Marine Corps Base Quantico -- The Leatherneck Chapter of the U.S. Field Artillery Association held its annual St. Barbara’s Day celebration at The Clubs at Quantico on Friday. Attending the formal event were members of the artillery community from throughout the National Capital Region and their guests.
The guest of honor for the evening was Brig. Gen. Joseph Shrader, commander of Marine Corps Systems Command and an artilleryman for most of his career.
St. Barbara’s Day celebrations have an ancient origin. According to legend, St. Barbara was a beautiful young Greek woman from the third century whose father kept her imprisoned in a tower to protect her.
When she converted to Christianity, he became enraged and dragged her before the local prefect, who had her tortured. Her father then carried out her death sentence by beheading her himself, but on his way home, he was killed by a lightning bolt.
As per the 11th Marine Regiment website, because of “her association with the avenging thunderbolt,” St. Barbara has long been considered the patron saint of artillerymen and “those who would seek protection from thunderstorms, fire, explosions and sudden death.”
Col. Timothy Parker, commanding officer for Weapons Training Battalion and an artilleryman himself, spearheaded the planning for the Quantico event. Though St. Barbara’s Day is considered to be Dec. 4 by the Roman Catholic Church, various dates in January tend to be better suited to the celebration by Marine units, given the celebration of the Marine Corps birthday in mid-November.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Norman Crowe, artillery enlisted assignments monitor, said the format and traditions for the celebration differ by unit. The Quantico event required the dress uniform for military guests and formal attire for civilians, but attendees were encouraged to bring dates and humorous skits were acted out. Crowe said that 11th Marine Regiment, based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, holds a field mess night at which the attendees wear their camouflage utility uniform; primarily only unit members attend. Though the attire for the Quantico event was formal the atmosphere was jovial and attendees seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves.
According to Crowe, St. Barbara’s Day celebrations usually include a guest speaker, skits performed by attendees “to appease St. Barbara,” the induction of artillerymen into the Honorable Order of St. Barbara and spouses into the Honorable Order of Molly Pitcher, and the making and drinking of artillery punch, accompanied by toasts. The Quantico ceremony captured all of these traditions, and the skits performed by Expeditionary Warfare School students had the room laughing and clapping. The brass quintet from the Quantico Marine Corps Band was on-hand to play the National Anthem, various ceremonial music pieces and the service hymns during the toasts.
Parker shared the story of Molly Pitcher. “Molly Pitcher” was the nickname given to Mary Ludwig Hays McCauly during the Revolutionary War. She followed her husband to different camps, assisting the soldiers, and during the Battle of Monmouth, she carried pitchers of water to the cannon crews to wash out the hot barrels. When her husband fell in battle, Molly took over his role and enabled firing to continue. For her actions she was granted a field commission as a sergeant by General Washington.
During the ceremony, the artillery punch was made by three Marine majors attending Command and Staff College, and in dramatic fashion, they added such (fake) ingredients as the blood of an eagle, muzzle flash and gunpowder, among others. As per tradition, “the most expendable person present” was selected to first taste the punch, and at this year’s event, it was Air Force Maj. Jerarde Tipton. Despite being inducted to the Honorable Order of St. Barbara earlier in the evening for his contributions to the artillery community, in the custom of lighthearted inter-service rivalry, he was selected simply because he was in the Air Force.
A more palatable version of the punch, tasting of grapefruit juice and pineapple rum, rather than eagle blood, was served to all the guests for the toasting portion of the evening. Ten toasts were made, with the first to the United States of America and the final to St. Barbara.
A first-time attendee to a St. Barbara’s Day event, Marion Bond, the wife of The Basie School Instructor Capt. Thomas Bond, said she enjoyed herself. She thought the jokes and skits were funny and appreciated how everyone was lighthearted but took the traditions seriously.
— Writer: ebaker@quanticosentryonline.com