Marine Corps mascot
Home Back to Marine Corps History
The canine leatherneck is affectionately referred to as "Molly" by her fellow Marines at the "Oldest Post of the Corps." Molly gets her name from the term Molly Marines, the name given to the first women in the United States Marine Corps.
The brindle and white-colored pedigreed English bulldog enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Aug. 24, 1995 during a ceremony at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.
The duties of this devil dog include serving as official mascot of Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., and appearing weekly at the renowned Friday Evening Parades held at the barracks during the summer months.
Her performance at the barracks is part of a long tradition of English bulldogs as mascots for the Marine Corps. That tradition was believed to have its roots during World War I when German soldiers referred to the Marines as "devil dogs," comparing their fierce fighting ability to that of wild mountain dogs of Bavarian folklore. Soon afterward, a Marine recruiting poster painted by artist Charles B. Falls appeared depicting a dachshund, attired in a spiked helmet and Iron Cross, fleeing from an English bulldog wearing a helmet with the globe and anchor insignia. The inscription read, "Teufel Hunden -German nickname for U.S. Marines ... Devil Dog Recruiting Station."
Not long after that, Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler, then-Commanding Officer of the Marine Barracks at Quantico, Va., carried the fledgling tradition further by enlisting Private Jiggs into the Marine Corps on Oct. 14, 1922. Jiggs, formally King Bulwark, was sired by the once-famous pedigreed English bulldog Rob Roy and whelped in Philadelphia on May 22, 1921. Jiggs received rapid promotions, becoming a sergeant major on July 17, 1924. He traveled extensively (legend has it that he traveled more than 100,000 miles by sea, land and air), made numerous public appearances, and even shared movie stardom with Lon Chaney in the 1926 Hollywood production of "Tell it to the Marines."
Following Jiggs' death on Jan. 9, 1927, former boxing heavyweight champion James J. (Gene) Tunney, who had served with the Marines in France, continued the tradition by donating English bulldog Jiggs II to the Marines at Quantico. At the same time, the Royal Marines of Great Britain donated an English bulldog pup named Pagett, who was said to have been one of the top 20 English bulldogs in Great Britain at that time. Pagett traveled with the Marine baseball team, but had an early reputation of disciplinary infractions, such as "chasing a blonde stenographer down the hall," and "biting the hand that fed him," before succumbing to heat exhaustion in 1928.
By then public opinion had already formed what is now a strong association between the English bulldog and the Marine Corps.
It was in recognition of that association that the barracks acquired PFC Chauncy in 1956. As in all traditions, however, the tale had a humble beginning. Chauncy, who had not attended Ceremonial Drill School, was not allowed to perform during ceremonies. He was merely a spectator in the stands along with the commandant and the barracks commanding officer.
However, the tradition of English bulldog mascots at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., was begun. Chauncy's successor, Chesty I, (named in honor of legendary Marine Lieutenant General Lewis "Chesty" Puller) became a part of the very first Evening Parade - July 5, 1957. Chesty I, and his successors, became prominent parade participants with their strutting ceremonial strolls down Center Walk during the Friday Evening parades at the "Oldest Post of the Corps."
With their own official Service Record Books, the mascots are treated no differently than other barracks Marines. Well, almost.
Chesty II, who was constantly violating rules and regulations and had no respect for his superiors, took an unauthorized absence. Chased by a corporal and two privates, he streaked past the main gate and made an unauthorized liberty call on Washington, D.C., for two days. He was returned in a paddy wagon ... just in time for a Friday Evening parade.
During President Lyndon B. Johnson's visit to Marine Barracks on Sept. 22, 1967, Chesty V strutted down to the middle of the parade field, halted, sat and looked the President directly in the eye. The President smiled, turned to the Barracks Commanding Officer, Colonel Joseph Fegan Jr., and said, "I'm familiar with the Marine Corps' fantastic training accomplishments, but this is most unusual. Well done!" Fortunately, the President did not know that the incident had not been planned. Staff Sgt. Chesty V, who retired in August 1971, tore up several uniforms and took a nip at General Lewis Walt's French poodle, nearly causing him to miss his second award of the Good Conduct Medal.
However troublesome, though, the canine crowd-pleasers are a formal and indelible part of Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., and the Marine Corps' image.
Commercial artists have picked up on the association between the Corps and the bulldog over the years and have immortalized it on T-shirts and coffee mugs. Although other animals have been used as unit mascots during the Marine Corps' long history, it is the English bulldog that has remained a constant companion to the few and the proud. Renowned for their tough, muscular and aggressive appearance, the English bulldogs have long suited the Corps' need for a symbol and a faithful mascot. Prone to weight problems, often reluctant to obey orders and always the last to fall into formation for physical training, the dogs have also always found favor with struggling junior troops, who are relieved that the sergeant major has someone besides them to bark.
