The Blood Stripe worn by NCOs commemorates the blood shed at which battle?

• A. It is a unit insignia stripe
• B. It is a decorative parade ribbon on dress blues
• C. The blood stripe worn by NCOs commemorates the blood of Marines at Battle Chapultepec 1847
• D. It marks enlistment in the Marine Corps

Answer: (C)

The Blood Stripe honors the Marines who shed their blood during the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847, part of the Mexican-American War. During the assault on Chapultepec Castle near Mexico City, many Marines were killed while pushing up the hill to seize the fortress. To commemorate that sacrifice, a red stripe was added down the outside seam of dress blues worn by noncommissioned officers and officers. It serves as a living reminder of their courage and the cost of victory, rather than a unit insignia, a simple decorative ribbon, or a marker of enlistment.