Biggest myth ever.Ĭivilian contractors are marched off to captivity after the Japanese captured Wake, 23 December 1941. Moreover, seven Marines were killed at Chapultepec out of a force of between 400 and 450 Marines. The Marines first started wearing the scarlet stripe on blue pants in 1840, borrowing the tradition from the Army. Crumley, of the Marine History Division, said in an e-mail. “While a wonderful story, and one that is taught to incoming recruits, it is only a story,” Beth L. The Corps chose red at the time not to commemorate Chapultapec, but to match the red accents of the blues jacket. The color choice of the stripes changed over those years until solid red was adopted in 1849, according to the Marine Corps Museum. Following an Army uniform practice about ten years before this battle, the Corps began putting stripes on its trousers. It sounds legit, but it’s yet another myth. To signify their bravery, the Corps later authorized a red “blood stripe” for NCOs and officers to remember and honor their sacrifice. The “blood stripe” on the NCO and officer dress blue uniform pants commemorates the 1847 Battle of Chapultapec.Īccording to Marine legend, a large number of Marine officers and non-commissioned officers perished while assaulting the castle at Chapultapec, Mexico in 1847. Here are the four biggest myths that Marines have kept alive over the years: 1. The truth hurts, Marines, but it’s more important to get our history right. There are some things in Marine lore that are passed on as tradition or legend that have no basis in fact. Marines love to talk about their history - from battles won to the heritage of uniform items - but sometimes, the line between history and myths gets a little muddled.