BULLDOG MASCOTS IN THE MARINE CORPS

The Marine Corps has Smedley Butler to thank for the adoption of th English bulldog as its official mascot.

Following the end of WW I, public interest in the military waned.  In 1919, BGen Smedley D. Butler, fondly known as “Old Gimlet Eye,” and one of only two Marines to be awarded the Medal of Honor for separate acts of heroism, was appointed CG of Marine Barracks, Quantico.  Butler understood the importance of top quality sporting events and of favorable publicity in attracting men to the Corps.  He became the driving force that put Marines in the public spotlight through the “Quantico Marines” football team, a venture that was to last half a century and garner widespread publicity and recognition not only for Quantico but the entire Marine Corps.

In 1921, General Butler purchased a pedigree English bulldog, named “King Bulwark,” to become the official Quantico mascot.  This breed was known for its fierce stocky body and tenacious temperament.  The bulldog had been associated with the Marine Corps since a World War I recruiting poster depicted a bulldog perusing a German dachshund.  The Marines’ tenacious fighting at Belleau Wood earned them the sobriquet “Teufel Hunden” or “Devil Dogs.”

“King Bulwark” was not considered to be an appropriate name for a Marine Mascot, so his name was changed to “Jiggs” after a popular personality in the cartoon strip “Maggie and Jiggs.”  He was enlisted in the Marine Corps on 7 October 1922 and was issued a service record boo, a custom already in effect for mascots in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.  General Butler himself signed Jiggs’ enlistment papers and appointed him a sergeant major.  Jiggs received worldwide recognition and appeared at all sporting events where Marines played and everywhere else where his presence might draw public attention and enhance the morale and spirit of Marines.  Many Marine athletic teams were called “Fighting Bulldogs.

After the death of the first Jiggs, on 7 January 1927, other canines carried on his name until as late as 1964.  The “Chesty” dynasty took residence at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. by January 1972.

The first mascot of Marine Corps Base, San Diego was an English Bull Dog named James Jolly Plum Duff.  He came to the Base in 1939 when he was two years old.  He had his own SRB and lived in his own BEQ until he became a staff NCO, at which time his quarters also received a promotion.  He died in 1945 from injuries sustained when he was hit by a car in 1944.  He was succeeded by one of his sons, Duffy’s Limey Grog, the former mascot of the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Elliot. 

In addition to bulldogs, other San Diego mascots have included cats and monkeys.  On 6 Nov 1942, the Recruit Depot, which was one of several separate commands aboard the base at that time, christened a 4-year- old Philippine monkey “Joe Q. Boot” and officially named him recruit Depot mascot.  The Women’s Reserve stationed aboard the base had a white fluffy terrier named, “Stormy Weather.”

One of the most famous Marine Corps mascots to reside aboard the base was, a sad-eyed multi breed canine with two hashmarks, “Sgt Soochow.”  Soochow started out as the mascot of B Company, 1st Bn, 4th Regiment stationed in Shanghai in 1937.  By the time the regiment shipped out to the Philippines in 1941, shortly before the start of World War II, Soochow had been claimed as mascot by the entire regiment.  Soochow hit the foxholes with the other Marines during the siege of Corregidor, and fought alongside his buddies, snarling and snapping at the Japanese.  He captured when the island surrendered on 6 May 1942.  Soochow spent nearly three years in various prisoner of war camps.  During his internment, his serviceman’s record book was hidden, but it was later recovered He and 17 Marines were liberated by American Rangers in February 1945.  He was taken to the Marine Base in San Diego where he lived the remainder of his life in luxury as the Recruit Depot’s mascot.  Soochow held the Philippine Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, Good Conduct, WW II Victory and American Defense Medals and ribbons.  Soochow may have been the only mascot to have a parade in his honor.  On 29 October 1946, the entire Recruit Depot turned out enmasse to take part in and witness a parade in honor of Soochow’s ninth birthday.  He passed away on 21 April 1947

On 11 August 1950, a monument was erected in memory of all MCRD mascots.  It was inscribed with the names of James Jolly Plum Duff, Soochow, Duffy’s Limey Grog, Jigger, and Duffy.  The monument is located on Beeson Field, off Guadalcanal, behind the Recruit Chow Hall, to the right of the “MCCS Paintball Park” sign.

Another well-loved Marine mascot was “Sgt Jack (Siwash) Cornelius”, a duck adopted by a 75mm pack howitzer unit of the 2nd Marine Division.  At Tarawa, on D-Day plus one, he paddled ashore and chased a Japanese rooster up the beach when the fighting was at it height.  Siwash went ashore on Saipan on D-Day and hit the beach at Tinian on D-day plus one.  Sgt Siwash stayed by his 75mm until the islands were secured.  On the battlefield Siwash was always the last to waddle into a foxhole and the last to get out.