This 1920s photograph, inscribed 'Maj. Gen. [Cole] and Chief of Staff, Quantico, VA,' captures senior officers observing wharf loading operations at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. During this period Quantico served as the principal training and embarkation center for U.S. Marine expeditionary forces deployed throughout the Caribbean and Central America. The presence of a motion-picture camera crew documenting the scene reflects the era's growing use of film for military training and public relations purposes. Project: 218713