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The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce Joshua Crone of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Brennan Morton of Havertown, Pennsylvania as recipients of the Foundation’s 2026 Annual Awards. They will be honored at the Annual Awards Dinner on April 25 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia.
Crone received The Lieutenant William Broyles Award for his play “A Marine Walks Up to the Pearly Gates,” which examines the human cost of war from the American Revolution to Iwo Jima to Afghanistan through the voices and journeys of fallen Marines.
Crone enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1993 and served as an infantry Marine, earning a Navy Achievement Medal during the 1994 Cuban Rafter Crisis before his honorable discharge as a corporal in 1997. He went on to build an international creative career, earning a master’s in philosophy from Jagiellonian University, studying directing in Poland, and writing and directing theater and film across Europe and the United States. In 2021, he founded Yellow Bicycle Theater in Philadelphia, which has quickly grown into a dynamic hub for artistic programming.
Morton received The Eugene Sledge Award for his book “Valhalla Boys: Marine Recon Sniper in Iraq,” a firsthand memoir that chronicles Morton’s experiences with the 2nd Marine Recon Battalion in Iraq in 2006.
Morton is a former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant and Iraq War combat veteran who served with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, deploying twice between 2006 and 2008 as a team leader, scout sniper, and lead breacher. His service earned him numerous distinctions, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat “V,” the Combat Action Ribbon, and designation as an Honor Graduate of the Marine Corps Scout Sniper Course. He studied business and communication at the University of New Hampshire and now works as a full-time writer in Pennsylvania after owning a successful gym for fifteen years.
Crone and Morton are among 20 recipients recognized this year for their exceptional portrayal of Marine Corps history, traditions, and culture across a range of disciplines, including photography, documentary filmmaking, journalism, poetry, nonfiction, and fiction writing.
"Through their exceptional talent and authenticity, these outstanding writers, artists, and photographers explore the rich history, traditions, and culture of the Marine Corps,” said MajGen James W. Lukeman, USMC (Ret), the Foundation's President and CEO. "We are privileged to highlight their remarkable work at our Foundation's Annual Awards and hope that their example inspires others to tell the story of our Marine Corps.”
Annual Awards recipients are selected by a panel of accomplished Marines and civilian experts. Past honorees include celebrated novelists, bestselling authors, national columnists, network producers, and active-duty Marines whose work reflects a deep commitment to accurately telling the Marine Corps story, often through firsthand experience in challenging and dangerous environments.
Each award recipient receives a gold medallion, a commemorative brick along the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park pathway adjacent to the National Museum of the Marine Corps, and a cash prize.
The full list of award recipients is available on the Foundation’s website. For interviews with award recipients, please contact Haylee Sigafoose at hsigafoose@susandavis.com.
