The Marine Corps just retired its 14th Chesty mascot — here's why the Corps loves English bulldogs

The US Marine Corps' adorable mascot, the English bulldog named Chesty XIV, officially retired in late August after five years of service. 

He was replaced by Chesty XV, who made his first official appearance at a Marine Barracks parade on Aug. 31. 

It's rather well-known that the Corps loves English bulldogs, but what's less well-known is why. 

It all traces back to the famous World War I Battle of Belleau Wood. The Marines took heavy casualties during the nearly month-long, grueling fight on the Western Front.

But in the end, the Marines emerged victorious.  

Here's the story. 

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The Battle of Belleau Wood began on June 6, 1918, about a dozen miles northeast of Paris. US General John J. Pershing ordered a counteroffensive to drive the Germans out of the area, with US Marines leading the first attack against four German divisions. By the end of the day, they had taken 1,000 casualties.

For three weeks, the Marines launched several more assaults against the German lines, which were continually reinforced. On June 26, the Marines had beaten back the Germans from the northern part of Belleau Wood. But they had taken nearly 10,000 casualties as well.

Because of the Marines' fierce fighting, the Germans were said to have dubbed them, "devil dogs.” But this was later debunked by Marine Corps historian Bob Aquilana.

“The term very likely was first used by Marines themselves and appeared in print before the Battle for Belleau Wood,” Aquilina told Stars and Stripes in 2011. “It gained notoriety in the decades following World War I and has since become a part of Marine Corps tradition.”