Military Dogs

Military dogs became first known in the United States during the Revolutionary War.

Soldiers would bring their dogs with them to battles for comfort and as guard dogs.

From there, dogs became messengers, assistance canines and guard dogs.

When WWII came about the government was recruiting dogs. Families would donate their pets to the war effort and these animals were used for patrol, scout and sentry duty.

After the war, the dogs were returned to their families and became pets again.

In Europe during WWII, the Red Cross used dogs for search and rescue of wounded soldiers.

These animals saved thousands of lives during the war.

Canines have been used in the military continuously since then, in Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Iraq.

Vietnam was the worst conflict for dogs. Thousands of dogs were sent over but only a few returned.

These dogs saved tens of thousands of lives but were left in 'Nam when the U.S. pulled out. There has been no official explanation of why this happened.

Several war memorials to these dogs have been established by the handlers of these brave animals.

The first dog to ever be decorated in the U.S. was "Stubby", a bull terrier mix.

In WWI, he warned the soldiers of an attack and saved their lives. Many heroic deeds in Stubby's WWI file were: catching a spy, warning soldiers of incoming shells, and giving comfort to wounded and dying men.

For the few canines we know about during conflicts, there are thousands of heros we don't. So when you see soldiers in wars on the news, please remember that a dog is close by.