Stories

The Tun Legacy Foundation is benefitting from the expertise, leadership and wisdom of two new members of The Tun Legacy Foundation Board of Directors – Gerry Byrne, vice chairman of Penske Media, and General Peter Pace, USMC (Ret.), the sixteenth chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “It is an honor for The Tun Legacy Foundation to welcome Gerry Byrne and General Pace to our board. Each has expressed their strong commitment to the charitable and educational mission of the Foundation. They have brought us ideas and guidance, and are leading initiatives to grow awareness and support for efforts

America’s most historical square mile is the destination for a Marine Corps Birthday focused on 250 years of history. On November 10, The Tun Legacy Foundation is hosting the Marine Corps 250 Birthday Ball at the Museum of the American Revolution. Located in Philadelphia’s Old City District, just a few blocks from Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Independence National Historical Park, Penn’s Landing and the Delaware River waterfront, the museum is at the center of telling the story of the American Revolution. Fittingly, it is also just a few blocks from the original site of the historic Tun, birthplace

The Tun Legacy Foundation is excited to announce Raymond Shaban as the 1,775th member of the 1775 Club. Shaban enlisted in 1992 and is a product of Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. A Combat Engineer, he has been stationed with 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion; 2nd Light Anti Aircraft Missile Battalion; 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Special Operations Training Group; and 1st Force Service Support Group (FSSG). While stationed at MCAS in Yuma, Arizona, he married his wife, Alma. Together, they raised six children. What does it mean to carry the 1775 coin?"It's an honor and a privilege to be a member

The Tun Legacy Foundation is proud to be part of the 5% of 1.8 million nonprofits that has earned the 2025 Candid Gold Seal of Transparency. Candid’s seal program helps funders identify and vet nonprofits. Click here to view our profile. “It is quite an honor to receive the Candid Gold Seal of Transparency as it signifies we have met a high standard of transparency by sharing detailed information about our finances, operations and leadership with the public,” said Pat Dailey, president and founder of The Tun Legacy Foundation. “It is hoped this seal will build trust with potential donors

Homecoming 250 Navy Marine Corps and The Tun Legacy Foundation Detail Plans for the USMC 250th Birthday in Philadelphia – Birthplace of the Marines Beginning on Friday, November 7 and running through Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Homecoming 250 Navy Marine Corps and The Tun Legacy Foundation will host a special series of events in Philadelphia to honor the United States Marine Corps 250th birthday. The celebration will bring together Marines, their families and friends from across the country and around the world. The highlight of the week will be the 250th birthday of

Today, The Tun Legacy Foundation, Inc., announced the formation of The Tun Legacy Foundation Advisory Committee to provide strategic counsel and specialized knowledge in the effort to rebuild the historic Tun in Philadelphia – birthplace of the United States Marines Corps (1775) and Pennsylvania Freemasonry (where the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania was formed in 1731). The highly distinguished group is composed of senior-level retired Marines, including a Medal of Honor recipient, as well as two Pennsylvania Freemasons, including a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. In their volunteer roles, the 11 committee members will support the mission of the

Since its launch at Modern Day Marine on April 29, The Tun® 1775 Club has already enlisted its first 1,300 members. The grassroots campaign aimed at involving Marines, their families and friends in the effort to rebuild the historic Tun in Philadelphia has enlisted members from 48 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and five overseas addresses. Help us reach another milestone – 1,775 members – in the coming weeks by sharing news of The Tun® 1775 Club with your family, friends and social networks. ABOUT THE 1775 CLUB “The intent of this fundraising initiative is to

The Tun Legacy Foundation has achieved major milestones in the effort to rebuild the historic Tun. The land is secured. The architectural drawings and construction documents are complete. Zoning approval has been received and a construction permit has been issued. The Tun Legacy Foundation Advisory Committee was formed. Generous donations from individuals and corporations, grants, and 1775 Club members are helping us get closer to our fundraising goal to begin construction. Events planned by The Tun Legacy Foundation for the 250th birthday of the United States Marine Corps in Philadelphia will also support the rebuild. Thanks to the incredible support and

For the second year, The Tun Legacy Foundation exhibited at Modern Day Marine, the largest military equipment, systems, services and technology expo exclusively organized for the Marines Corps. Co-hosted by the Marine Corps League and the Marine Corps Association, the event was held from April 29-May 1, 2025, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Foundation representatives attending Modern Day Marine included Pat Dailey, founder and president, and board members Paul Garvey, Ken Hopper and Matthew Swindle. Participation at Modern Day Marine enabled them to share news about The Tun® rebuild to an audience that included USMC leadership, Department of

Do you want to see The Tun rebuilt? Do you want to make a toast to the Corps in The Tun®? Then join the 1775 Club and be part of making that happen in Philadelphia. Membership is only $17.75 per month for one year – or make a one-time donation of $213 – and you are a lifetime member. $17.75/month for one year Membership Benefits Official 1775 Club Member T-shirt Mailed to you after your 1st monthly donation Official 1775 Club Member Certificate Mailed to you after your 3rd monthly donation Official 1775 Club Member Coin Mailed to you

The Tun Legacy Foundation is pleased to announce the achievement of major project milestones to construct The Tun® in Old City Philadelphia. The construction documents prepared by the nationally acclaimed architect and engineering firm Ballinger are 100 percent complete. The City of Philadelphia’s Zoning Board of Adjustment provided zoning approval for the project. "Achievement of these milestones is significant," said Pat Dailey, president and founder of The Tun Legacy Foundation. "It paves the path to complete construction trade agreements by Wolfe Scott Builders and Construction Managers, as well as for building permit approval, which is expected next month. All that

LtCol Tom Williams, USMC (Ret.) is donating 50 percent of the profits from his first book, “Doorsteps of Hell,” to help fund the rebuilding of the historic Tun and to encourage others to get on board. In addition, he is offering readers a 10 percent discount on the purchase of the book. “Doorsteps of Hell” is the first book in Williams’ Heart of a Marine Book Series. This powerful story is an honest, no holes barred account of Williams’ battles fought in Vietnam 1969–70. Most importantly, the narrative has been recalled from the diaries Tom kept every day as

“Happy Birthday!” was the greeting on Sunday, November 10, 2024, when 3,000 people gathered on 2nd Street in Philadelphia’s Old City to celebrate the United States Marine Corps' 249th birthday and the groundbreaking of The Tun®. The historic Tun was established in Philadelphia in 1693, just 250 yards from where The Tun® Groundbreaking and Marine Corps Birthday Block Party took place. Although The Tun® has not stood since 1781, it is well known to Marines worldwide. “Every Marine knows The Tun,” said Pat Dailey, president and founder of The Tun Legacy Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit working to rebuild and reestablish

Kevin Hyde, a Marine and the president and co-founder of Philadelphia-based Layer 8 Security, has been nominated by JerseyMan & PhillyMan Magazine for its 2024 Man & Woman of the Year Award. The prize annually recognizes honorees for their professional and philanthropic achievements. It also helps its six nominees raise funds for charities that are important to them. For Hyde, that nonprofit is the Tun Legacy Foundation. “The Foundation’s mission to reestablish The Tun® in Philadelphia and donate all proceeds from operations of The Tun® to veteran and charitable causes was what connected with Kevin, who served in the Marines

The Tun Legacy Foundation is rebuilding one of the nation’s most historic destinations. Several attempts have been made to reestablish the historic Tun since it was razed in 1781, however this is the first time that a coalition of members of the organizations with a heritage at the Tun are joining together in the effort. The Foundation is commemorating the architecture, materials, and layout as it existed in the 1770s to offer a homecoming place for the millions of Americans who can trace their organization’s lineage back to this one tavern. The Tun® will also serve period-influenced refreshments and

The nonprofit Tun Legacy Foundation, Inc., is calling on all construction trades, vendors, suppliers and artisans to join in the effort to rebuild the historic Tun in Philadelphia, and is launching an Equipment, Material and Labor Donation Program to facilitate offers of help. The Tun is the birthplace of the Marines in 1775, Freemasonry in Pennsylvania in 1731, and the founding or early meeting place of three benevolent societies – the St. Andrew’s Society, Friendly Sons & Daughters of St. Patrick, and the Society of St. George. The historic Tun is also purportedly the place where John Adams and the

There are a ton of ways to help rebuild The Tun® in Philadelphia, from buying a brick to sporting a shirt or volunteering your time. Here are 10 ways to be a part of The Tun®, with many of them featuring a collectible or limited-edition item. They range from $11.10 to $2,500. Please consider signing on for more than one. Visit www.thetun.org/contribute or the links below to learn more, place your order or make your donation. “Every dollar gets us closer to completing The Tun®, and fulfilling our mission of making charitable contributions to causes of the organizations that called