"DEVIL DOG" has become a derisive term in the New Corps!

[Bob Hudson]

As I recall the term DevilDog(s) "Teufel Hund(en) came from a letter (to his sister) found on the body of a dead german officer. In it he described the tenacity of the Marines they had recently been fighting (as compared to the French troops they had fought previously) and that the Marines attacked "like the hounds of hell".

 

The common story of the origin if "Devil Dogs" is a myth. Thanks to some old newspaper archives I found that it predates the Battle of Belleau Wood. Here's what I wrote on Wikipedia:

 

A very common story repeated in the Marine Corps holds that the nickname was adopted from the diary of a German soldier who was killed in action during the Battle of Belleau Wood. In it, he apparently referred to Marines as "dogs of the devil" for their fighting spirit and tenacity.

 

In fact though, the story about US Marines being called "Devil Dogs" because of the Battle of Belleau Wood is a myth. The term first appeared in US newspapers in April 1918, almost two months before the Battle of Belleau Wood.

 

An April 16, 1918 story in the Victoria (Texas) Daily Advocate is headlined "MARINES ARE NAMED DEVIL DOGS BY FOE" and has a Washington dateline. The article says:

 

"That time honored nickname by the U.S. Marines for generations leathernecks' is no more! At least, the Germans have abandoned it, according to a report from France.

 

In its place the Teutons have handed the sea-soldier one with far more meaning. They call the American scrappers "teufel hunden," which, in English means 'devil dogs.'

 

'Gee those guys rank us with the 'Ladies from Hell',' declared a grizzled old Marien [sic] Sergeant swelling with pride, when he heard the new title."

 

A variation of the story was printed in the Ogden (Utah) Examiner on April 28, 1918, this one with a New York dateline.

 

"United States Marines in service in France are proud of the title 'Teufel Hunden' or 'Devil Dogs' conferred upon them by the Germans, according to letters received at marine corps headquarters here. The letters say, saves the 'soldiers of the sea' from selecting a substitute for the unfavored 'Sammy.'"

 

That story closes with the same quote from an unnamed Marine sergeant.

 

Research of newspaper archives at http://www.newspaperarchive.com shows that the earliest version of this story was printed April 15, 1918 in the Chillicothe (Missouri) Constitution. Other newspapers throughout the United States printed the story in April and May 1918, but the "Devil Dogs" term did not come into widespread usage until after the June 1918 Battle of Belleau Wood.

[edit]

 

 

There has been lots of speculation about the origin of Devil Dogs, including a Chicago correspondent present at Belleau Woods, but again, the dated newspaper articles were printed long before that. Based on my three decades in journalism and government public relations, I suspect the origin was a public relations officer in Washington D.C.

 

Here's one of the first newspaper clips with the term:

 

 

I have posted more clips and info here: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...st&p=254935

 

It is ironic that the the upper echelons may have concocted this term in 1918, possibly as a recruiting tool or in hopes it would replace the "Sammies" nickname for Marines, and decades later the upper levels started using it a derogatory term when berating their juniors. At least be glad the mythical "Devil Dogs" outlive "Sammy". "Sammies" was created by the French and referred to the US Army and Marine Corps in France:

 

[03PackMule]

When I was on Active duty (85-93) I don't remember hearing Devil Dog much outside of ITB or on the rare occasion that the Bn CO or Sgt Major addressed the unit and started out with "Good Morning Devil Dogs!!!Yut Yut OORAHH" type stuff. Butt chewing was usually prefaced with Marine. Your Rank, Crazy, There You or something along those lines.

[Proud Kraut]

Interesting thread.

 

A little off topic but the correct German term is "Teufelshunde". This article can tell it better:

 

http://german.about.com/od/culture/a/germyth13.htm

[Bluehawk]

At least in Marine Corps Bootcamp they can still call recruits 'things' and make them refer to themselves in third person. The title 'Warrior' isn't granted until the end

You get the "Courageous Restraint" medal... for not choke slamming (earlier post).

 

Marines making nicey nicey?

 

Don't sound right somehow...