The Sunset Parade is a

military parade A military parade is a formation of soldiers whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as drilling or marching. The military parade is now almost entirely ceremonial, though soldiers from time immemorial up until the lat ...

performed by the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

at the

Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial is a U.S. national memorial built to honor the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is on the western end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., across from the Washington Monument, and is in the ...

on the

National Mall The National Mall is a Landscape architecture, landscaped park near the Downtown, Washington, D.C., downtown area of Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. It contains and borders a number of museums of the Smithsonian Institut ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

It is very loosely based on the ''Landing Party Manual'' and is executed on Tuesday evenings in the summer, involving approximately 200 personnel drawn from the garrison of

Marine Barracks Washington Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. is located at the corner of 8th and I Streets, Southeast in Washington, D.C. Established in 1801, it is a National Historic Landmark, the oldest post in the United States Marine Corps, the official residence of ...

History

In 1911, Marine Corps recruit training moved out of Marine Barracks Washington ("8th and I"), and the remnant garrison posted there turned its attention to ceremonial duties. Major

Lemuel Shepherd Lemuel Cornick Shepherd Jr. (February 10, 1896 – August 6, 1990) was a four-star general of the United States Marine Corps. A veteran of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, he was the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps. As Com ...

organized a weekly afternoon parade during the summer months in 1934 based on the drill of the ''Landing Party Manual''. The Marine Corps performed a pass in review for President

Dwight Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

during dedication ceremonies of the Marine Corps War Memorial in 1954. The following year, guard mounting at the memorial became a weekly occurrence, held at 4:30 p.m. Sunset Parade 130625-M-KS211-040

A joint evening drill with the British

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

in 1956 at the Bermuda Searchlight Tattoo convinced Marine officers that they would achieve a more dramatic effect by moving the afternoon parade to the evening hours and performing it under spotlights. They implemented the change that year, resulting in the

Friday Evening Parade The Friday Evening Parade is a public duty performed by the United States Marine Corps at Marine Barracks Washington. It is executed on Friday evenings during the summer months. The parade's drill is loosely based on the ''Landing Party Manual''. ...

. Meanwhile, the drill formerly performed during the afternoon parade was moved to Tuesday evenings and its location changed to the

Marine Corps War Memorial The United States Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) is a national memorial located in Arlington County, Virginia. The memorial was dedicated in 1954 to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the United States since 177 ...

, replacing the more modest guard mount that had occurred there since 1955. The afternoon parade is now called the Sunset Parade; it was temporarily moved in 2018 to the Lincoln Memorial as the War Memorial undergoes refurbishment.

Organization

Order of ceremony

As of 2018 the Sunset Parade, which lasts approximately one hour, takes place at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday evenings in June, July, and August. The parade begins with a demonstration performance by "The Commandant's Own" Drum and Bugle Corps. This is followed by a march on of the participating units, the advance of the national and Marine Corps colors to "

You're a Grand Old Flag "You're a Grand Old Flag" is an American patriotic march. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the U.S. flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, includ ...

", the performance of "

Star Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bo ...

", a demonstration drill by the U.S. Marine Silent Drill Platoon, and a pass in review for a guest of honor set to "

Semper Fidelis ''Semper fidelis'' () is a Latin phrase that means "always faithful" or "always loyal" (Fidelis or Fidelity). It is the motto of the United States Marine Corps, usually shortened to Semper Fi. It is also in use as a motto for towns, families, ...

" and the "

Marines' Hymn 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 anonymou ...

". It concludes with " Taps", the retirement of the colors to the trio section of the " National Emblem March", and a march off.

Units and personnel

The parade involves approximately 200 personnel. Participating units include "The Commandant's Own", the Silent Drill Platoon, the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard, Alpha Company of the 8th and I garrison, and Bravo Company of the 8th and I garrison.

Reception

When the Sunset Parade is held at the Marine Corps Memorial, a pre-parade reception is conducted for the guest of honor at the

Women in Military Service for America Memorial The Women In Military Service For America Memorial, also known as Military Women's Memorial, is a memorial established by the U.S. federal government which honors women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The memorial is located at ...

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

Notes

References

External links

Video of the Sunset Parade on YouTube
{{Authority control United States Marine Corps Events in Washington, D.C. Recurring events established in 1934 Military parades in the United States