Man’s best friend, even in the unlikeliest of scenarios, never ceases to amaze. Whether our furry friends save their parental counterparts from burning buildings or simply know the days of the week, dogs appear capable of anything!
Shown here with his two Marine Trainers is Thor, five year old German Shepherd messenger dog who was donated for war service to the Marine Corps by James Beplat(Ahmet Asar)
Nevertheless, the history of canines in warfare can still boggle the mind. Especially, when you consider the seemingly endless litany of roles they have fulfilled, dating all the way back to 600 B.C! From messenger dogs to medics, ammunition carriers, and scouts, pooches performed more duties in warfare than you probably ever knew.
From Ancient Egypt To WWI
Sgt. Stubby rocks his great coat and rifle during World War I. (PublicDomain)
While a Lydian king may have been the first to found a bow wow brigade, using them like fur missiles, World War I marked the first modern example of the animals in warfare. German Shepherds were specifically bred for war by Captain Max von Stephanitz of the German Army. After a successful trial period with the German police, they amazed soldiers on both sides with their heroic acts in uncompromisingly dire situations.
Profound Development
Sgt. Stubby gave soldiers early warnings for artillery, gas, and infantry attacks. Stubby sustained injuries from a hand grenade but stayed on. He also later apprehended a German spy and received a promotion.
During World War I, German Shepherds successfully led blinded soldiers off the field of battle for medical attention. That extraordinary feat eventually led to the training of the first seeing-eye dogs and a revelation for blind people everywhere. Dogs during the war would also warn soldiers of incoming gas attacks and even help soldiers find food and water.
Accepting All Volunteers
Australian soldiers pose with their black labs trained to hunt Viet Cong soldiers in the infamous tunnels of the Vietnam War. (Photo- Australian War Memorial)
After most of the world saw how admirably German Shepards responded to war, America and other countries began training their own K-9 units. Initially, the military trained dogs of all breeds, even accepting families who volunteered their family pets in the war effort. However, by 1944, they narrowed that list to seven breeds: German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Belgian SheepDogs, Siberian huskies, farm collies, Eskimo dogs, and Malamutes.
World War II
Dogs, above all else, can raise morale anywhere.
For one lonely 17-year old marine, joining the dog platoon during WWII changed his life. Homer Finley trained all types in their Virginia headquarters, "We trained them to ignore gunfire because when you're in combat it's always big and noisy — shooting and yelling. And they did their jobs beautifully.” Before long he ended up in the thick of battle on the island of Bougainville near Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific. "We had three messengers. There was Thor, Jack and Caesar, and each dog had two handlers. There's no doubt the dogs saved lives."
Truly A Man’s Best Friend
A dog named Jack with Homer Finley on Bougainville Island near Papua New Guinea, 1943.(cpr.org)
As Finley recalls, “Especially at night in a foxhole, a dog’s a pretty nice companion, because if anybody starts stirring around they’re going to know it. And when you go into combat, you’re sleeping with them and you’re living with them and you’re feeding them and you really fall in love with that dog.”
Furry Heroes
Jack and Finley formed a special bond during their battles together.
Inevitably, a few dogs got injured. ”It was sad,” Finley remembered. ”I think Caesar was the first one to get wounded. He finished his message run even though he’d been shot. They brought him to an aid station on a stretcher and he revived and did more. In fact, I think he went beyond Bougainville.” Regrettably, the U.S military at that time saw dogs as tools rather than little furry people. Many were left behind after the war. However, Finley took a visit to kennels to see if any of his lovable compatriots needed a home...
No Dog Left Behind
A Doberman pinscher named Jan with Finley while training to spot sniper in trees, 1943. (cpr.org)
When Finley went to visit Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, he immediately recognized Jack. “I told the guy that was showing me around ‘There’s a dog I had over in Bougainville,’ and he said ‘Well, he’s pretty vicious, so you better be careful.’” The old marine handler knew he wasn’t in danger, as Jack couldn’t forget a friendly face. “This kind of tears me up when I think about it,” he said. “I did step into the gate, into the run where the dog was. He knew me right away, put his paws up on my shoulders, started licking my face. It was like a family reunion, you know?”
An Honorable Retirement
A Doberman pinscher named Jan with Finley while training to spot sniper in trees, 1943, colorized. (cpr.org)
Eventually, Congress actually stepped up and passed a law that required military dogs to enjoy an honorable retirement. President Clinton signed a bill in November 2000 which allowed for the retired military working dogs to find homes with former handlers and other qualified civilians.
The image at the top of this post was colorized by Ahmet Asar, a Kurdish-American photographer and artist. You can see more of his colorizations on his Flickr page, and his professional portfolio at AsarStudios.com.
