A guest takes a piece of birthday cake during a cake-cutting ceremony celebrating the 249th U.S. Marine Corps birthday at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va., Nov. 10, 2024.

Detterding passed the cake to the youngest Marine, Zeike Florea. “The Marine Corps birthday cake cutting ceremony is hugely symbolic,” Marine Corps Veteran Chris Bruns said.

Maj. Gen. Frank Donovan and Sgt. Maj. Daniel Krause hold a cake-cutting ceremony for the Marine Corps' 245th birthday at Bogue Air Field, North Carolina, Nov. 10, 2020. (Lance Cpl. Reine Whitaker ...