“祝海军陆战队员们生日快乐！”这个月，美国海军陆战队举行了一年一度的切蛋糕仪式，来庆祝它的第243个生日。这次庆祝活动代表了海军陆战队员们再次对海军陆战队做出承诺，也代表了海军陆战队再次对我们国家在世界范围内对和平与自由的追寻做出承诺。在这里对北京美国大使馆的切蛋糕仪式一探究竟吧。

按惯例，是用海军陆战队员的佩剑来切生日蛋糕。第一块蛋糕呈递给主宾。第二块呈递给部队中最年长的海军陆战队员，这名队员再把这块蛋糕递给最年轻的海军陆战队员。

海军陆战队是国防部的四种武装部队中规模最小的，有185,000名现役官兵部署在太平洋、南美洲、非洲、欧洲和中东地区。

"Happy Birthday Marines!”  This month, the United States Marine Corps celebrates its 243rd birthday with its annual cake-cutting ceremony.  This celebration represents a renewal of Marines’ commitment to the Corps and the Corps’ commitment to our nation’s quest for peace and freedom worldwide.    Catch an insider’s glimpse here of Embassy Beijing’s cake cutting ceremony.  

The birthday cake is traditionally cut with the Marines’ sword.  The first piece of cake is presented to the Guest of Honor. The second piece is presented to the oldest Marine in the command, who then passes it to the youngest Marine.

The Marine Corps is the smallest of the four U.S. armed services in the Department of Defense, with 185,000 active-duty personnel deployed in the Pacific, South America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.