Marines are good for two things, Guarding gates and catching bullets and I have to admit they've done a hell of a job guarding gates. Not a single one has come up missing since their inception. Thankfully, they're not as adapt at the other thing.
I also call BS on the lighthouse thing.. That most certainly was not the USS Abraham Lincoln. It's a west coast ship, and I left it in 1993 :) Is a funny joke though.
We had a MarDet on the Lincoln for security. Most of em were pretty kewl guys, doing the job as they were trained. Out in town or on the beach they were fun to hang around with, because they always had a Napoleon complex. Short man syndrome or something. Lots of good fights, some won, some lost, but always for no real reason. Most of the Captain's Masts were for the MarDet guys. Reminded me of the typical redneck. Instant *******, just add alcohol :)