Officially Licensed USMC Devil Dogs First To Fight Coin — United States Marine Corps Challenge Coin
Teufelhunden—Devil Dogs—the legendary nickname earned by Marines in the trenches of Belleau Wood, carried with pride by every generation of leathernecks since 1918.
The term "Devil Dogs" is one of the most celebrated nicknames in United States Marine Corps history, rooted in the fierce fighting at the Battle of Belleau Wood during World War I. In June 1918, Marines of the 4th Marine Brigade—comprising the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments—launched a series of devastating assaults against entrenched German positions in the dense Belleau Wood near Château-Thierry, France. According to Marine Corps tradition, the German soldiers facing the relentless Marine attacks called them "Teufelhunden"—Devil Dogs—a name that has endured for over a century as a badge of honor for every Marine.
Belleau Wood was a defining moment for the Marine Corps on the world stage. Over three weeks of brutal combat, the Marines suffered over 5,000 casualties—including 1,811 killed—while clearing the woods of determined German defenders in close-quarters fighting that included bayonet charges, hand-to-hand combat, and repeated assaults across open wheat fields swept by machine gun fire. The French government renamed the wood "Bois de la Brigade de Marine" in honor of the Marines' sacrifice, and the battle earned the 4th Marine Brigade the Croix de Guerre. The Marine Corps adopted the English Bulldog as an unofficial mascot, symbolizing the tenacious, never-quit spirit that earned the Devil Dog name.
"First to Fight" is the Marine Corps' unofficial motto that captures the service's role as America's force-in-readiness—the first military branch deployed in virtually every American conflict since the Corps' founding on 10 November 1775 at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. This challenge coin combines both legendary identifiers, honoring the fighting spirit that has defined Marines from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli and beyond.
Perfect For: All United States Marines—active duty, reserve, and veteran—Marine Corps families and supporters, Belleau Wood history enthusiasts, military challenge coin collectors, and anyone who proudly carries the Devil Dog spirit.
Teufelhunden—First to Fight—the Devil Dogs of the United States Marine Corps, earning the name in blood at Belleau Wood and carrying it with pride into every battle since.
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