Chesty VI, the Corps’ 1979 beloved mascot for the Washington, D.C., Marine barracks, was a bit of a troublemaker.
The English bulldog mascot was busted down from private first class to private in 1979 for destroying a punching bag and disobeying a direct order, according to charge sheets.
His rap sheet would grow two years later after he received nonjudicial punishment in 1981 for biting two corporals on the foot, a charge sheet detailed.
The charge sheets were posted on the Marine Corps history division’s Facebook page.
On or around Aug. 30, 1979, Chesty VI disobeyed a direct order from a gunnery sergeant to stay away from a striking bag and then he destroyed the bag by “ripping and tearing” it up, a charge sheet detailed.
The punching bag was valued at $176, according to the charge sheet.
Chesty VI was demoted for chewing up the punching bag, and received 14 days extra duty for biting the two corporals, according to the charge sheets.
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The Corps’ English bulldog mascots are named after five-time Navy Cross awardee Lt. Gen. Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller.
The mascots perform at the D.C. barracks’ various parades and ceremonies. The current Marine Corps mascot is Chesty XV. He recently was promoted to lance corporal in August.
It is unclear at this time how many Marine mascots have been at one point demoted, but Marine Corps Times has reached out to the Marine history division and is investigating.
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
