces. The "Marines' Hymn" is typically sung at the position of attention as a gesture of respect, akin to a national anthem. However, the third verse is also used as a toast during formal events, such as the birthday ball and other ceremonies.
Robert Bostwick Carney Jr. was a United States Marine Corps brigadier general who served in World War II and the Vietnam War.
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