Who actually took Chapultepec?

CW3 Kevin Storm — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 14:06:28 -0400

How much truth is their in the Marines taking Chapultepec? This Encyclopedia of Britanic article says they weren't alone, and the majority of the fighting was done by ...wait for it...the Army. https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Chapultepec

More information can be found here on the bography of Major General Gideon Johnson Pillow: https://library.uta.edu/usmexicowar/item?bio_id=85&nation=US&ofst=33&sort=nameasc&ni=52

Battle of Chapultepec | Summary

A summary of the Battle of Chapultepec from September 12 to 14, 1847.

Response by SGT Herbert Bollum made Jun 3 at 2020 2:52 PM

SGT Herbert Bollum — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 14:52:46 -0400

interesting

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jun 3 at 2020 3:03 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 15:03:31 -0400

A lot of Marine lore is actually urban legends. The "Devil Dog" story, blood stripes and the battle of Chapultepec, Mr. Rogers being a Marine Sniper, the Marines have never surrendered, Army stress cards, Chesty's "real Marines in the brig" comment, etc...

None of it is real, but it goes a long way to helping build espirit de corps...
It's not about the story, it's just about "Marine Superiority". When you have no budget, you have to make up for it in attitude. Legends help in that regard.

Response by LTC Trent Klug made Jun 3 at 2020 4:02 PM

LTC Trent Klug — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 16:02:02 -0400

Since there were only 400 Marines there, it stands to figure their exploits wouldn't be as fully known.
The officer and NCO Corps suffered 90% casualties. They chose to commemorate those losses by stating the "blood stripe" was in their honor. No one has said they put the stripe on the uniform because of them.