{"id":56380,"date":"2022-12-08T23:36:25","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T23:36:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/12\/08\/18-marines-become-citizens-in-north-carolina-battleship-ceremony\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:55:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:55:54","slug":"18-marines-become-citizens-in-north-carolina-battleship-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/2022\/12\/08\/18-marines-become-citizens-in-north-carolina-battleship-ceremony\/","title":{"rendered":"18 Marines become citizens in battleship ceremony in North Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Eighteen more Marines are now citizens <\/a>of the country they serve following a large naturalization ceremony Friday on a historic battleship moored in North Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marines hail from 14 different countries across five continents and are members of 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, <\/a>according to a news release from the Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, based 2nd Marine Division. The ceremony was one of the largest ever for a Marine infantry battalion<\/a>, according to the press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marines swore their oaths of allegiance aboard the battleship North Carolina before Judge Richard E. Myers II, chief judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina, according to the release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday was a great chance to recognize a significant event in the lives of these young Marines,\u201d Lt. Col. William Kerrigan, the Marines\u2019 commanding officer, said in the press release. \u201cThey have already raised their hands and committed to defending this nation, without even being U.S. citizens. Now that they have earned their citizenship, I\u2019m excited to see where it takes them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t