Show marines adopt queer mascots odd pets adeon are on duty with masters at outposts on the pacific washington WASHING TON the swash swashbuckling buckling legendary duck of bloody tarawa carawa probably is the most famous but throughout the vast reaches of the pacific war zones in all the far flung areas of the global conflict where united states marines are serving and fighting the lesser known marine mascots are arc on duty with their masters reports S mgt 0 t bill ross a marine corps co aps combat correspondent paradoxically uncle sams marines I 1 rines famed as n the worlds finest and fiercest fi fighters getche rs have more than their share of the motherly instinct when it comes to pets A communications unit of the bat I 1 tle tested second marine division felt it lost one of its most important I 1 members when major joe a black cocker spaniel was lost in I 1 action at saifan when last seen joe was heading for the front looking for action just as he did at tarawa carawa the b belligerent pup was owned by cal laddle laddie R stansbury of lake charles la I 1 I 1 but he belonged to the entire unit i in the savage invasion of tarawa carawa joe won a signal victory in open paw to paw combat over a jap dog d 09 on the beach mascots Ala scots away back later he broke into a stockade containing a few of the handful of jap prisoners taken on the island he had a merry time chasing the frightened beaten enemy around in circles barking at their heels he was just a pooch but we kinda loved him wish he were back said a tough sergeant of cor 1 Stans burys outfit the case of major joe is but one of many marines undoubtedly have had pets and mascots since that november 10 1775 when at tun tavern in philadelphia the corps was born but today more than ever before find mascots wherever you find marines i I 1 A leatherneck garrison at a south american lend lease base had an eagle claimed to be the most ferocious mascot of any military unit in the world one outfit recently arrived in the south pacific has a lion hon cub purchased from a I 1 zoo in los angeles Que queenie enle the swine empress of guadalcanal Guadal canal is world orld famed as the pet pig of a marine unit there I 1 mascots are treated as full fledged members of the units which adopt them the pets are given rank have service record books and uniforms are promoted or busted as their duty auty record warrants mascots in war zones as in the case of major joe frequently are w wounded or lulled killed receive shell shock are t casualties just as their human corn com rades in arms have service records the hard fighting sixth marine division composed of units of the famed raider battalion has one of the most unusual of all leatherneck mascots one platoon of the sixth has a leopard kitten the pet came f from born burma and joined the corps when it was sent by an army colonel to his son lt C B bryan ot of falls church va black zombie a tiny terrier originally from kingston N C met death in an accident thousands of miles from his native home he i was killed chasing tr traffic C I 1 arf crushed under the wheels of a big gun moving up to blast the J japs aps I 1 the unit to which he was attached had had zombie since early darly training I 1 at camp lejeune N C long before they sailed overseas A marine aviation unit recently came up with a mascot almost as big as a plane it was thor a great dane belonging to capt H C wallace of tulsa okla i thors size precludes his flying in com combat bat or any time with marine corps fighter planes brit he is always on hand when the leathernecks Leather necks take off and return to their pacific base |