lies at the foot of the unit’s monu- U.S. Rin Tin Tin caused such a stir on of fl ight time. While on an island in
ment in Gettysburg, Pa. the show circuit with his athletic feats the New Hebrides, she gave birth to
that a struggling and nearly bankrupt three kittens — Lana Turner, Betty
The world wars studio named Warner Brothers took Grable, and Dorothy Lamour.
The mascots of World War I made an interest in him. Rin Tin Tin made Some dogs even had their own
life in the trenches and at sea a bit 26 fi lms before his death in 1931, per- mascots. Bobby, a small, white,
more bearable. It is believed that al- haps saving Warner Brothers from mixed-breed dog, became the mascot
most every Marine company had its almost-certain demise. of the Marine Corps’ Third War Dog
own mascot — but it was the Army The military mascot reached its ze- Platoon. He purposely wasn’t trained
that had some true celebrities. nith in popularity during World War like the war dogs were and could be
While the Connecticut National II. With an unprecedented number seen leading his platoon in training
Guard was preparing to ship off, of citizens serving thousands of miles and the like. Bobby even shipped off
Stubby the dog happened upon the from home, mascots gave them a little to Guam with his unit.
102nd Infantry Regiment and quickly piece of home, and the home front Other mascots hit the beach.
was adopted. In his 18 months at the rallied for its mascots. By this time, Siwash the duck is believed to have
front, Stubby served not only as a mas- many mascots had their own offi cial made the most amphibious landings of
cot but also as a soldier, as did so many record books, noting pay, promotions, any mascot. Originally won in a raffl e
other mascots. He carried messages, awards, and reprimands. in New Zealand, she landed with
located wounded on the battlefi eld, A tabby cat named Dammit became her Marine fi eld artillery battery at
and even reportedly saved the unit the mascot of a Marine squadron and Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian. Wounded
from a gas attack by alerting his men. served with her unit on Guadalcanal. in a brawl with a Japanese rooster, she
Stubby survived nearly 20 battles It is believed she had about 65 hours was presented with a Purple Heart.
and was highly decorated. After
the unit’s return, President Wilson
invited Stubby to a White House
ceremony. In 1921, Stubby settled in
Washington, D.C., and embarked on a
second mascot career at Georgetown
University until his death in 1926.
The fi lm star Rin Tin Tin literally
was born in the trenches of France.
In September 1918, he, along with his
German shepherd mother and four
littermates, was found in a bombed-
out war dog kennel. At the end of the
war, a soldier arranged to bring Rin
Tin Tin and sister Nanette back to the
Years of Service
In 1893, El Cid the goat, who resided on the USS New York (LPD-21), accom-
panied crewmembers to the fourth Army-Navy football game in Annapolis, Md.
Navy won that game, and the goat, known as Bill since 1904, was offered a per-
manent position as the U.S. Naval Academy mascot.
In 1899, the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., adopted the mule,
known for strength and perseverance, as its mascot, though it was not recog-
nized officially until 1936. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn.,
adopted Objee the bear in 1926. The U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs,
Colo., adopted the falcon Mach 1 in 1955. And, while the mascot of the U.S. Mer-
chant Marine Academy, Kings Point, N.Y., currently is not an animal, it has had
several animal mascots, including dogs, a ram, and a parrot.
6 2 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R A P R I L 2 0 0 9 PHOTOS/IMAGES: TKTK
AApr_mascots.indd
62pr_mascots.indd 62 33/5/09 4:44:00 PM/5/09 4:44:00 PM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80