The Mameluke sword, a symbol of Marine honor, was awarded to which officer by Prince Hamet Bey?

The Mameluke sword, a symbol of Marine honor, was awarded to which officer by Prince Hamet Bey?

• A. Daly
• B. Smedley Butler
• C. Presley O'Bannon
• D. Archibald Henderson

Answer: (C)

The Mameluke sword became a symbol of Marine honor because it was given to the Marine officer who commanded the forces at Derna during the First Barbary War. Prince Hamet Bey presented the sword to Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon after the successful Derna campaign, recognizing his leadership and the Marines’ bravery. This gift tied Marine identity to that pivotal foreign victory and established the sword as the ceremonial emblem carried by Marine officers. The other names are notable Marines from other periods, but the gift from Hamet Bey specifically honors Presley O’Bannon.

The Mameluke sword became a symbol of Marine honor because it was given to the Marine officer who commanded the forces at Derna during the First Barbary War. Prince Hamet Bey presented the sword to Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon after the successful Derna campaign, recognizing his leadership and the Marines’ bravery. This gift tied Marine identity to that pivotal foreign victory and established the sword as the ceremonial emblem carried by Marine officers. The other names are notable Marines from other periods, but the gift from Hamet Bey specifically honors Presley O’Bannon.