While the original source of the Devil Dog nickname is up for debate, most know the story from what the Germans called Marines in World War I, Teufel Hunden translated to Devil Dogs, used to describe the fierce fighting style of the Marines at Belleau Wood.
It is a fact that the moniker became widespread in its use and a source of pride beginning in 1918. Recruiting posters featuring an English Bulldog wearing a US helmet chasing a Dachshund with a spiked German helmet appeared during that year proclaiming the “Devil Dog Recruiting Station.”
And it’s all thanks to one Marine: Sgt. Maj. Jiggs, the Corps’ first mascot.
On Oct. 14, 1922, during a formal ceremony, Butler signed the enlistment papers for Jiggs. The contract length: life. (In case you ever thought the fine print on your contract was rough.) Like all Marines, Jiggs had duties — sit, stay, lie down — and the ability to pick up rank, which he did at a cyclic rate. By 1924, the enterprising bulldog had rocketed up the ladder from private to sergeant major.
Unfortunately, due to the short lifespan of English bulldogs, Jiggs passed away on Jan. 9, 1927, and was buried with full military honors in a satin-lined casket at Quantico. But Jiggs’ legacy endured, with the breed becoming the official mascot of the Corps. Before Jiggs passed away, the mantle of Marine Corps mascot passed to Jiggs II.
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