New Britain herald., 1927-01-12
By JOHN J. DAILY

Washington, D. C., January F. Sergeant Major Jiggs was the great est Devil Dog of all times. Not that the Sergeant Major, celebrated mas cot of the Marines, was devil of dog. He was, forsooth, a good dog-and thoroughbred to boot.
 When taps were sounded over the mortal remains of the Sergeant Major Tuesday morning at Quan- tico, Virginia, with 800 marines standing at attention the while his comrades lowered their mascot's re- mains meath the green-tufted earth Of the athletic field, his old romp- ing grounds, there passed into marine history one of the greatest characters that ever wore a uni form.
 Jiggs was a top sergeant in every sense of the word. He had all the characteristics of men who wore the same kind of chevrons. He even smoked a pipe, at odd moments; and once in a while he took a chew of Picnic Twist. though he never once tasted Navy Cut-Sergeant Major Jigss was true to the ma rines. For others it might be "The Army and the Navy Forever" but to the old sergeant, it was always The Marine" and Semper Fidelis.
 Jiggs joined the marines when he was two years old. General Smed- ley Butler. In command at Quan- tico, was asked by the leathernecks to get them a mascot. There was a debate as to just what would make good mascot for the marines. The navy has the goat; the army, a mule. Expert authority agreed that something significant, and, if possi- ble, symbolic of marine standards should be adopted. During the World war, when the boys who wore the khaki went over the top and met the enemy face to face, the CO., horts of the house of HohenZollern. when they bumped into United States marines, came to call their antagonists Devil Dogs" Out of this came the idea of having a bull dog for the marine mascot. Smed- ley Butler and his companions in the corps instigated nationwide search for a dog that would be in every way typical of what Germans called the marines. They found one in Philadelphia. He was Jiggs.
 Ugly as Baby
 Bull dogs, as a rule. are nobody's beauties; they have underslung jaws, protruding teeth, beetling brows and cauliflower ears-enough to scare the average mortal out of his wits. Old Jiggs, even in his babyhood, was about as ugly as they came. As years fell on his shoul- ders and wrinkles came one by one on his wizened face, he betook unto himself a likeness that was any, thing but beautiful. except to the true experts who recognize In these characteristics of a bull dog the markings of master.
 In his second year, Jiggs was the youngest marine ever to enlist in the service. He was brought from Philadelphia to Quantico and placed in the ranks as buck pri- vate. That was back in 1922. Im- mediately Jiggs became a favorite with >the men. He took to marine life from the very outset and be- came mascot of all the various ath- letic teams, beginning a career that was to stamp him at the time of ever associated with military out fit with one possible exception, the late "Stubby," mascot of the Yankee Division, A. E. F., from New Brit ain. Conn.
 Jiggs had not been buck private very long when he was elevated to the rank of lance corporal by the boys who led him on a leash down at Quantico. This, of course, was more or less unofficial; but some- time later the then Secretary of the Navy Denby, himself once a marine, on a visit to Quantico thought that the dog should have a higher rating and lifted him to the rank of ser geant. About a year and half ago, Secretary of the Navy Wilbur was down at Quantico one day address, ing the boys when Sergeant Jiggs stepped out on the platform. 1m- mcdiately there was great roar from Jiggs' comrades. Secretary Wilbur saw that he was a favorite. Noting the chevrons on Jiggs' blan- ket-those of a field sergeant-thc head of the United States navy asked the men if they thought Jiggs did not deserve a higher rating. They shouted in unison, Sure Pop" What do you want him 10 be-" ask ed the secretary. An old timer in