Volume 46 - No. 52
December 29, 2016
By Friedrich Gomez
Dogs have long been used in warfare. Such participation by these four-footed heroes extends back to ancient times when they were used in various combat roles including scouts, sentries, and trackers. Their history is a long one and they distinguished themselves with the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Samaritans, Slavs, Britons, Romans, and other civilizations. And yet these war dogs remain, to this day, relatively unknown and unheralded, despite their ultimate sacrifice of laying down their lives to protect their respective countries.
Frederick the Great prominently used dogs as messengers during the Seven Years’ War. As did Napoleon during his military campaigns.
The United States has long employed dogs in warfare tactics as early as the Seminole Wars from 1817 onward. Dogs served so valiantly and effectively that the military continued to use them in subsequent conflicts, including the American Civil War, both World Wars, all the way up to the present day. Warfare strategists quickly realized that, “One of the most effective devices for saving military lives walked on four legs.” Their performance level and achievements take one’s breath away. Their contribution during the Second World War was immeasurable, and during the Korean conflict, it is estimated by military authorities that “These dogs reduced the casualties 65% in areas they served.”
Their roles are effectively varied. “Tracker” dogs are of vast importance in locating lost soldiers, for example, who may have been separated from their unit during heavy fighting. Or, perhaps, finding downed combat pilots. “Water” dogs are trained to sniff-out enemies submerged beneath the water, such as Viet Cong who moved undetected under water while breathing through thin hollow reeds in the rivers. “Sentry” dogs protect military compounds, and air fields, and other sensitive areas that are targeted by the enemy. These sentry dogs have derailed countless sabotage attempts and, therefore, saved countless human lives as well as invaluable equipment. “Scout” dogs accompany platoons walking in enemy territories and are trained to ‘sense’ or smell any hidden adversary, thus helping to alert their platoon before an enemy ambush can occur.
Collectively, these specially-trained dogs have saved thousands of human lives, and continue to do so today. As military experts assess: “These war dogs are one of the most effective methods of saving military lives. Trained to see, hear, and detect danger before it arrives.” During the Vietnam War, approximately 5,000 U. S. war dogs served their country in various combat roles, along with about 10,000 dog handlers. (Note: The
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U. S. Army did not maintain accurate records of these war dogs prior to 1968, so numbers remain somewhat sketchy.)
All four branches of the military used these dogs in Vietnam. The breakdown of dog handlers in Vietnam by military branch, in transmission order, were: Army = 65%, Air Force = 26%, Marines = 7%, Navy = 2%. Scout dogs and their handlers were mainly trained at Ft. Benning, Georgia, the locale of their prestigious “Hell Paws” program, which boasts: “Through these doors pass the best-cared-for dogs in the world!” (Some, however, were trained “In-Country” in areas where they served.) How truly valuable were these dogs in their service to our country? The most powerful reply is in the calculation of human beings that were saved in Vietnam: K9 units saved an estimated 10,000 American servicemen who were able to come back home, alive – instead of a body bag -- to rejoin their families, friends, loved ones, and raise their chil-
Obituaries Memorials Area Services Page 12
dren.
Vietnam veteran, Cpl John Kubisz, says with great emotion, “Somebody out there may have a father or brother right now who owes his life to one of these dogs. I just want everybody to know these animals actually existed and served their country.”
Memorial Wall (in Washington, D. C.) without these dogs. And I don’t think the average American knows the role these dogs played.”
My close personal friend, Joe Casaro, told me the other day: “Friedrich, I wouldn’t be here talking to you right now if it weren’t for those K9 units. And that’s the God’s truth.”
Blackwell knows well of what he says. His veterinarian duties placed him upclose-and-personal with these heroic Vietnam service dogs. The fact that they are hugely unrecognized saddens him: “There is no memorial to honor the war dogs of Vietnam (until recent years) . . . only memories of the men whose lives they saved. Memories of courage, companionship, and love and loyalty so deep . . . that it is hard for us to fathom.”
SPC Greg Blackwell, who served as a veterinarian for the U. S. Army in Vietnam says, “There would be a whole lot more than 50,000 names on the Vietnam
After the Vietnam conflict, the dogs that had saved so many precious human lives were now forgotten. Out of nearly 5,000 dogs, only about 200 survived.
The amazing thing about these canine warriors is that they care little for themselves. Their first-priority of love and loyalty for their human counterpart is simply towering. Even when they, instinctively, sense that they are about to die they will, still, lovingly lay down their own lives to protect others.
Vietnam War Dogs Continued on Page 2
But Vietnam was a very different war. At the end of World War II, the war dogs that served America so valiantly had a much better future. Like other soldiers, the dogs were shipped back home and given Honorable Discharges. They made loyal, loving pets for families across America.