Jiggs II (September 22, 1925 – March 30, 1937), also known as Silent White Richard, was the second of a number of

English Bulldog The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is a stocky, muscular dog of medium size, with a large head, thick folds of skin around the face and shoulders and a rel ...

s to serve as mascots of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

. He succeeded the original mascot, Jiggs, following that dog's death in 1927. A champion of the Westminster Dog Show, Jiggs II was a generally well-behaved dog with a sensitive disposition – a contrast to his disagreeable friend Private Pagett. He served as Marine Corps mascot for ten years and, after death, was buried with full military honors at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

Early life and family

Jiggs II was whelped in

Huntington, New York Huntington is one of ten Administrative divisions of New York#Town, towns in Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk County, New York (state), New York, United States. The town's population was 204,127 at the time of the 2020 census, making it the 11 ...

, as Silent White Richard, the son of the champion show dog Silent White Duke, his father described by the ''

Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...

'' as "one of the best-blooded English Bulldogs in America". He was almost entirely white with brindle markings on his face and tail.

Career

Silent White Richard won a blue ribbon at the 1926

Westminster Dog Show The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is an all-breed conformation show, held annually in the New York metropolitan area. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is one of a handful of benched shows in the United States. Dogs are required to be on ...

. The following year, he was presented to the United States Marine Corps by his owner, heavyweight boxing champion

Gene Tunney James Joseph Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1923 ...

– himself a former Marine – after Tunney learned of the death of Marine mascot Jiggs in January of that year. He was formally accepted by the Marine Corps on March 27, 1927, and renamed Jiggs II. At the time of his donation, Jiggs II was 17 months old, stood high, and weighed . Some months after Tunney donated Jiggs II, the dog was temporarily transferred back to the boxer to serve as mascot at his Chicago training camp before being returned to Marine service. In 1930, Jiggs II made another appearance at the Westminster Dog Show as a non-competing guest. He was named by the show "Honorary Champion". During his career Jiggs II was posted to Marine Barracks Washington,

Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southe ...

, and

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (often abbreviated as MCRD PI) is an military installation located within Port Royal, South Carolina, approximately south of Beaufort, the community that is typically associated with the installation. ...

. Notionally enlisted as a private, he was advanced to

sergeant major Sergeant major is a senior Non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned Military rank, rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's ...

in 1937. He briefly served alongside Private Pagett (registered in pedigree under the name Pride of Field), an English Bulldog donated by the Corps of Royal Marines to the U.S. Marine Corps in 1927. Private Pagett, who was known to have an unpleasant disposition and was prone to biting and chasing, died in 1928 due to heat exhaustion.

Personal life

Early in his military career, the ''Boston Globe'' described Jiggs II as "ferocious looking" but with a "mild manner and gentle disposition". Writing in a 1937 issue of ''American Kennel Gazette'', then retired Sergeant Major Clarance Proctor affirmed this description of Jiggs II. Tunney himself described Jiggs II as "a very sensitive dog". According to Tunney, marines responsible for Jiggs II were under orders "never to scold him". Two early instances of bad behavior were, nonetheless, attributed to Jiggs II; on one occasion he bit an ice man, and on another occasion he chased a stenographer down the hallway of the State, War, and Navy Building. Jiggs II died in 1937 and was buried at Marine Corps Base Quantico with full military honors.

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