Happy birthday, USMC!

This 1944 deodorant advertisement features guys in sharp uniforms and girls with wonderful hairdos. Also, a giant plate of donuts and printed aprons! Yes, Janet, you ARE simply super.

The United States Marine Corps is 239 years old today. Hooray!

They got their start on November 10, 1775 in Philadelphia as the Continental Marines. Sharpshooters from General Washington’s army who knew their way around boats were organized into two platoons. Their job was to do stuff like climb high into the swaying rigging of tall-masted American ships serving as our naval forces–we didn’t have an official navy yet—to fire at enemy officers.

Imagine yourself 100 feet over the deck of a madly tossing vessel, hanging on to the rigging while aiming a muzzle-loading weapon at a small target far away on the deck of a different madly tossing vessel.

Yes, the Marines have always done crazy manly stuff.

Here’s to the Leathernecks!

And here’s to all the nice-smelling ladies—especially the 1940s ones—who’ve landed their Marines!