A US Marine Corps Sword (a), with scabbard (b) and sword sheath cover (c) (leather and cotton), presented to then 2nd Lt Wendell C. Chinn Sr., upon graduation from Prairie View A&M University in 1972.

The oldest Marine at the celebration, Duane Detterding, used a Marine Corps sword to cut the first piece of cake. In this symbolic tradition, the cutting of cake honors the passing of knowledge ...