Left: This photo of the gated entrance
to the Peiping Privates’ Club in 1937
reflects the ever-present mode of
individual transport in China—
the rickshaw.
Below: The open-air restaurant in the
Peiping Privates’ Club provides insight
into the fine dining and atmosphere.
S t o r y b y L t C o l P h i l W a g ner, USMCR (Ret)
r tesy of
s tory Division
T
hina Marine” has
p ecial place in the
o ry and provides
nd fairy tales ad-
an 40 years Ma-
A major Marine
tes to 1900 when
a nded by Captain
a ck” Myers, were
l militarylegation
i nterests in China.
C apt Newt H. Hall
nd protecting the
Marine Regiment
e rnational Settle-men t o f S hang ha i an d the Marine embassy guard in the Legation Quarter of
Peiping continued the American presence into the 1930s. The mystique of
service in the Orient came to an abrupt
end withthe Japaneseinvasionof China
in 1937 and the departure or capture
of all Marines by late 1941. In the post-
World War II era, Marines served in
Chinauntilthelate1940s(see“Caught
in the Crossfire,” Leatherneck, April
2008).
There are many references that allude to the desirability of serving in
China. Part of the adventure was being
in a land where foreigners, even Marine privates, had earnings significant-
ly higher than most of the local populace. Marine pay, however small, was
impressive and brought much sway in
nearby areas.
During research for picture evidence
of enlisted rank insignia worn by China
Marines, it was inordinately difficult
to find representation of the ranks of
the time since most pictures of China
Marines were of privates, with a few
privates first class. This dilemma was
presented to Major Rick Spooner, ow
ner of The Globe & Laurel restaurant, a
popular Marine eatery in Stafford, Va.
“The Major” has known many former
China Marines, andhisremarkablerec-
ollections are invaluable.
Spooner just chuckled at this new-
found perspective on rank structure
among China Marines and recalled the
“old Corps,” where promotions were
much slower and harder to come by. In
fact, Marine units in China were composed mostly of lower enlisted ranks.
Once a promotion to corporal was ac-cepted, the individual would more than
likely have to be transferred to another
unit and possibly out of China unless
an open noncommissioned officer billet wasavailable. The Majorrelay
edsto-ries of Marines, like Master Sergeant
Dave Bier, USMC (Ret) and Capt Leo
