Who wrote the words to the Marine Corps hymn?

• A. The author is unknown
• B. John Phillip Sousa
• C. General Lejeune
• D. The President's Own

Answer: (A)

The words of the Marine Corps Hymn come from an anonymous source. This famous lyric has been passed down and circulated for many years, and there isn’t a definitive record of a single person who wrote it. The lines connect Marine history—like the reference to Montezuma and Tripoli—with a traditional refrain, so the text is treated as a historic but anonymous piece that became a lasting part of Marine identity.

What about the other names? John Philip Sousa is well known for his military marches and did help popularize Marine Corps music, but he did not author the hymn’s words. General Lejeune is a notable figure in Marine Corps history, yet he didn’t write the hymn. The President’s Own is the nickname for the United States Marine Band, the ensemble that performs the hymn, not its author.