Description
The legend of the Oozlefinch began in 1905 at Ft. Monroe, Virginia, then home of the Coast Artillery Corps. A Captain H. M. Merriam, stepping out of the officers club first reported seeing the Oozlefinch a wide eyed, flight challenged bird described as “always flying backwards at high speed to keep dust out of his eyes”. This bird of no particular use was obviously suitable as a mascot for the Coast Artillery Corps. At the time the popular thought was that the Coast Artillery Corps itself was of no particular use as no country would dare to invade the United States across the vast oceans of the Atlantic and Pacific. The Oozlefinch remained the mascot of the Coastal Artillery throughout World War One and World War Two. With the end of the war and the inactivation of the Coast Artillery Corps Oozle Finch became dormant. Retiring to meditate on questions of great importance. In 1956, the Oozlefinch, legendary featherless bird of the Coast Artillery Corps was resurrected. It awakened from his sleep to find a Nike missile tucked in the crook of his left wing to become the guardian of all American missile men everywhere.