Did You Know These US Marine Corps 'Facts' Are Actually Myths?

The US Marine Corps, with its storied history spanning more than two centuries, boasts a rich and distinguished heritage thanks to its legendary leathernecks. However, like any established military institution, it has its share of embellished history. Here are some "facts" about the USMC that are, in reality, myths!

The 'Devil Dogs' nickname didn't actually come from the Germans

The moniker "Devil Dogs" - or " Teufel Hunden ," in German - encapsulates much of what the US Marine Corps is about; it hints at the ferocity and toughness of the service. According to legend, German soldiers gave Marines the moniker during the First World War , having been impressed by their drive during Battle of Belleau Wood .

It's undoubtedly impressive to receive this sort of nickname from an enemy combatant. However, upon further investigation, the rumors don't appear to be true.

Patrick Mooney, a representative from the National Museum of the Marine Corps, is reported as saying , "We have no proof that it came from German troops though tradition says it came from German troops referring to Marines. There is no written document in German that says that the Marines are Devil Dogs or any correct spelling or language component of 'Devil Dog' in German."

It also appears that the nickname for the USMC had appeared in print before the Battle of Belleau Wood.

The 4th Marine Regiment isn't banished overseas

A common myth in the US Marine Corps is that the 4th Marine Regiment is stationed overseas not by choice, but because they were exiled. The story claims that the regiment was forbidden from returning to the United States due to Col. Sam Howard's order for the Marines to burn their regimental colors, along with the national colors, after their surrender to the Japanese in the Philippines in 1942.

Since the Second World War , it has been rumored that the 4th Marines are condemned to roam the Pacific as a punishment for the dishonor of surrendering. However, this is not true. The regiment has been reinvented , deactivated and reactivated multiple times since then, serving with distinction. They have integrated Stateside battalions into their ranks in their mission to protect maritime assets.

Has the US Marine Corps ever surrendered to the enemy?

There is non-stop competition between all branches of the US military, and the US Marine Corps is often thought of as the fiercest group. To promote this idea, recruits and trainees are often told Marines have never surrendered on the battlefield. However, this is untrue.

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, a small group of Marines fell under siege on Wake Island , a tiny atoll in the Pacific. For two weeks, the group fought tenaciously; they were able to sink enemy ships and destroy aircraft .

In the end, however, they didn't have the numbers to compete with the Japanese, and the group's commander, Maj. James Devereux, surrendered on December 23, 1941. A film about the heroism of these Marines on Wake Island was released the following year.

Commemorating the Battle of Chapultepec

The Battle of Chapultepec in 1847 is one of the most famous in US Marine Corps history. Occurring during the Mexican-American War , it saw US troops attempt to enter Mexico City, and the fight is an important part of American and Mexican history.

In Mexico, Niños Héroes , six cadets who refused to surrender to the Americans, are revered. The engagement was also legendary for the United States. Despite being outnumbered, the American forces were victorious. The battle's memorialized in the opening lines of the Marines' Hymn .

According to legend, the blood-red stripe on the USMC's dress blues honors the battle. That story, however, is untrue. It turns out that Marines had sported the stripe years before the engagement happened, with Beth L. Crumley of the US Marine Corps History Division telling We Are The Mighty , "While a wonderful story, and one that is taught to incoming recruits, it is only a story."

The US Marine Corps' actually birthday

The date of the birth of the US Marine Corps is highly disputed. The service was formed for the first time in 1775. The Continental Congress created two battalions to serve in the Revolutionary War . However, once the conflict was over, they were disbanded.

Between 1783 and '98, there was no USMC. On July 11, 1798, the service was officially formed through an act of Congress, and for the next century, this date was recognized as its birthday.

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In November 1921, however, Gen. John A. Lejeune issued an order making November 10, 1775, the USMC's official creation date. While the order was technically correct, there are 15 years where Marines didn't serve the United States.