In the Battle of Guam in World War II, Marines used working dogs as messengers, scouts and sentries. Kurt, a Doberman, was the first of 25 dogs that lost their lives in that battle. In the 1980’s, the military veterinarian who served as commander of the War Dog Platoon established the National War Dog Cemetery on Guam, and raised funds for a monument to the animals who lost their lives liberating the island. The sculpture, named “Always Faithful”, depicts Kurt the Doberman. Another casting of the monument can be found at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Military dogs, also called War Dogs, have fought beside American soldiers in every major conflict since the Revolutionary War, but they were not officially recognized until World War II.
One of the most famous was Stubby, a pit bull who started life as a stray. In World War I, a soldier smuggled him into battle where the dog’s sensitive nose saved the company from a gas attack. Sergeant Stubby, as he became known, served in several campaigns, alerting the troops when enemies were near, locating wounded soldiers on the battlefield, and being wounded twice. He became the most decorated War Dog in history.
Some of you may remember Rin Tin Tin, a famous German Shepherd from the movies. Originally, he was a German war dog. An American soldier rescued him from the battlefield and brought him back to America where he became a cinema star.
There are about 1,600 military dogs in service today. They may work for a year before retiring and often put their expertise to work in law enforcement after that. Many are adopted by their former handlers.
This weekend, as we celebrate Memorial Day and honor those who died while serving in our country’s armed forces, remember the four-legged heroes who have given their lives to help keep their fellow soldiers (and all of us) safe, when we’re speaking of pets.
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