Today all Marines in basic training are taught that German soldiers in WW I referred to them as “Devil Dogs”. H.L.
Mencken, an American writing in 1921, clearly states that; “The Germans, during the war, had no opprobrious nicknames
for their foes…Teufelhunde (devil-dogs), for the American marines, was invented by an American correspondent; the
Germans never used it.”

In addition, there is the legend of “Bulldog Fountain”, where the U.S. Marine’s mascot originated. This fountain is
located in the village of Belleau, not the wood of the same name. Although the Marines fought in Belleau Wood, the
US Army’s 26th division liberated the village, three weeks after the Marines had left the area.

Bob Perrow