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CLYDE A. HENDERSON'S
LETTER TO R.G. ROSENOUIST,
23 AUGUST 1985

I am Clyde A Henderson 017729 who was the lieutenant in charge of the 1st Marine War Dog Platoon which served on Bougainville.

As to the type of weapons used by the men of war dog platoons, the carbine was the weapon assigned. In addition to the carbine, each man carried two leashes, one six feet and one 20 feet, a towel, grooming brush, extra canteen of water, extra cans of dog food or "C" rations in case dog food was not available.

As to the messenger pouch, my guess would be to contact the quartermaster. You see, all this dog equipment had to be turned in when the men and dogs were discharged.

I have a number of official Marine Corps pictures taken by a combat photographer. Since we were aboard the transport ship with the most high ranking officers (you know how photographers are attracted to high ranks), one photographer attached himself to the dog platoon all the way to Bougainvllle and for three days after we landed!

One of the officers of high rank was very interested in the dogs. Among many other questions he asked was: "Were we preparing our dogs for an exhibition? They look so sleek and healthy." I told him we had to prepare them physically and mentally just as the men had to be at their best if they were going to fight as Marines are supposed to do in combat!

Before finishing this report I must tell you that being made a part of the Raiders, the 1st Marine War Dog Platoon was given the best possible chances to succeed if they deserved it. Then, Colonel Shapley wrote an evaluation of the platoon and its possibilities to headquarters in Washington, D.C. and it was such an excellent report that I was on "Cloud Nine" for days. I was very pleased with my men and dogs and they joined me on "Cloud Nine!"

Colonel Shapley also told me that he had recommended that I be returned to Lejeune to take charge of the training of all future dog platoons-that many more platoons could be very useful. I couldn't have had more cooperation from the officers and men of the 2nd Raider Regiment. Captain Peatross worked with me in setting up combat problems to give all the dogs and handlers a chance to know where they fit into combat situations. Captain Charles Lamb guided me in the way of Marines and protected me from my military shortcomings without making me feel humiliated.

I'm sending along a book written by Clayton G. Going from the Office of War Information. After I returned from Bougainville to Lejeune he spent three days with me. He saw how the men and dogs lived and worked. He took copious notes. He asked lots of questions. He talked to many of the men who were in training for another couple of platoons. I felt he would write a good report.

Incidentally, our War Dog Platoons were used in the assault on Guam, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa in addition to Bougainville, and none were unopposed landings!

"CEASAR" MAKES NCO
By Colonel "Buck" Stidham. 2 Bn.

I recall a humorous moment involving Caesar. a big beautiful male German Shepard who was the obvious favorite of the troops. As I understand it the dogs had a regular Marine record book and all carried the rank of PFC.

On about the 3rd day ashore word got around that Caesar had done such an outstanding job that Col. Shapley had given him a spot promotion to SGT. I saw Caesar come trotting down the muddy Piva trail. Ignoring everybody as he was trained to do. But as he passed our unit, you could hear these taunts from the ranks- ear banger," "brown nose," "ass kisser" and so forth. If it had any effect on Caesar, it sure didn't show.

JAPANESE WAR DOGS!
By M. F. ("Mac") McLane

On Okinawa we found the use of dogs by the Japanese! Near Motobu we found a large cave with a large number of dead Japanese soldiers but with several live dogs. I put some water into a helmet and one dog drank thirstily, after which he allowed me to slip a belt around his neck and I led him out.

When we searched the gear and personal effects in the cave I found a photo of an enemy soldier with a war dog that had the same markings of the dog I had captured, so we felt it was the same dog!

Referring to my Japanese language manual, I tried some words such as 'kochi koi' (come here), 'suarte'{sit) , 'nete' (lie down), 'tate' (up), and'susume'(go). When he responded I knew I had a Japanese war dog!

We kept him until we boarded ship to leave Okinawa, having named him Motobu, after the location where he was captured. Sadly, the dog expired aboard ship from heartworms, and we all felt we had lost a friend!

As early as 1935, the Marines were interested in war dogs. They had experienced the enemy's sentry dogs used in Haiti and in the other "Banana Wars" in Central America where dogs staked around guerrilla camps in the jungle sounded the alarm at the approach of the Marines. Time and again, the Marines found "beans cooking in the pot", tents, clothes, everything except enemy soldiers and their weapons. The Marines learned the value of dogs used as sentries and scouts. One Marine trained a dog to scout at the head of patrols to alert him to ambushes. It was the Marine Corps veterans that convinced their leaders of the need for dogs.

Although prior to Pearl Harbor, the citizens of the U.S. were opposed to getting involved with the war that was going on in Europe and Asia, the Marines thought they would have to fight the Japanese in the Pacific. Since the Japanese were well established in the islands and atolls of the central, south, and west Pacific, the Marines knew they were going to be fighting in tropical climates where the vegetation provided jungle-like coverage. In such conditions, dogs would be ideal sentries and couriers. It was no surprise later that the Marine Corps had the first large dog unit in the nation's history to see action against the enemy.

Doberman Pinscher Club of America (DPCA)

The Doberman breed was first registered with the American Kennel Club in 1908. It was not until 1922 that more than 100 were registered each year. In 1934, more than 1,000 were registered each year and in 1941 there were 1,637 Dobes registered and they were 15th in popularity amongst purebred dogs. Although there were not a great number of Dobes, they were the one breed that had been produced to be "police-soldier" dogs. The Marines Corps decided that the Doberman Pinscher was to be their official combat dog.

The Doberman Pinscher Club of America was approached to procure Dobes for the newly formed Marine Corps War Dog Training Facility at Camp LeJeune, New River, North Carolina. Sydney A. Moss, President of the DPCA, agreed to assist in the procurement of Dobes. Richard C. Webster, DPCA, Baltimore, Maryland, headed the recruiting committee. He divided the country into sixteen procurement areas to facilitate enlistment. DPCA members spent their own time and money to screen applicant dogs for the Marine Corps. The recruitment was done amongst Dobe owners in the country who were asked to "volunteer" their dogs. Owners were told that their Dobes would be returned to them if they failed to meet the standards or at the end of their tour of service. Actually, the owners did have to sign over ownership of the dogs to the Marine Corps. On the application there was a statement that the dog "agreed to perform active service without pay or allowance, other than subsistence", and whether the dog wishes "to be returned to his owner after his services are no longer required." Many Marine handlers of the Dobes requested that their Dobes come home with them. These requests were nearly always granted by the donating family and other Dobes were returned to their families.

The Marine dogs were named "Devildogs", 90% of them were Doberman Pinschers mostly recruited through the efforts of the DPCA. There were also some German Shepherd Dogs that were obtained from the U.S. Army and the remaining dogs were enlisted directly from their owners.

The larger island in the Solomon's was Bougainville. The Marines landed on Bougainville in 1943. After the landing sites were bombed and shelled, the dog platoon was sent ashore just one hour after the first Marines hit the beach, under heavy mortar and rifle fire. The Devildogs were met with mixed reactions by the fighting Marines. There was one thing that quickly changed the Marines' view of the dogs to a very positive one. In landing and fighting on islands quite often the Marines were stopped for a time on the beaches. It was a common tactic for the Japanese to infiltrate the beach positions at night and attempt to kill the Marines. To prevent this the Marines were always on the alert at night. One night a Marine battalion fired 3,800 rounds, killing a water buffalo and wounding one of their own Marines. No enemy were known to be in the area. The next night the Devildogs were called in. It was a quiet night and the Marines got some sleep. The Dobes keen sense of smell and hearing could detect the presence of men several hundred yards away. In one instance, the dogs detected the presence of troops one half mile away. The Dobes' handlers always had help digging foxholes, the other Marines always wanted the handler and their dogs nearby. No unit protected by one of the dogs was ever ambushed by the Japanese or was there ever a case of Japanese infiltration.

During World War II, seven War Dog Platoons were trained at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. All platoons served in the Pacific in the war against the Japanese. The First War Dog Platoon served with the 2nd Raider Battalion on Bougainville. From this and other units, the First Marine Brigade was formed and invaded Guam along with the 3rd Marine Division and the 77th Army Division. More units were added to form the 6th Marine Division which invaded Okinawa. The First War Dog Platoon saw action on Bougainville, Guam, and Okinawa. The 2nd and 3rd War Dog Platoons saw action on Guadalcanal, Kwajalein, Enewetak, and Guam.

During the battles, the dogs led infantry points on advances, explored caves, pill boxes, dugouts, and scouted fortified positions. They did sentry duty with military police at crossroads day and night. They occupied foxholes in forward outposts at night. They and their handlers were officially credited with leading three hundred and fifty patrols during the mop up phases of the battles. The handlers accounted for over three hundred enemy slain. Only one handler was killed on patrol. During the Guam campaign fourteen dogs were killed in action and ten more died from exhaustion, tropical maladies, heat stroke, accidents, and anemia from hookworm. These twenty-four were buried in the War Dog Cemetery on Guam.

The Inscription on the front reads as follows:

25 Marine War Dogs gave their lives liberating Guam
in 1944. They served as sentries, messengers, scouts.
They explored caves, detected mines and booby traps.
SEMPER FIDELIS

Kurt	Yonnie	Koko	Bunkie
Skipper	Poncho	Tubby	Hobo
Nig	Prince	Fritz	Emmy
Missy	Cappy	Duke	Max
Blitz	Arno	Silver	Brockie
Bursch	Pepper	Ludwig	Rickey
Tam (buried at sea off Asan Point)

Given in their memory and on behalf of the surviving
men of the 2nd and 3rd marine war dogs platoons, many
of whom owe their lives to the bravery and sacrifice
of these gallant animals.

By William W. Putney DVM C.O. 3rd Marine WarDog Platoon
Dedicated this day 21 July 1994.

On This Day In History

Birthdates which occurred on March 25:
1133 Henry II King of England (1154-89)
1252 Konradijn Hohenstaufen [Koenrad van Zwaben], son of Konrad IV
1495 Leonhard Paminger composer
1528 Jacob Andreae German theologist (Schwäbische Konkordie)
1532 Pietro Pontio composer
1594 Maria Tesselschade Roemers Visscher Dutch writer
1653 Joseph Sauveur French physicist/mathematician
1688 Johann Gotthilf Ziegler composer
1699 Johann Adolf Hasse composer
1702 Christian Gottlieb Ziegler composer
1702 Pieter Teyler Van der Hulst Dutch silk merchant (Teyler's Museum)
1713 Jean-Baptiste Canavas composer
1723 Kaat Mussel [Catharina Mulder], Dutch demonstrater
1745 Nicolas Etienne Framery composer
1762 Francesco Giuseppi Pollini composer
1767 Joachim Murat marshal of France/King of Naples (1808-15)
1769 Salvatore Vigano composer
1770 Carl Friedrich Ebers composer
1782 Carolina [Maria A] Bonaparte (countess Lipona), sister of Napoleon)
1784 François-Joseph Fétis Belgian musicology/composer
1786 Giovanni B Amia Italian astronomer/physicist/botanist
1797 John Winebrenner US, clergyman, founded Church of God
1800 Paulin Paris French historian
1808 José de Espronceda y Delgado Spanish revolutionary/poet (Cortes)
1818 Isaac Ingalls Stevens Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1862
1820 Xavier F M G Earl of Merode, Belgian minister to Pope (in Rome)
1823 William Thompson Martin Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1910
1830 Julius Caesar cricketer (prominent batsman for Surrey)
1839 William Bell Wait US, educated the blind
1867 Arturo Toscanini Parma Italy, temperamental conductor
1867 Gutzon Borglum sculptor (Mount Rushmore)
1868 Bill Lockwood cricketer (England all-rounder in 12 Tests 1893-1902)
1869 Gustaaf Schamelhout Flemish physician/writer
1871 John Gutzon Borglum sculptor (Mount Rushmore)
1872 Vito Pardo Italian sculptor (Columbus monument in Argentina)
1873 Rudolf Rocker German/US anarchist
1875 Spencer Charters Duncannon PA, actor (3 Faces West)
1877 Alphonse de Châteaubriant French writer (Instantanés aux Pays-Bas)
1878 Henry graaf de Baillet-Latour Belgian President of IOC (1925-42)
1878 Theodore Samuel Holland composer
1879 Otakar Zich composer
1881 Béla Bartók Hungary, composer/pianist (Concerto for Orchestra)
1881 Louis Dosfel Flemish lawyer/writer (Assault!)
1882 Haydn Wood composer
1885 Veit Valentin German/US historian (Deutsche Revolution)
1887 Josef Capek Czechoslovakian painter/author/critic (Kulhavy Poutník)
1890 Marten Baersma [MH Bottema], Friesan author (De ljochte kimen)
1892 Andy Clyde Scotland, actor (George-Real McCoys, Cully-Lassie)
1893 Edward Hart (Representative-Democrat-NJ)/1st chairman of Committee on Un-American Activities
1894 Erik William Gustav Leidzen composer
1897 John Laurie Dumfries Scotland, actor (Jericho, Island of Desire)
1899 Bella Spewack Hungary, playwright (Kiss Me Kate)
1899 Jacques Audiberti French poet (Race of Men)
1901 Ed Begley Hartford CT, actor (Mr Koppel-Leave it to Larry)
1902 Sten Broman composer
1903 Frankie Carle Providence RI, orchestra leader (Golden Touch)
1905 Binnie Barnes London, actress (Last of the Mohicans, 3 Musketeers)
1906 Alan J P Taylor British historian (English history 1914-1915)
1906 Howard Pyle (Governor-Republican-AZ, 1951-55)
1906 Jean Sablon crooner
1908 Dame Bridget D'Oyly Carte British theater & hotel director
1908 David Lean Croydon England, director (Dr Zhivago, Ryan's Daughter)
1908 Helmut Käutner Düsseldorf Germany, director (Der Hauptmann von Köpenick)
1909 Dutch (Emil) Leonard baseball pitcher (Boston Red Sox, 1.01 ERA 1914)
1909 Jay Blackton New York NY, conductor/arranger (Guys & Dolls)
1910 Mario Peragallo Italian composer
1911 Willy Anthoons Flemish sculptor (Mystic verheffing)
1914 Marthe Robert essayist/translator
1914 Norman E Borlaug US agriculture scientist (Nobel 1970)
1916 Nikolay Ivanovich Peyko composer
1919 Jeanne Cagney actress (Lion is in the Streets, Quicksand)
1920 Patrick Troughton actor (Doctor Who)
1921 Nancy Kelly Lowell MA, actress (Double Exposure, Jesse James)
1921 Simone Signoret Wiesbaden Germany, actress (Casque d'Or, Room at the Top)
1922 Bruno VeSota Chicago IL, actor/director (Chopper, Teenage Doll, Wild Rovers)
1922 Eileen Ford modeling agency head (Ford Modeling Agency)
1923 Lee Hale Tacoma WA, choral director (The Entertainers)
1923 Wim Van Est [Locomotief/Pletmolen], Dutch cyclist
1924 Julia A Perry Lexington KY, US composer (Cask of Amontillado, Selfish Giant)
1924 Machiko Kyo Osaka Japan, actor (Gate of Hell, Rashomon, Ugetsu)
1925 Flannery O'Connor Georgia, novelist (A Good Man Is Hard to Find)
1926 Hans Rausing Swedish/British industrial/billionaire (Tetra Pak)
1926 Laszlo Papp Hungary, Olympics Boxer (Gold-1948, 1952, 1956)
1927 Leslie Claudius India, field hockey (Olympics-gold-1948, 52, 56)
1928 James A Lovell Jr Cleveland OH, USN/astronaut (Gemini 7, 12, Apollo 8, 13)
1929 Harris W Fawell (Representative-Republican-IL, 1985- )
1929 Kenneth Haigh Yorkshire England, actor (Search for the Nile)
1930 David Russell Burge composer
1931 Bohumil Golián Czechoslovakia, volleyball player (Olympics-bronze-1968)
1932 Wes Santee miler
1932 Woody (Woodson) Held baseball player
1934 Gloria Steinem Toledo OH, feminist/publisher (Ms Magazine)
1934 Johnny Burnette Memphis, guitarist (Trains Kept A-Rollin, You're 16)
1935 Susan Engel Vienna Austria, actress (Ascendancy)
1936 Lawrence Bernard "Larry" Gales bassist
1938 Hoyt Axton Duncan OK, actor (Black Stallion, Junkman, Rousters)
1939 Toni Cade Bambara director
1940 Anita Bryant Barnsdall OK, Miss Oklahoma-America (1958)/singer (George Gobel Show)/homophobe
1942 Aretha Franklin Memphis TN, Soul Sister #1/singer (Respect)
1942 Jacqueline Lichtenberg US, sci-fi author (Star Trek Lives!, Dreamspy)
1942 Paul Michael Glaser Cambridge MA, actor (Starsky-Starsky & Hutch)
1943 Pavel Lednev USSR, pentathlete (Olympics-gold-1980)
1943 Ronald Jeffers composer
1944 Frank Oz muppetteer (Grover-Sesame Street, Muppet Show)
1944 Ross Duncan cricketer (one Test Australia vs England 1971, 0-30)
1944 Terry L Bruce (Representative-Democrat-IL, 1985- )
1946 Bonnie Bedelia [Culkin] New York NY, actress (Die Hard, Heart Like a Wheel, New Land)
1947 Claudine Schneider (Representative-Republican-RI, 1981- )
1947 Elton John [Reginald Kenneth Dwight] Pinner Middlesex England, singer (Rocketman, Your Song, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
1948 Kelly Garrett actress/singer (Holdin)
1948 Michael Stanley Cleveland OH, rocker (Michael Stanley Band)
1948 Richard Lundy horse trainer
1949 Jean Potvin NHLer
1949 Neil Jones musician (Bend Me Shape Me)
1949 Nick Lowe Woodchurch Suffolk England, rocker (Rockpile-Cruel to be Kind)
1951 Bob Pelander rock keyboardist/vocalist (Michael Stanley Band)
1951 Maisie Williams Montserrat, rock vocalist (Boney M)
1952 Ken Boyd basketball
1953 Haroon Rashid cricketer (Pakistani & WSC batsman late 70's)
1953 Mary Gross Chicago IL, actress/comedian (Saturday Night Live, Club Paradise, Feds)
1956 Sonia M Lannaman England, 4X100 meter relayer (Olympics-bronze-1980)
1958 James McDaniel Washington DC, actor (Arthur Fancy-NYPD Blue)
1958 María Caridad Colón Cuba, javelin thrower, (Olympics-gold-1980)
1958 Yograj Singh cricketer (Indian pace bowler early 80's)
1959 Vince Guerra jockey
1960 Haywood Nelson New York NY, actor (Haywood-Grady, Dwayne-What's Happening)
1960 Robert Green Omaha NE, tennis star
1960 Steve Norman London England, rock saxophone player (Spandau Ballet-True)
1961 John Stockwell Galveston TX, actor (Born to Ride, City Limits)
1961 Mark David Brooks Fort Worth TX, PGA golfer (1994 Kemper Open)
1964 Alex Solls jockey
1964 Eric Woods California, Canadian Tour golfer (1993 Xerox British Columbia Open)
1964 Ken Wregget Brandon Manitoba Canada, NHL goalie (Pittsburgh Penguins)
1965 Avery Johnson NBA guard (San Antonio Spurs)
1965 Sarah Jessica Parker Nelsonville OH, actress (Square Pegs, LA Story)
1965 Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton DJ (Hangin' With Hollywood, Z-100)
1966 David Hohl Winnipeg Manitoba, freestyle wrestler (Olympics-9-92, 96)
1966 Jeff Cross NFL defensive end (Miami Dolphins)
1966 Jeff Healey Canada, blind pop guitarist (See the Light)
1966 Tom Glavine Concord MA, pitcher (Atlanta Braves, Cy Young 1991)
1967 Debi Thomas US, figure skater (Olympics-bronze-1988)
1967 Takayuki Miura hockey defenseman (Team Japan 1998)
1968 Dixon Edwards NFL linebacker (Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings)
1968 Errol Martin CFL linebacker (Edmonton Eskimos)
1968 Peter Blackburn Australia, badminton player (Olympics-96)
1969 Dale Davis NBA forward (Indiana Pacers)
1969 Dan Wilson Arlington Height IL, catcher (Seattle Mariners)
1969 Guy Newman Australian water polo goalie (Olympics-96)
1969 Scott Sanders Hannibal MO, pitcher (San Diego Padres)
1970 Magnus Larsson Sweden, tennis star
1970 Shawn Antoski Brantford, NHL left wing (Philadelphia Flyers)
1971 Aashish Kapoor cricketer (Indian off-spin batsman 1994- )
1971 AndrÄ Bolduc CFL slot back (Edmonton Eskimos)
1971 Cammi Granato ice hockey forward (USA, Olympics-98)
1971 Perry Klein NFL quarterback (Atlanta Falcons)
1971 Sheryl Swoopes Lubbock TX, WNBA forward (Houston Comets, Olympics-gold-96)
1972 Demet Edwards WLAF defensive tackle (Barcelona Dragons)
1972 Howard Battle Biloxi MS, infielder (Philadelphia Phillies)
1972 Lawrence Moten NBA guard (Vancouver Grizzlies)
1973 Andrei Nikolishin Vorkuta Russia, NHL center (Hartford Whalers)
1973 Bob Sura NBA guard (Cleveland Cavaliers)
1973 Ray Zellars NFL fullback (New Orleans Saints)
1974 Mike Adams wide receiver (Pittsburgh Steelers)
1974 Vyninka Arlow Australia, diver (Olympics-96)
1975 Miguel Mejia San Pedro de Macoris, outfielder (St Louis Cardinals)
1976 Monica Croscicka-Wnetrzak Miss Poland-Universe (1996)
1989 Chicken Kentucky 1st partial birth in space (chicken)
2184 Pavel Andreivich Chekov Leningrad, USSR (Star Trek-character)

Deaths which occurred on March 25:
1223 Afonso II 3rd King of Portugal (1211-23), dies at 36
1458 Inigo López de Mendoza Spanish marquis of Santillana/poet, dies
1510 Georges d'amboise French archbishop of Narbonne/Rouen, dies at 49
1609 Johan Willem duke of Jülich/Cleef/Mark/Mountain/Ravensberg, dies
1692 Gerardus L Blasius Flemish anatomist, dies at about 66
1697 Hendrik Casimir II King of Nassau-Dietzstadhouder, dies
1751 Frederik of Hessen Kassel King of Sweden (1720-51), dies at 74
1766 Johannes Ritschel composer, dies at 26
1799 Constantin Reindl composer, dies at 60
1801 Anthony Ziesenis architect/sculptor (Camper), dies at 69
1801 Novalis writer, dies at 28
1823 Coelestin Jungbauer composer, dies at 75
1825 Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck Dutch patriot/earl, dies at 63
1835 Friederike Blum writer, dies
1852 Alexis Garaude composer, dies at 73
1880 Joseph Rummel composer, dies at 61
1880 Ludmilla Assing writer, dies
1909 Ruperto Chapi y Lorente composer, dies at 57
1910 Kálmán Mikszáth Hungarian author (Szent Péter Esernyöje), dies at 63
1914 Frédéric Mistral French poet (Nobel-1904), dies
1918 Claude A Debussy French composer (Iberia/La mer), dies in Paris France at 55
1924 John Reedman cricketer (Test for Australia 1894, 17 & 4, 1 for 24), dies
1937 John Drinkwater English poet/playwright (Bird in Hand), dies at 54
1940 Ion Nonna Otescu composer, dies at 51
1948 Warren Hymer actor (Show Them No Mercy), dies at 42
1949 Hanns A Rauter German SS-commandant in Netherlands, executed at 54
1951 Edward Collins Hall of Fame infielder (White Sox, A's), dies at 63
1954 Gertrud Bäumer writer, dies
1956 George Luther Foote composer, dies at 70
1956 Robert Newton actor (Henry V, Odd Man Out), dies at 50
1957 Fud Livingston composer, dies at 50
1958 Emerson Whithorne composer, dies at 73
1959 Billy Mayerl composer, dies at 56
1962 Auguste Piccard Swiss explorer/balloonist, dies at 78
1963 David Moore US feather weight boxer, dies at 29
1965 Giorgio Federico Ghedini composer, dies at 72
1965 Viola Gregg Liuzzo US civil rights activist, murdered
1966 Colin Campbell actor (Leather Boys), dies at 83
1968 Douglas Evans actor (South Pacific Trail), dies in Hollywood
1969 Alan Mowbray actor (Dante, Colonel Flack), dies at 72
1969 Max F Eastman US critic/essayist (Love & Revolution), dies at 86
1969 Norman Gallichan cricketer (one Test for New Zealand, 30 & 2, 3-113), dies
1973 Edward Steichen pioneer of American photography, dies at 92
1974 Otto Waldis actor (Unknown World, Whip Hand), dies at 72
1975 King Faisal of Saudi Arabia shot to death by his nephew
1978 Jack Hulbert actor (Bulldog Jack), dies at 85
1979 ... Sykes British ambassador in The Hague, murdered
1979 Anton Heiller composer, dies at 55
1983 Martha Sleeper actress (Spitfire), dies of a heart attack at 72
1987 Henry R LaBouisse headed UNICEF (1965-79), dies at 83
1991 Eileen Joyce pianist, dies at 78
1991 Lee Donn pianist, dies of stroke at 96
1992 Nancy Walker actress (Ida Morgenstern-Rhoda), dies of cancer at 69
1992 Noémie Perugia French mezzo soprano, dies
1994 David Miles Bensuan-Butt Economist , dies at 79
1994 Michel R Vassallucci French/Netherlands publisher (Arena), dies at 32
1995 James Gardner designer, dies at 87
1995 Peter Herbert Penwarden priest, dies at 73
1995 Warren E Burger chief justice of US (1969-86), dies
1996 John Derrick Mordaunt Snagge news commentator (BBC), dies at 91
1997 Roberto Sanchez Vilella Governor of Puerto Rico in (1965-69), dies

On this day...
0001 Origin of Dionysian Incarnation of the Word
0031 1st Easter, according to calendar-maker Dionysius Exiguus
0421 Friday at 12 Prime Minister: city of Venice founded
0708 Constantine begins his reign as Catholic Pope
0752 Stephen ends his reign as Catholic Pope (or 26th)
1133 William the Conqueror orders 1st Domesday Survey of England
1306 Robert the Bruce crowned king of Scotland
1409 Council of Pisa opens
1571 Catholic Italian businessman Roberto Ridolfi leaves Enngeland
1581 Portugese Cortes calls Philip II king of Portugal
1584 Sir Walter Raleigh renews Humphrey Gilbert's patent to explore North America
1598 Cornelis de Houtman's fleet departs for East-Indies
1609 Henry Hudson embarks on an exploration for Dutch East India Co
1634 Lord Baltimore founded Catholic colony of Maryland
1647 Cape of Good Hope; tour ship Haerlem stranded in Tafel Bay
1655 Christiaan Huygens discovers Titan, (Saturn's largest satellite)
1668 1st horse race in America takes place
1669 Mount Etna in Sicily erupts, destroying Nicolosi, killing 20,000
1700 England, France & Netherlands ratify 2nd Extermination treaty
1753 Voltaire leaves the court of Frederik II of Prussia
1774 English Parliament passes Boston Port Bill
1776 Continental Congress authorizes a medal for General George Washington
1802 France, Netherlands, Spain & England signs Peace of Amiens
1807 1st railway passenger service began in England
1807 British Parliament abolishes slave trade
1807 George Canning becomes British minister of Foreign affairs
1813 1st US flag flown in battle on the Pacific, frigate Essex
1814 Netherlands Bank established
1817 Tsar Alexander I recommends formation of Society of Israeli Christians
1820 Greece freedom revolt against anti Ottoman attack
1821 Greece gains independence from Turkey (National Day)
1847 Pope Pius IX encyclical "On aid for Ireland"
1852 Friedrich Hebbel's "Agnes Bernauer" premieres in Munich
1856 A E Burnside patents Burnside carbine
1857 Frederick Laggenheim takes 1st photo of a solar eclipse
1863 1st Army Medal of Honor awarded
1863 Skirmish at Brentwood TN
1864 Battle of Paducah KY (Forrest's raid)
1865 Battle of Bluff Spring FL
1865 Battle of Fort Stedman VA: in front of Petersburg
1865 Battle of Mobile AL (Spanish Fort, Fort Morgan, Fort Blakely)
1865 SS General Lyon at Cape Hatteras catches fire & sinks, killing 400
1876 Glasgow 1st soccer match Scotland-Wales (4-0)
1882 1st demonstration of pancake making (Department store in New York NY)
1888 Socialist leader Domela Nieuwenhuis elected to Dutch 2nd chamber
1889 1st Test Cricket match played at Newlands, Cape Town vs England
1894 Coxey's Army of the unemployed sets out from Massillon OH for Washington DC
1895 Italian troops invade Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
1896 Modern Olympics begin in Athens Greece
1898 Intercollegiate Trapshooting Association formed in New York NY
1900 US Socialist Party is formed at Indianapolis
1901 55 die as Rock Island train derailed near Marshalltown IA
1902 Irving W Colburn patents sheet glass drawing machine
1905 Rebel battle flags captured during war are returned to South
1907 Stanley Cup: Montréal Wanderers lose to Kenora Thistles but outscore them in 2 game set but outscore them 12-8 and win cup
1910 Chalmers Auto Co offers a new car to each leagues' batting champion
1911 146 die in a fire at Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York NY
1911 L D Swamikannu publishes "Manual of Indian Chronology" in Bombay
1913 Great Dayton Flood
1913 Home of vaudeville, Palace Theatre, opens (New York NY) starring Ed Wynn
1915 1st submarine disaster; a US F-4 sank off Hawaii, killing 21
1915 German U boat torpedoes Netherlands merchant ship Medea
1916 Heavyweight Jess Willard & Franc Moran fight to no decision in 10 for boxing title (New York NY)
1916 Women are allowed to attend a boxing match
1920 Greek Independence Day
1923 British government grants Trans-Jordan autonomy
1924 Greek parliament selects Admiral Paul Koundouriótis as premier
1924 Stanley Cup: Montréal Canadiens (NHL) sweep Calgary Tigers (WCHL) in 2 (2nd of 1924)
1931 Hal Kemp & his Orchestra record Whistles, with Skinnay Ennis
1931 Scottsboro Boys (accused of raping a white woman) arrested in Alabama
1934 1st Golf Masters Championship: Horton Smith wins, shooting a 284
1934 Horton Smith win 1st Masters golf championship
1935 1st Belgium government of Van Zealand resigns
1936 Detroit Red Wings beat Montréal Maroons in NHL longest game (2 hours 56 minutes 30 seconds)
1937 Italy & Yugoslavia sign no-attack treaty (Pact of Belgrade)
1937 It's revealed Quaker Oats pays Babe Ruth $25,000 per year for ads
1937 Lionel Conacher misses on 1st Stanley Cup penalty shot
1937 Washington Daily News is 1st US newspaper with perfumed advertising page
1938 1st US bred horse (Battleship) to win Grand National Steeplechase
1939 Billboard Magazine introduces hillbilly (country) music chart
1941 Carolina Paprika Mills, Dillon SC, incorporated
1942 700 Jews of Polish Lvov-district reach Belzec Concentration camp
1943 97% of all Dutch physicians strike againt Nazi registration
1943 Jimmy Durante & Garry Moore premiere on radio
1944 Germany troop executes 335 residents of Rome
1944 RAF Sergeant Nickolas Alkemade survives a jump from his Lancaster bomber from 18,000 feet without a parachute
1945 US 1st army breaks out bridgehead near Remagen
1945 US 4th Armored division arrives at Hanau & Aschaffenburg
1945 US Northern Tractor Flotilla departs Ulithi to Okinawa
1946 1st performance of Igor Stravinsky's "Ebony Concerto"
1947 9th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Holy Cross beats Oklahoma 58-47
1947 Agreement of Linggadjati ratified in Batavia
1947 Coal mine explosion in Centralia IL, claims 111 lives
1947 Last day of Test cricket for Walter Hammond (v New Zealand, Christchurch)
1949 SS police chief Rauter request for a pardon, denied
1951 5th Tony Awards: Guys & Dolls & Rose Tattoo win
1951 E Purcell & EM Ewen detect 21-cm radiation at Harvard physics lab
1954 26th Academy Awards: "From Here to Eternity", William Holden & Audrey Hepburn win
1954 Pope Pius XII encyclical "Sacra virginitas" (On consecrated virginity)
1954 RCA manufactures 1st color TV set (12½" screen at $1,000)
1955 East Germany granted full sovereignty by occupying power, USSR
1957 NBA modifies the free-throw rule
1957 Treaty of Rome establishes European Economic Community (Common Market)
1958 Sugar Ray Robinson is 1st boxing champion to win 5 times
1958 West German parliament desires German atomic weapons
1959 Bill White traded to St Louis for pitchers Sam Jones & Don Choate
1959 French President De Gaulle acknowledges Oder-Neisse boundary
1960 1st guided missile launched from nuclear powered sub (Halibut)
1960 DH Lawrence' "Lady Chatterley's Lover" ruled not obscene (New York NY)
1960 Ford Frick voids Indians-Red Sox deal as Sam White retires
1960 Italian government Tambroni forms
1961 "13 Daughters" closes at 54th St Theater NYC after 28 performances
1961 "Gypsy" closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 702 performances
1961 23rd NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Cincinnati beats Ohio State 70-65 (OT)
1961 3rd place game is one of the wildest contests in NCAA Tournament history as St Joseph's defeats Utah 127-120 in 4 overtimes
1961 Elvis Presley performs live on the USS Arizona
1961 Explorer 10 launched into elongated Earth orbit (177/181,000 km)
1961 Sputnik 10 carries a dog into Earth orbit; later recovered
1962 "Family Affair" closes at Billy Rose Theater NYC after 65 performances
1962 French OAS-leader ex-General Jouhaud arrested
1963 KWHY TV channel 22 in Los Angeles CA (IND) begins broadcasting
1964 Britain sets memorial for the late President John F Kennedy
1964 Egypt ends state of siege (1952-64)
1965 Martin Luther King Jr led 25,000 to state capitol in Montgomery AL
1965 West German Bondsdag extends war crimes retribution
1966 Beatles pose with mutilated dolls & butchered meat for the cover of the "Yesterday & Today" album, It is later pulled
1966 US Supreme court rules "poll tax" unconstitutional
1967 29th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: UCLA beats Dayton 79-64
1967 The Turtles' "Happy Together" goes #1
1967 UCLA wins its 3rd national basketball championship in 4 years
1967 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakhstan/Semipalitinsk USSR
1967 Who & Cream make US debut at Murray the K's Easter Show
1968 KLVX TV channel 10 in Las Vegas NV (PBS) begins broadcasting
1968 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1969 Andes Pact signed in Peru
1969 John & Yoko stage their 1st bed-in for peace (Amsterdam)
1969 Pakistan General Agha Mohammed Jagja Khan succeeds Ayub Chan as President
1970 Concorde makes its 1st supersonic flight (700 MPH/1,127 KPH)
1971 Boston Patriots become New England Patriots
1971 European council accepts Mansholt plan laying off 5 million farmers
1971 Tom Jones' "She's a Lady" goes gold
1972 "Selling of the President" closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 5 performances
1972 34th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: UCLA beats Florida 81-76; UCLA's 6th consecutive national basketball title
1972 America's LP "America" goes #1
1972 Bobby Hull becomes the 2nd NHLer to score 600 goals
1973 27th Tony Awards: That Championship Season & Little Night Music win
1973 Carol Mann wins LPGA Sears Women's Golf Classic
1973 Majid Khan & Mushtaq Mohammad both out for 99 in Test vs England
1974 Barbra Streisand records the album "Butterfly"
1975 Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz, king of Saudi-Arabia (1964-75), shot by nephew
1976 "My Fair Lady" opens at St James Theater NYC for 384 performances
1976 "Rex" opens at Lunt-Fontaine Theater NYC for 48 performances
1976 Argentine military junta bans leftist political parties
1979 Major riot at Bourda prevents day's play in WSC Supertest
1979 Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Sahara National Pro-Am Golf Tournament
1982 Wayne Gretzky becomes 1st NHL to score 200 points in a season
1983 Christa Rothenburger skates world record 500 meter ladies (39.69 seconds)
1983 Pavel Pegov skates world record 1000 meter (1:12.58)
1984 Betsy King wins LPGA Women's Kemper Golf Open
1985 57th Academy Awards: "Amadeus", F Murray Abraham & Sally Field win
1985 Edwin Meese III becomes US Attorney General
1986 Supreme Court rules Air Force could ban wearing of yarmulkes
1987 Supreme Court rules women/minorities may get jobs if less qualified
1988 "Les Miserables" opens at Chunichi Theatre, Nagoya Japan
1988 NASA launches space vehicle S-206
1988 Robin Givens demands full access to husband Mike Tyson's money
1989 "Les Miserables" opens at Auditorium Theatre, Chicago
1990 "Lettice & Lovage" opens at Barrymore Theater NYC for 284 performances
1990 10th Golden Raspberry Awards: Star Trek V wins
1990 Fire in illegal NYC social club, kills 87
1990 Pat Bradley wins LPGA Standard Register Turquoise Golf Classic
1991 63rd Academy Awards: "Dance with Wolves", Jeremy Irons & Kathy Bates win
1991 Allan Border takes 5-68 vs West Indies at Bourda (!), Georgetown
1992 British scientists find new largest perfect number (2 756839 -1 2 756839)
1992 Imran Khan scores 72 & takes 1-43 off 6 2 overs in last ODI
1992 Pakistan defeats England by 22 runs to win World Cup
1992 Russian manned space craft TM-14, lands
1993 "Candida" opens at Criterion Theater NYC for 45 performances
1994 Gunda Niemann skates ladies world record 3 km (4:09.32)
1994 Yasunori Miyabe skates world record 1000 meter (1:12.37)
1995 Boxer Mike Tyson released from jail after serving 3 years
1996 68th Academy Awards: "Braveheart", Nicholas Cage & Susan Sarandon win
1996 Comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) approaches within 0.1018 astronomical units (AUs) of Earth
1996 Freedom Shoemakers on Maryport's Solway Estate closes
1996 US issues newly-redesigned $100 bill
1996 World Ice Dance Championship in Edmonton won by Gritshuk & Platov (Russia)
1996 World Ice Pairs Figure Skating Championship in Edmonton won by Eltsova & Bushkov (Russia)
1996 World Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Edmonton won by Michelle Kwan (USA)
1996 World Men's Figure Skating Championship in Edmonton won by Todd Eldredge (USA)
1997 "Barrymore" opens at Music Box Theater NYC for 240 performances
1997 Indians trade Lofton & Embree to Braves for Grissom & Justice

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

England : New Year's Day 1155-1752
Greece : Independence Day (1821)
Maryland : Maryland Day (1634)
US : Pecan Day
Alaska : Seward Day (1867) - - - - - ( Monday )
US Virgin Island : Transfer Day (1917) - - - - - ( Monday )

Religious Observances
Christian : Commemoration of St Margaret Clitherow, English martyr
Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St Lucy Filippini, Italian educator

Religious History
1 Roman Church historian Dionysius Exiguus (ca.500_550), in calculating his history of the Christian Church, took this day as the supposed date of the Annunciation. March 25th afterward became the first day of the calendar year, until the Gregorian Calendar Reform of 1753 changed the day to January 1st.
1533 During one of his recorded "Table Talks," German reformer Martin Luther declared: 'That the Creator himself comes to us and becomes our ransom - this is the reason for our rejoicing.'
1634 The Catholic Church gained a foothold in colonial America when the ships "Dove" and "Ark" arrived in Maryland with 128 Catholic colonists, selected by Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore. The colony was under the leadership of Leonard Calvert, Lord Baltimore's brother.
1951 American missionary and martyr Jim Elliot reflected in his journal: 'When it comes time to die, make sure that all you have to do is die.'
1953 A group of 22 Southern Baptist military personnel, stationed at Rapid City, met to form the Calvary Baptist Church , the first Southern Baptist congregation established in South Dakota.

Thought for the day :
" Every anarchist is a baffled dictator. "

Today's classic warship, USS Letter B (SP-732)

Letter B class motor-boat
Displacement. Not recorded
Lenght. 40'
Beam. Not recorded
Draft. Not recorded
Speed. Not recorded
Complement. Not recorded
Armament. Not recorded

Letter B, a 40-foot motor boat, was built at Bayonne, New Jersey, in 1912 as a civilian pleasure craft. The Navy acquired her on 7 May 1917 and placed her in commission as USS Letter B (SP-732) on 20 October 1917. Based at Norfolk, Virginia, she served throughout World War I as a patrol boat and aircraft tender. No longer required after the end of the conflict, Letter B was returned to her owner on 29 April 1919. Fate unknown.

FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!

To be removed from this list, please send me a blank private reply with "REMOVE" in the subject line! Thanks! Jen

Thanks for the post SAM.

BTTT

Where are the AIREDALES???

Jack -- One BRAVE Airedale!

During World War I, the Airedale Terrier was among the most common and popular breeds trained by the British for guard and messenger duty; eventually the Airedale was named the official breed of the British Army...

One Airedale, named Jack, purportedly saved a battalion from destruction by carrying a message through one-half mile of swamp. The artillery barrage that surrounded him broke his jaw and shattered his foreleg. But he persevered, delivered his message to headquarters and then fell dead. The battalion was relieved, and Jack was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for "Gallantry in the Field."

What an awesome thread. Thanks for the stories and for posting it.

We watched a documentary some time ago regarding these forgotten hero's. Kind of epitomizes the saying "A dog is mans best friend".

I don't think I have ever taken the time to thank you for all your work - sure appreciate it. Thanks

A TRIBUTE TO THE WAR DOGS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY

Dedicated to the memory of all those who served . . . Italy, France, Russia, Belgium, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and Great Britain all have formal monuments and decorations dedicated to war dogs by the military organizations under which they served. War dogs in other countries have also been awarded medals and other forms of official recognition for serving their countries. Of all of the countries to employ the use and help of dogs during times of war, the United States military stands alone as the only world military to not formally acknowledge the contributions made by its canine soldiers. Due to a policy that has existed since World War II, and despite the protests of armed forces personnel, the United States military refuses to formally recognize the accomplishments of its canine soldiers, stating that such recognition is "demeaning to servicemen."

Nearly 4000 dogs served in Vietnam and saved up to 10,000 American servicemen through their scouting and sentry duties. When withdrawing from Vietnam in 1973, the military classified the dogs as surplus equipment to be left behind during evacuation. Many dogs were left with South Vietnamese allies who were afraid of the dogs and didn't know how to handle them. Many of the dogs were euthanized, and many more perished at the hands of their inexperienced South Vietnamese handlers. Only a handful of Vietnam war dogs made it back to the United States. Many handlers and trainers who worked with these dogs were traumatized by having to leave their faithful companions behind, stating that the dogs saved their lives and often did more work than they did.

Relegated to the status of military equipment rather than personnel, dogs in the U.S. military are drafted for life and are euthanized once they are deemed infirm and incapable of continuing their jobs. The military claims that these dogs are incapable of being retired to civilian life, despite the fact that police dogs, which receive identical training, are successfully and peacefully retired to loving
homes and families upon retirement. As a result of the indifference shown toward war dogs, many of their accomplishments have been unjustly forgotten, or at best, relegated to the status of "trivia" by war buffs. Many of the records of war dogs and their handlers have been lost or destroyed, and the public remains largely unaware of the contributions by dogs in the armed forces.

It is hoped through this message that these dogs will be remembered and appreciated for the services they provided for our armed forces and to our country. Please copy and forward this page or address to as many dog lovers as you can so that these canine heroes are not forgotten.

Not Forgotten are . .

STUBBY, Bull Terrier mix, WWI. The most decorated war dog in U.S. history. As a small, stray bull terrier, he was smuggled aboard a troop ship to France. There he was wounded in no-man's land but recovered and still served in battles at Chateau Thierry, the Marne and the Meuse-Argonne with the men of the 102nd Infantry. One night in February 1918, he roused a sleeping sergeant to warn of a gas attack, giving the soldiers time to don masks and thus saving them. Gen John "Black Jack" Pershing awarded him a special Gold Medal. He was given Life Membership in the American Legion and the Red Cross. He met Presidents Wilson, Harding, and Coolidge. He died of old age in 1926. Stubby is now on display as part of American military history in the Hartford Armory in Connecticut and is called "Sargeant Stubby".

JACK, Bull Terrier mix, Union army, U.S. Civil War.
GENERAL, Saint Bernard, 14th North Carolina Infantry, Confederate Army, U.S. Civil War.
ROBERT LEE, Troupe Artillery, Confederate Army, U.S. Civil War.
SARGE 1A43, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
PRINCE 55-M-9, German Shepherd mix, Vietnam.
LUKE, black Labrador Retriever, Vietnam
PATCHES, Vietnam, one of the few war dogs given passage back home to the United States.
NEMO, German Shepherd, Wounded in Vietnam. Depsite losing an eye to gunfire, he threw himself on 4 Viet Cong to save his handler in 1966. Both survived. One of the few Vietnam war dogs given passage back home to the United States.
TROY, Alaskan Malamute, served the U.S. Air Force in the early 1980's.
LISLE, German Shepherd-Collie mix, served the U.S. Army in the early 1980's.
THOR, German Shepherd, Desert Storm.
BUNS, German Shepherd, Desert Storm.
SMOKEY, German Shepherd, Desert Storm.
BANDIT, German Shepherd, Desert Storm.
ASTOR, German Shepherd, Desert Storm.
PENNY, Beagle, Desert Storm.
TOSCA, Belgian Malinois, Desert Storm.
NERO 304J, Belgian Malinois, Desert Storm.
CARLO, Belgian Malinois, Desert Storm. During a ceremony in which Carlo's handler received the Bronze Star for his service in Kuwait, his handler removed the medal from his own uniform and pinned it to Carlo's collar, saying, "Carlo worked harder than me. He was always in front of me."
PASJA, Belgian Malinois, euthanized for being too old to continue serving.
NORMAN SADLER, Fox Terrier, fundraiser during WWII.
BOOTS, trick dog, fundraiser during WWII.
RONNIE, German Shepherd, WWII, U.S. Coast Guard Dog Patrol.
BOB, Collie mix, WWII, led more forays into German territory than any other U.S. soldier in WWII, human or canine.
BUSTER, WWII, killed in action.
RICKY, Welsh Shepherd, parachuting scout dog, WWII.
DUKE, Doberman Pinscher, served in the Pacific during WWII.
CHIPS, German Shepherd-Collie-Husky mix, WWII, Tank guard dog and the most decorated dog in WWII being awarded the Silver Star for Valor and a Purple Heart. When he and his handler was attacked by a conceled machine gun in July 1943 during the invasion of Sicily, he streaked for the Italian machine gun pillbox, capturing 4 Italian soldiers and saving his handler. He suffered powder burns and a scalp wound - proof that the Italians had tried to kill him. That same night he helped capture another 10 Italian soldiers. The U.S. newspapers called him a hero. He was personally thanked for his services by General Eisenhower. Chips' military honors were removed because the the commander of the Order of the Purple Heart determined that decorating a dog was "demeaning to servicemen."
DUG, Belgian Shepherd, Korean War.
BRUTE, Belgian Shepherd, Korean War.
CASEY, Belgian Shepherd, Korean War.
ROY, Belgian Shepherd, Korean War.
SHERI, Belgian Shepherd, Korean War.
MAC, first canine casualty in Vietnam.
PAL, scout dog, Vietnam.
TROUBLES, scout dog, Vietnam.
VALENTINE 3F38, German Shepherd, died in Vietnam.
BUCK, German Shepherd mix, Vietnam, killed in action.
ROYAL 19X8, German Shepherd, Vietnam, killed in action.
DUKE 383M, German Shepherd, Vietnam, killed in action.
CLACKER, German Shepherd, Vietnam, killed in action.
KREIGER, German Shepherd, Vietnam, killed in action.
PONCHO, German Shepherd, Vietnam, killed in action.
DUKE 645f, German Shepherd, Vietnam, missing in action.
EBONY, German Shepherd, Vietnam, 47th Scout Dog Platoon.
DUFFER, German Shepherd, Vietnam, 212th Sentry Dog Co.
SUZIE, German Shepherd, Vietnam. Her handler gave her his Bronze Star.
BLACKIE 129X, left behind in Vietnam.
HEIDI, scout dog, left behind in Vietnam.
KRISTIANNA, German Shepherd, left behind in Vietnam.
WARRIOR, German Shepherd, left behind in Vietnam.
COMMANDER, German Shepherd, left behind in Vietnam.
WINSTON, German Shepherd, left behind in Vietnam.
TIMBER, German Shepherd, left behind in Vietnam.
CLIPPER, German Shepherd, left behind in Vietnam.
ORION, German Shepherd, left behind in Vietnam.
SMOKEY, German Shepherd, nicknamed "Flop," left behind in Vietnam.
WOLF, Vietnam.
REX, German Shepherd, nicknamed "Punky," Vietnam.
YORK, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
DUKE, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
BOY, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
NASTY, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
ZORRO, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
MAX, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
KOENIG, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
BRIAN-4M4, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
KING, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
KIESER, German Shepherd, Vietnam
HUDSONS KING, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
RUSTY 775E, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
IRKO, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
TIGER, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
INK, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
REBEL, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
CHIEF, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
SMOKIE 6X65, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
SLIM SN# 84M6, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
PUDDLES 807M, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
JOUNK, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
BRUISER, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
ROGER 3M84, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
DUKE 847A, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
BUDDY A601, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
BIG BOY, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
TARZAN W195, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
BLITZ, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
GARDO 86XO, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
MACK, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
ERIC, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
FRITZ 584F, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
GEISHA A871, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
DOBE 7X49, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
REX 75M3, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
SHEPPY, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
CLYDE, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
CHEROKEE, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
SPOOK 235X, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
BUFFY 87M3, German Shepherd, Vietnam.
KNIGHT, German Shepherd, Vietnam.

PRINCE 347E, German Shepherd,Vietnam (see photo). He served our country his entire adult life and was put to rest on October 2, 1968, at the War Dog Hospital, Long Binh, Vietnam. "I have remembered him every day for the last 39 years and will continue to do so until I join him. Thank you very much for honoring those that the military/politicians in DC forgot so many years ago." - Robert L. Ott, Initial Trainer and Handler (Direct personal message to this webmaster)

~and countless other dogs, known and unknown, that served their country. If only the leaders of this nation could serve us so well and so honestly, maybe this world would be a better place.

"The fate of animals is of greater importance to me than the fear of appearing ridiculous; it is indissolubly connected with the fate of [wo]men." - Emile Zola (1840-1902)

Please visit these other great sites about War Dogs:

Army Quartermaster Foundation

Vietnam Dog Handler Association

The Vietnam Dog Handler Association, a veterans group, is spearheading the drive to honor America's war dogs with a national memorial. To learn more or to make a donation, please visit their web site shown above.

Thank you for reading this and remembering our canine heros. - Webmaster

For information or questions about this page contact: webmaster@eagleid.com

http://www.eagleid.com/post127/dogs.htm

Oh thank you for such a wonderful tribute to man's (and woman's) best friend!

I love my dog, together we are a pack of 2!

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. When all other friends desert, he remains.

- George G. Vest

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, until the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.