Leatherneck Magazine
Encyclopedia
Leatherneck Magazine of the Marines (or simply Leatherneck) is a magazine for United States Marines. It was first published as a newspaper by off-duty Marines at Marine Corps Base Quantico
in 1917, and was originally named The Quantico Leatherneck. In 1918, "Quantico" was dropped from the magazine's name.
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 1925, the format was changed from a newspaper to a magazine.
During World War II, many of the Marine Corps' combat correspondents were assigned to Leatherneck. In 1943, the Leatherneck Association was formed to govern the magazine, making it more autonomous and answerable only to the Commandant.
The magazine is sometimes referred to as the "Reader's Digest for Marines". Its name derives from the slang
"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 2010, MCA continues to publish Leatherneck alongside another Marine Corps periodical the Marine Corps Gazette
.
Leatherneck celebrated its 90th anniversary in November 2007.
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
in 1917, and was originally named The Quantico Leatherneck. In 1918, "Quantico" was dropped from the magazine's name.
In 1920, with the formation of the Marine Corps Institute
Marine Corps Institute
The Marine Corps Institute, commonly referred to as MCI, develops and maintains a curriculum of Marine Corps education. Subjects include infantry strategy/tactics, leadership skills, MOS qualifications, personal finance, and mathematics...
(MCI) by Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
John A. Lejeune
John A. Lejeune
Lieutenant General John Archer Lejeune, was the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Known as the "greatest of all Leathernecks" and the "Marine's Marine", he served for nearly 40 years. His service included commanding the U.S...
, Leatherneck became an official Marine Corps
Marine corps
A marine is a member of a force that specializes in expeditionary operations such as amphibious assault and occupation. The marines traditionally have strong links with the country's navy...
publication under the auspices of MCI, and was moved to Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In 1925, the format was changed from a newspaper to a magazine.
During World War II, many of the Marine Corps' combat correspondents were assigned to Leatherneck. In 1943, the Leatherneck Association was formed to govern the magazine, making it more autonomous and answerable only to the Commandant.
The magazine is sometimes referred to as the "Reader's Digest for Marines". Its name derives from the slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
"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
Marine Corps Association
The Marine Corps Association is an independent association which provides a professional organization for members of the United States Marine Corps...
(MCA). As of 2010, MCA continues to publish Leatherneck alongside another Marine Corps periodical the Marine Corps Gazette
Marine Corps Gazette
Marine Corps Gazette is a professional journal for U.S. Marines founded in 1916 at Marine Corps Base Quantico for members of the United States Marine Corps. Begun by then Col John A. Lejeune as the vehicle to launch the Marine Corps Association , the journal is known as "The Professional Journal...
.
Leatherneck celebrated its 90th anniversary in November 2007.
2010 Leatherneck senior staff
- President/CEO, Marine Corps Association: Major General Edward G. Usher III, USMC (Ret.)
- Publisher/Executive Editor: Colonel Walter G. Ford, USMC (Ret.)
Staff and contributors
Leatherneck staff and contributors have included:- George Booth, cartoonist for The New YorkerThe New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
- John ClymerJohn ClymerJohn Ford Clymer was an American painter and illustrator known for his work that captured nature and the American West....
, animal and Western artist - Russ JonesRuss JonesRuss Jones is a Canadian novelist, illustrator, and magazine editor, active in the publishing and entertainment industries over a half-century, best known as the creator of the magazine Creepy for Warren Publishing...
, illustrator, novelist and founding editor of CreepyCreepyCreepy was an American horror-comics magazine launched by Warren Publishing in 1964. Like Mad, it was a black-and-white newsstand publication in a magazine format and thus did not require the approval or seal of the Comics Code Authority. The anthology magazine was initially published quarterly but...
magazine - Tom Lovell, Western painter
- Fred LasswellFred LasswellFred Lasswell was an American cartoonist best known for his decades of work on the comic strip Barney Google and Snuffy Smith.Born in Kennett, Missouri, he got his start as a sports cartoonist for the Tampa Daily Times...
, cartoonist best known for his comic stripComic stripA comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Snuffy SmithBarney Google and Snuffy SmithBarney Google and Snuffy Smith, originally Barney Google, is a long-running American comic strip created by cartoonist Billy DeBeck . Since its debut on June 17, 1919, the strip has gained a huge international readership, appearing in 900 newspapers in 21 countries...
. - Louis R. LoweryLouis R. LoweryLouis R. "Lou" Lowery was a United States Marine Corps photographer best known for taking the first flag-raising photograph on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945...
, combat photographer who took photo of the first flag-raising atop Mount Suribachi, Iwo JimaIwo JimaIwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo... - Mike PloogMike PloogMichael G. Ploog is an American storyboard and comic book artist, and a visual designer for movies....
, comic-book and movie-storyboardStoryboardStoryboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence....
artist