4 canine war heroes and their heartwarming, brave stories
All of us love listening to stories. Our brains are designed and engineered in such a way that stories resonate with us much more than facts and figures. It has a higher level of engagement, so much so that humans never tire of stories despite being exposed to them from infanthood.
At Support Military Working Dogs, we love stories that involve canines in the military. In the United states, we are spoilt with so many great stories of service dogs. Some of them are heartwarming, some exhilarating and some deeply tragic. Nevertheless, these are inspiriting stories today.
Sergeant Stubby’s heroics
We have talked a a bit about Stubby in earlier posts. Stubby is the most famous canine war hero in modern United States. He was utilized with great effect by the Army during the 1st World War in the 102nd infantry. Stubby’s rise to fame is especially heartwarming considering that he was a stray og who initially used to hang out near training camps. Stubby did everything, from alerting people to gas attacks, hunting German spies and search & rescue. He was deservedly awarded with a medal.
Finding Nemo
Not the movie, but the German Shephard called Nemo. The literal definition of hero, Nemo perhaps made a case for the most courageous dog ever. During the Vietnam War, Nemo and his partner, Airman Robert Thorneburg, survived all kinds of hardships to make it to the other side. Nemo personally survived a gun wound and kept on charging at four gunmen in order to give his partner, who was also wounded, some respite. Fortunately, both of them made it alive.
Zip up!
The Afghanistan war has been one of the most harrowing experiences for US soldiers stationed in the nation. The country’s steep terrains and mountains made it virtually impossible for American servicemen to make their superior numbers and artillery count. Zip was a US Special Forces soldier and trained by SEALs. His exploits and daringness, along with this partner Todd, are inspiring to say the least.
Smoky’s story
Yet another World War II hero, Smoky was an abandoned terrier who later ended up in the military, much like World War I hero Stubby. Despite her small size an lack of physical strength, Smoky used her sense of hearing to unbelievable effect, especially in the part of war that took place in Luzon, Philippines. She once even pulled a telegraph wire through a pipe that was 70-foot long. Her exploits ensured that workers remained safe from enemy artillery.
