Who was the first Sergeant Major in the Marine Corps?

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Multiple Choice

Who was the first Sergeant Major in the Marine Corps?

Knowing who first held the Sergeant Major position in the Marine Corps tests your grasp of the Corps’ earliest enlisted leadership. In its early years the Marine Corps established a senior enlisted role—the Sergeant Major—to assist the Commandant with drill, discipline, and administration. Archibald Sommers is recognized as the first person to hold that title, serving in the late 1700s. That early appointment set the precedent for the office long before the modern title Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was created in the 20th century to formalize the senior enlisted adviser. The other figures listed are notable for other roles in Marine history and did not inaugurate the first Sergeant Major post.

Knowing who first held the Sergeant Major position in the Marine Corps tests your grasp of the Corps’ earliest enlisted leadership. In its early years the Marine Corps established a senior enlisted role—the Sergeant Major—to assist the Commandant with drill, discipline, and administration. Archibald Sommers is recognized as the first person to hold that title, serving in the late 1700s. That early appointment set the precedent for the office long before the modern title Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was created in the 20th century to formalize the senior enlisted adviser. The other figures listed are notable for other roles in Marine history and did not inaugurate the first Sergeant Major post.

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