Philadelphia is the birthplace of a branch of the United States Military.
Philadelphia . Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps , and is also the home of many U.S. firsts , including the first library ( 1731 ) , first hospital ( 1751 ) and medical school ( 1765 ) , first Capital ( 1777 ) , first stock exchange ( 1790 ) , first zoo ( 1874 ) , and first business school ( 1881 ) . The United States Marine Corps ( USMC ) , also known as the United States Marines , is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection , using the mobility of the United States Navy , by Congressional mandate , to deliver rapidly , combined-arms task forces on land , at sea , and in the air . The U.S. Marine Corps is one of the four armed service branches in the U.S. Department of Defense ( DoD ) and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States .