News Release

Antietam National Battlefield to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Marine Corps Maneuvers

Date: August 23, 2024
Contact: [e-mail], 301-432-5124

SHARPSBURG, Md.– Join Antietam National Battlefield on Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Marine Corps Maneuvers. Free, family-friendly presentations, music, equipment displays and living history will explore the importance of the United States military in the establishment and early history of this Civil War battlefield. 

On Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Marine Corps Historical Company and the National Museum of the United States Navy will have displays of historic Marine Corps uniforms and equipment from the 1924 period, and Bravo Co., 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion will display a modern, Light Armored Vehicle.  

Saturday, Aug. 31 

• Starting at 1 p.m., there will be a commemorative ceremony featuring a brass quintet from “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band with talks by Dr. Brian F. Neumann, Chief Historian, Marine Corps History Division and Keith Snyder, Antietam’s Chief of Interpretation. 

Sunday, Sept. 1 

• At 11:15 a.m., Gordon Calhoun, historian and curator at the National Museum of the United States Navy will present on the Navy’s airship program, highlighting two military balloons that were brought to the battlefield in 1924.  

• At 1:15 p.m. there will be an illustrated program on the entire 1924 event. 

In 1924, more than 3,000 Marines of the Marine Expeditionary Force marched from Quantico, Virginia to Antietam Battlefield and participated in 11 days of training and events, called the Marine Corps Maneuvers. More than 100,000 people came to Antietam to watch. 

For more information about the 1924 Marine maneuvers, visit the park’s website at: https://www.nps.gov/anti/learn/historyculture/marines1924.htm. 

 -NPS-