Semper Fi

In the humor section I saw a post in response to my post and could not pass up the opportunity to share a little USMC history.

To good to pass up the opportunity to communicate a little history. In the early 1880's Marines were being assigned to Naval ships as snipers and ship infantry who when the ships were under attack and were either boarding another vessel or being boarded by the enemy needed a means of identifying officers so they would not get shot one. The quatrefoil which is the emblem today which is embroidered on very top of each officers cover (hat) is how they identified their officers in combat. The symbol looks like the emblem on the old Mason Jars people used for canning. Hence the officers were first referred to as Jarheads and later all marines received the same designation.

The term Leatherneck was given during the time between 1775 and mid 1800's when a tall strip of thick leather was fit to the Marines neck accomplishing two things. It made sure the soldier kept his head erect and secondly prevented injury during sword fights especially in Tripoli (Libya) with the Muslims (Barbary Coast Pirates) who Thomas Jefferson declared war on, where the neck piece was a help to stop beheadings while in combat. In the Marine Corps hymn (to the shores of Tripoli) is a reference to these battles. Hence the leathernecks became a proud identifying name.

The nick name Devil Dogs was given to the Marines at Belleau Wood in World War I by the Germans for their fighting prowess. I might add the Marines were not allowed to wear their own uniforms during much of that battle as they were assigned to the US Army as a support group.

For a look at the quatrefoil https://www.google.com/search?safe=....0..0.0....0...1ac..64.img..0.0.0.UiwEdnsGxSE

thjplgvp

 

Thank you Tyndale I did not know that. Primarily I was addressing our nick name through the years.

thjplgvp

 

I am sure that in some instances prior to the cover change that is exactly what happened.
With the invention of grenades and help of foxholes officers had to learn to be careful in combat.

thjplgvp