Marines Canceling or Adapting 226 Year Birthday Parties: Marines around the world will mark the 226th birthday of the Marine Corps on Saturday, but many won’t celebrate with the usual birthday bash. Some commanders have canceled the traditional birthday ball for subdued cake-cutting gatherings that will be short, sweet and on base. Commanders remain leery of having large gatherings of active-duty personnel off-base since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in America. Some also have found it inappropriate to throw a big party when the military is dropping bombs in Afghanistan.