Most memorable "Military Mascot?"

2014-02-21T22:05:28-05:00

Have you had an official or 'officially unofficial' unit mascot? Whether it was in theater or stateside, it could have been a fictional character, a drawing, historical figure, or caricature or even a real animal or domesticated pet. Perhaps it was displayed as a mural, on a unit coin, emblem, or t-shirt, as 'nose art' or something altogether different. So, what was the mascot's name & what were some of your fondest associated memories and best stories? Also, please feel free to add any photos, web links, sound files, descriptions or anything else necessary to help tell your story. This should be a fun and interesting conversation and will bring back some really great memories; so let's get this thing started, thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!

Response by LT Jessica Kellogg made Feb 21 at 2014 10:58 PM

2014-02-21T22:58:43-05:00

At Navy OCS, when you're lined up to go into the chow hall, you can see the narragansett bay. And at low tide, if you're standing in the right place in the formation, you can see this big flat rock with a bunch of harbor seals. They were something I always looked forward to seeing, and became so popular with my company that there was a seal incorporated on our class tshirt.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2014 8:40 PM

2014-02-27T20:40:52-05:00

I was super stoked to be a part of the 101st ABN DIV. and of course, we had "Ole' Abe" the Eagle that would fly over the enemy and freak'em out so our soldiers could shoot them better! He'd been shot 4 times (I think... help me out fellow Screamin' Eagles!)

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Feb 28 at 2014 10:52 AM

2014-02-28T10:52:33-05:00

When i was deployed to Afghanistan, we had 2..... On Camp Eggers, there was a stray cat that hung out near our building....aloof, but friendly...cross eyed.... we called it Chigo (the name of the heat/AC units).  one day it disappeared...we suspect trapped/poisoned.  The other was a stuffed Goat.  our Col had it on her desk and it was HER goat..... we stole it...that goat went on MANY trips throughout the Afghan theater....pictures were taken with the goat in many locations and many backgrounds.  Ransom notes generated... all in good fun....she got her goat back....along with all the pictures taken....think it had been out with everyone in the office!!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2014 10:40 PM

2014-03-10T22:40:09-04:00

Back when 3rd BCT, 1st AD was at Fort Riley we had a bulldog as our brigade mascot. He would participate in certain activities, and was denied promotion from PFC to SPC after a brigade run since he shammed out short cutting to the finish.

It was put to a verbal vote at the end of the run whether he would get promoted or not, and there was a resounding "NO!" from the E3 and below. We'd be damned if we were going to have a fat lazy bulldog out rank us.

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Mar 14 at 2014 9:34 AM

2014-03-14T09:34:07-04:00

I was stationed at Ft. Campbell in 89-92. At our Company we had a mascot. All it was was a syrofoam head. Its name was if I remember correctly PFC Rick. Our company commander was a ranger. Well someone was headed to airborne school. took it and made all 5 jumps with it. Then someone took it to Air Assault school it got pinned by the Bn Commander. Then someone took it to Ranger school. It was also taken by one of our guys to %th Group who had it Tab SF. well right before Desert Storm the heasd that was on a stick got vandelized and commander got a new one. Soon after and right before we left he was promoted to SPC then To e-5. He even had all the orders to prove that the head was what it was. SGT Rick Hardrock Charlie. Our company motto. Well before returning from Iraq he was promoted to SSG. We had a guy bust the head on a run or a ruck march and pretty much done it on purpose and was busted from Spc to PFC for Assault on an NCO! So yes very Memorable. That thing went everywhere right beside the Guidon. was crazy!

Response by CWO2 Shelby DuBois made Mar 21 at 2014 3:51 PM

2014-03-21T15:51:53-04:00

Maggie... a beast of an English Bulldog...of course... was our mascot for one of my squadrons back in the 80's. She was fat, ugly, had bad table manners, disgusting bodily functions and had the run of the hangar. Poor duty NCO's at night had the additional responsibility of walking her..which wasn't far, since she tired out at about 50 yards, seeing that she (hopefully) did her business outside and feeding her. She loved to go office to office and knock over trash cans and forage though. She'd sleep most of the time and whereever she chose to snooze she had to be left alone, by order of the CO. More than once she took up the small couch in the AMO's office during morning briefs and more than once she'd be laying on her back, snoring, tongue out, dripping puddles, and then snort and pass gas so pungent we sometimes we'd have to adjorn to the hangar or wear gas masks... She was promoted to L/Cpl and retired along with the SgtMaj and given to him as a retirement gift. He cried...not sure out of happiness though.

Response by SFC Gary (Bigsarge) Portier USARMY RET. made Mar 21 at 2014 4:12 PM

2014-03-21T16:12:07-04:00

The only Unit I was in with a Mascot was at basic Training. A gorilla.

Response by CWO2 Shelby DuBois made Mar 24 at 2014 8:53 AM

2014-03-24T08:53:36-04:00

I had my own personal mascot one year... I had just left my family for a year in Iwakuni three weeks before Christmas and left behind my wife and two daughters(8 and 6). I was unpacking and at the bottom of my seabag found a stuffed Alf doll and a note from the girls saying that they had put Alf in there to keep me company. Alf was a great roomie and constant reminder of little girls love.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Mar 27 at 2014 1:40 AM

2014-03-27T01:40:07-04:00

Joe Willie, it/he was a rock outside the MP Barracks at Fort Benning while I was there in 1978. I don't know if he is still there, but he is definitely my most memorable mascot.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2014 8:58 AM

2014-03-27T08:58:05-04:00

I dont have a pic of her on hand right now, but in the 03-04 deployment to Iraq we found a stray kitten and got brought her in and got her into a healthy condition. We named her Miss Kitty. Was fun to have around of course while away from family. The one guy who really took care of her tried to get the papers to get her back to the states but it just didnt work out..

Response by SSG James Doherty made Mar 27 at 2014 9:24 AM

2014-03-27T09:24:09-04:00

I was with C Co 563d ASB when they formed and we were tasked with coming up with our new name, the stipulation was we couldn't use any of the common C Co names i.e. Charlie Rock!, Cobras!, etc. The item that came out was Chargers. Being a signal company my 1SG had only one thing to say. "What the hell do Chargers have to do with signal? All I can think of is a cellphone charger" From then on our mascot was unofficially an old Nokia charger.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Mar 27 at 2014 2:33 PM

2014-03-27T14:33:53-04:00

CGN-41 USS California. Big 3 ft Heavy Wooden Carved Bear (Golden Grizzly) Dark. The George (Jr 01) was responsible for it. Think it got stolen once, Don't remember if it was before or after it was stolen that the culprit that did it was Court Martialed (When you see the British Flag flying on a US Vessel unless it is the USS Winston Churchill it is a bad thing and we are doing a court martial). It was a Nightmare the whole time the bear was gone. I think officially it was property of the Ronald Reagan Library and the State of California. It was returned but for the life of me can't think of how he or they got it off the ship without being noticed considering how heavy it was.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2014 8:17 PM

2014-03-27T20:17:43-04:00

Not really a mascot. Not sure of the year. Before my time, my unit was in the field and thunderstorm blew in. The only shelter was a tent. Unfortunately, lightning struck a nearby tree and jumped to the metal benches inside the tent. Two members of the unit were hospitalized. The Lighting Bolt was then added to the unit guidon.

Response by SGT Bobby Adams made Mar 28 at 2014 2:50 PM

2014-03-28T14:50:39-04:00

I remember a certain General getting of a gift of a Camel in Desert Storm. Ended up at China Beach

Response by SSG William Patton made Mar 28 at 2014 3:20 PM

2014-03-28T15:20:08-04:00

When I was in Viet Nam we had a German Shepard we called Furbie. He was huge, even by German Shepard standards, and he hated Vietnamese and could not tell the difference between ARVN or NVA or Chuck. As far as he was concerned, they were all his enemy and we had to watch him or he would attack ARVN in a second. He for some reason like the Montanyards and was friendly to them. Had he known they would stick him in a stew pot in a second might have changed his fellings. lol We would take him on guard duty with us and he was quick to alert us if someone was in the wire and had not tripped a flare or was otherwise not giving away their position. Ol Furbie would start growling and that was all the alert we needed to pop a flare and get ready to unleash the M60 because both times he did this, sappers were in the wire. He was a member of our squad and was still doing his duty when I DEROSED. A great mascot and buddy.

Response by SGT Suraj Dave made Mar 30 at 2014 10:53 PM

2014-03-30T22:53:58-04:00

Bastogne the Bulldog. Mascot of 1st BCT, 101st Airborne.<br>Took a photo with the pup when I was a SPC in 2012 on staff duty

Response by CW2 Jonathan Kantor made Apr 11 at 2014 1:35 PM

2014-04-11T13:35:47-04:00

Bucephalus

Without Googling, who can explain who/what Bucephalus is/was?

Response by SSG Christopher Freeman made Apr 11 at 2014 2:17 PM

2014-04-11T14:17:40-04:00

Although it wasn't proper, we had one called "test fire teddy." My NCO purchased a bear from the PX and he came on all our missions. He sustained some bullet wounds (and yes we gave him a purple heart), but he was a trooper. Now the bear is with one of the Soldier's children.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 7 at 2014 10:38 PM

2014-05-07T22:38:44-04:00

The 91 Missile Wing "Roughriders" mascot is Teddy Roosevelt. One of our retired MSgts gets in costume for certain events and even travels with us to competition six guns blazing'. Firing blanks, of course.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2014 1:58 AM

2014-05-08T01:58:30-04:00

When I was stationed at Fort Bragg from 2008-10, my unit 1st Theater Sustainment Command (TSC) (formally 1st Corps Support Command) had a mule called SGT Blackjack.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2014 7:24 AM

2014-05-08T07:24:48-04:00

Captain Marko Ramius himself is always on watch in my office, although he can get kind of creepy when you're trying to catch some ZZZs during a 24.

Response by Sgt Jon Johnson made May 8 at 2014 8:29 AM

2014-05-08T08:29:39-04:00

Way too many Red Horse Beers, $25.00, an unofficial mascot for a night while on a deployment to the Japan/Philippines along with a story to tell for a lifetime....PRICELESS

Response by MAJ Jim Woods made May 8 at 2014 10:26 AM

2014-05-08T10:26:41-04:00

In 69', we had our behinds saved by an Artillery Battery on Artillery Hill just outside Pleiku. When we got back in, I wanted to show my appreciation by giving the Battery one of the NVA artifacts we retrieved. One of my team leaders and I went over to their Orderly Room and was talking to the 1st Sgt. when I felt a very sharp pain in my left ankle. It was their mascot........ due to the large amount of snakes (Cobras) in the area they had adopted a Mongoose. Mean little dickens.

Response by PO2 Robert Hunter made May 17 at 2014 2:08 PM

2014-05-17T14:08:09-04:00

Freddie the Frog wearing a sailor's cover, chewing a cigar (UDT Teams).

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2014 1:30 AM

2014-07-23T01:30:13-04:00

In order to promote continued discussion on this and similar subjects, you'll definitely want to check out these RP conversations; thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2014 7:27 PM

2014-12-13T19:27:04-05:00

When I went through OSUT we were the "Bravo Bulldogs." We had a 60lb. concrete bulldog name "Butch" who went everywhere we went. In the first week or so of basic during a run in the dark one morning I nearly ran into the Co Commander, First Sergeant had me carry Butch the rest of the run. I was the first of many guys in the company to give Butch "exercise." Butch had to be fed, exercised, and had to train. Towards the end of OSUT, another soldier and I were tasked with carrying Butch for a week. Everywhere.
Boy I hated that thing. Fun to laugh about now.

Pvt. C dropped Butch and broke him shortly before we graduated. Drill Sergeants told us the guy got arrested for destruction of historic government property. We never saw him again. However, he was getting chaptered anyway, and I figure they just sent him home, and told us the story.

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2014 7:43 PM

2014-12-13T19:43:10-05:00

The U.S.M.C. English Bull Dog of course.

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2014 9:19 PM

2014-12-13T21:19:55-05:00

news.usni.org/2014/12/12/brief-illustrated-history-navy-goat#more-10360

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2014 9:24 PM

2014-12-13T21:24:29-05:00

Well, this is sure to strike up some spirited conversation... lol

Response by SSG Louis Marucci made Dec 14 at 2014 11:59 AM

2014-12-14T11:59:14-05:00

No but I do recall entering a two seat latrine one time with one of the seats occupied by the freshly killed bloody head of a huge- tusked wild boar. I had the other seat and was modivated not to spend any more time there than was absolutely necessary. The Army had its ways.

Response by SGT Robert Riley made Dec 14 at 2014 6:56 PM

2014-12-14T18:56:25-05:00

My most memorable "military mascot" 2003-2010.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 14 at 2014 10:26 PM

2014-12-14T22:26:43-05:00

While I was stationed at Ramstein with the 1st Combat Communications Squadron the Commander put it up to the squadron to come up with a mascot. My Flight Commander put in the pot the Wombat and to everyone's "surprise" everyone voted for it. So our mascot was the Combat Wombat some people actually had signs printed up and placed all over the unit. It was very funny at the time.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2015 10:33 PM

2015-01-08T22:33:51-05:00

In the 9th CS at Beale we have Fernando; a pinata donkey who photobombs squadron photos and has his own ID card with lanyard.

And of course you can pull candy out of the ass.

He belongs to the Vice commander.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 29 at 2016 11:18 PM

2016-09-29T23:18:57-04:00

I had my own personal mascot that was given to me by my oldest son who happens to be high functioning Autistic. As I was packing for my deployment to Iraq in 2004 son who at the time was 2 1/2 decided to help me pack. I let him take some of my clothing (t shirts) and stuff them into my duffle. Well I wasn't watching him to closely and at some point he stuffed his favorite monster doll (a fuzzy furball he called Hairy Monster) into the bottom of the duffle. I didn't find out about it until I got into country and was digging for some t shirts to pack into my five day bag. I ended up video chatting with my wife two nights later and seeing my son asked how his toy got into my bag. His reply was that Hairy Monster was going to protect me from all the bad guys. Well after that I kept that fuzzy toy and it has travelled with me thru two tours in Iraq, numerous field exercises and even drill sergeants school. To this day it sits on my dresser proudly displayed. Sure I took some ridicule and good natured jokes over the years but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It is a constant reminder of my little buddy (who happens to be almost 15 now) and the love and bond we share with each other

Response by SFC Greg Bruorton made Mar 13 at 2018 11:06 AM

2018-03-13T11:06:59-04:00

The Airborne's unofficial mascot, Geronimo (1834-1909), the Chiricahua Apache leader, originated in WWII when a PFC shouted out the name as he exited the aircraft in his combat jump. Since then, the US Army has a unit patch with the name Geronimo emblazoned at the top.

Perhaps someone here can tell us the name of that PFC and the Army unit.

Yet today, we jumpers are instructed to count to four thousand at exiting a plane, and not "Geronimo!"

Response by MAJ Michael Hoevelman made Sep 12 at 2022 10:48 PM

2022-09-12T22:48:25-04:00

1969, BMTS at Lackland. Our TI had us maintain a freaking rock garden. We had to repaint a rock if it was chipped, keep them in order and shined to a high gloss. Even if I do understand (now) the attention to detail stuff, that was really dumb then and now.