Evening Jen.
ThankYa for your response--but the long and the short of it is that you cannot come up w/a definite reference to support your opinion! Tradition, legends, etc. are nothing more than opinion, supported by only hearsay, assumptions, and such. Examples of this are the claims that the Germans, in official reports, referred to Marines as Devildogs; that Tun Tavern is the undisputed "birthplace" of the Corps; the phony red (bloodstripe) stripe commemorating Chapultapec, etc, etc. All false/bs claims!
The Marine Corps has a long, proud, and glorious history and need be supported only by the truth!
Semper Fidelis
Dick Gaines
GySgt USMC (Ret.) 1952-72
Gunny G's Marines sites & Foums