Dog Face Soldier Song
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Present-Day Lyrics
I Wouldn't Give A Bean
To Be A Fancy Pants Marine
I'd Rather Be A
Dog Face Soldier Like I Am
I Wouldn't Trade My Old-O D's
For All The Navy's Dungarees
For I'm The Walking Pride
Of Uncle Sam
On Army Posters That I Read
It Says "Be All That You Can"
So They're Tearing Me Down
To Build Me Over Again
I'm Just A Dog Face Soldier
With A Rifle On My Shoulder
And I Eat Raw Meat
For Breakfast E'V'RY Day
So Feed Me Ammunition
Keep Me In The Third Division
Your Dog Face Soldier's A-Okay
History of the “Dogface Soldier”
World War II was not known as a great "singing war"; but it has been said by a famous general that if all the soldiers had known "Dogface Soldier", it would have been. General Lucian K. Truscott called it “the best battle song of the war”.
The story of “Dogface Soldier” is one of the strange tales of the war. Written early in 1942 by two musically illiterate infantry men as a protest against the very commercial war songs then being published, it was sung around among a few friends and soon forgotten – by the authors. They were sent to other branches of service, one in South America and the other in the Pacific. Meanwhile the song had been carried to North Africa by a fellow with a guitar.
It struck home – catching and spreading from mouth to mouth with no help from radio, sheet music, or records. During the amphibious invasions of Italy “Dogface Soldier” surpassed all other songs as a great morale ionic, and was actually sung during battle – not just neat it, or before it, but in it!
One of the “Dogface Soldiers” who chanted the tune was Audie Murphy who was destined to become America’s most decorated soldier of World War II. In preparing the film of his career, “To Hell And Back”, it was natural that Universal-International pictures should include the authentic and boisterous ballad of the foot soldier.
SHAWNEE PRESS, INC
So go the words of the division's theme song. Thanks to the creative genius of Walt Disney Productions, that "Dog Face Soldier" was caricatured into a tan bulldog: "heroic, but humble, fierce, but gentle, quick-witted and wise, with a confidence and dignity that comes from having proved himself."
Major General Albert O. Connor, a Third Division commander, visualized verbally what he wanted for a "Dog Face Soldier," Walt Disney Productions complied and the caricature was created.
All it cost was one dollar. The bull-dog face soldier is the result of an exchange of letters between General Connor and Walt Disney Productions. In one of his letters to Disney, General Connor explained: "For many years, the 3rd Infantry Division has been seeking a trademark based on the symbolism of the "Dog Face Soldier." The term "dog face," he continued, "is an old one in our Army, dating back to the Indian Wars."
The division received the final design of the bull-dog face soldier in August 1965. Along with the drawing came a contract granting exclusive and perpetual right and license to reproduce the drawing. The one dollar bill provided by the Marne Association was autographed by the division's Sergeants Major. Along with the autographed bill, which was framed, a letter of thanks to Walt Disney and his staff was sent for bringing to life the verbal conception of a song.
Since then, generations of Marne Soldiers have carried on the tradition of singing the division's song at morning formations and other official functions. Upon joining the 3rd Infantry Division, Soldiers are required to memorize the lyrics as part of the proud Marne heritage.