Private Pagett
Sergeant Major Jiggs (first picture), the first Marine Corps mascot, passed away on January 9, 1927, and was buried with full military honors. The news of his death spread throughout the country, and many mourned the passing of the beloved dog. Allan Cedric Mowbray, an Englishman living in Boston, sent a letter to General Sir Lewis Stratford Halliday, VC, KCB, DL of the Royal Marines. After hearing the news, the General gifted the Marine Corps a British Bulldog named Private Pagett.
A detachment of Royal Marines escorted Private Pagett from Eastney Barracks Portsmouth to the SS Leviathan. The ship headed to New York and arrived on June 27, 1927. The new Marine was met by Major J.C. Fegan and other Leathernecks from the Brooklyn barracks. Media outlets filmed the arrival of Private Pagett, a rare thing at the time, and multiple articles were written about the generous gift. Again, the news spread throughout the country, and Private Pagett was paraded around every Marine post in the country and the West Indies.
The Marine Corps had two mascots during Pagett's enlistment. Jiggs II, presented to the Marine Corps by former Marine heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney, was assigned to active duty three months before Pagett's arrival. He was supposed to replace Sergeant Major Jiggs, but Pagett's arrival changed the hierarchy. By July 1, it was determined that Jiggs II would serve as the athletic mascot while Pagett would be the "real Devil Dog."
On May 5, 1928, Pagett passed away and was succeeded by his four-month-old son with the same name. Jiggs II became the official mascot and died nine years later. The following five mascots would carry the Jiggs name until July 5, 1957, when the first Chesty made his appearance at Marine Corps Barracks in Washington, D.C.
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