MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Depot personnel congregated at Duncan Hall for the observance of the National Prayer Breakfast Feb. 15.
The observance on military installations and in communities across the nation is an extension of the National Prayer Breakfast held in Washington, D.C. every year.
The depot celebration began with music from a Navy Band Southwest quartet. Navy Capt. Timothy Morita, depot command chaplain, then welcomed everyone to the breakfast. After the welcome, Col. Ana R. Smythe, Headquarters and Service Battalion commanding officer, said grace over the meal.
Col. Arthur Corbett, 12th Marine Corps Recruiting District commanding officer, then recited the prayer President Dwight D. Eisenhower said before his first inaugural address.
The guest speaker for the breakfast was Brig. Gen. John M. Paxton Jr., depot and Western Recruiting Region commanding general.
"Morality and spirituality have always been an integral part of our nation," Brig. Gen. Paxton said in his remarks to the attendees.
After a closing prayer given by Cmdr. Richard Silveira, Recruit Training Regiment chaplain, the congregation was asked to join in the singing of "America the Beautiful." The band finished with the "Marines' Hymn" to close the event.
"The breakfast definitely helps to bring organizations together," said Cmdr. Randall Craft, H&S Bn. chaplain. "Some units seem to be segregated from each other, and this event helps to unify the depot as a whole."
In 1942, prayer breakfast groups were organized in the Senate and House of Representatives and met weekly to share and pray for their individual spiritual needs and affirm the nation's dependency on an almighty god, according to depot organizers. In 1953, members of the Senate and House Prayer Groups established the Presidential Prayer Breakfast.
The breakfast has taken place each year since and has become known as the Annual National Prayer Breakfast. In 1970, the name was changed to National Prayer Breakfast to emphasize the individuals attending and their purpose in gathering. Yearly, as soon as Congress convenes, the president, vice president, cabinet members, congressmen, justices of the Supreme Court, government officials and military leaders gather to pray and to celebrate the nation's spiritual and moral heritage.