Marines all have a ball

Remembering the past — the battles fought, the sacrifices made and the people who gave their lives — is what brought together more than 1,300 Marines and their significant others Saturday night.

The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines celebrated the Marine Corps inceptions at the annual Marine Ball at the Huntington Beach Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa.

The night is what makes the Marines unique — the fact that they take so much pride in their customs and traditions, said Staff Sgt. Abdiel Garcia.

“It’s a good way to show them the history that passed behind them, and now you’re carrying on the legacy,” Garcia said.

The ball is also a special event for Garcia and his wife, Daisy, who he said has supported him through the years. The couple has been married for eight years and been to many balls together.

Garcia has been with the Corps since 1999 after a recruiter called him in high school and he signed up. Garcia said he was looking for a challenge, and the Marines haven’t let him down yet.

“Every day, I’ve been challenged,” he said.

Garcia has been overseas before and is getting ready to ship out again with the “Thundering Third” to Afghanistan in the spring. He said it feels like his duty to be over there, and he doesn’t see himself anywhere else.

Garcia said he liked the camaraderie of the Marines, as he pointed to the mass of troops and their dates. The Hyatt’s expansive hallways outside the Grand Ballroom were filled with women in colorful gowns bedecked in rhinestones and sequins and covered in glittering jewelry standing beside Marines in crisp uniforms with gold buttons gleaming.

To help the Marines feel more at home overseas, the Huntington Beach 3/1 Foundation is raising money to send them care packages. The foundation adopted the battalion in 2005 after a proclamation by the City Council. It also helped fund the ball by putting on different fundraisers throughout the year.

Lt. Col. Ben Watson thanked the city for its patriotism at a council meeting Monday .

“Since Huntington Beach adopted our battalion in 2005, there has just been a humbling amount of support for our Marines and sailors,” he said.