This monument, dedicated to Military Working Dogs, is located in Veteran’s Park in Hamilton, NJ.
Military Working Dog Memorial in Veterans Park; Hamilton Township, NJ
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Category Archives: War Dog Memorials Visited
Smoky, the “Yorkie Doodle Dandy” of World War II and First Recorded Therapy Dog
War heroes come in all shapes and sizes…this one weighed just 4 pounds and stood only 7 inches high!
While on a roadtrip for a dock diving competition in North Ridgeville, Ohio, we took Lager to visit the Smoky memorial located in the Rocky River Reservation in Cleveland, Ohio.
Smoky became the first dog to be honored with the Animals in War & Peace Distinguished Service Medal, which is the highest award American animals can receive.
Smoky is also the first therapy dog on record! Her owner, Bill Wynne, taught Smoky many tricks, which the team used to entertain soldiers in their unit. The pair also visited the wounded and sick soldiers in hospitals from Australia to Korea during the war.
We took Porter along with us to this memorial since he is now a registered therapy dog. He is wearing a memorial bow tie made for him in honor of our fist therapy dog, Margarita.
Sinbad the Coast Guard Dog
With respect, honor, and gratitude on this Veterans Day:
Thank you to all who have served our country and for the sacrifices you have made to protect our freedom.
For those of you just joining our adventures, our German Shorthaired Pointer, Lager, is a retired Explosives Detection Canine. Lager served 18 months in Iraq at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
For Veterans Day 2018, we took Lager to visit the grave of Sinbad the Coast Guard Dog.
🐕Sinbad (c. 1937 – 30 December 1951) was a mixed-breed Dog who served 11 years aboard the USCGC Campbell (WPG-32), including combat in World War II. He was one of only two animals to be classified as non-commissioned officers by an arm of the United States military, rather than property, prior to the enactment of regulations to prohibit such decisions.
🐕Sinbad ended his time at sea earning 6 medals, and a rank of K9C Chief Dog (equivalent to Chief Petty Officer). After his death, he was buried at the base of the flagpole at the old Barnegat Light Station in Barnegat Light, New Jersey.
The old Barnegat Light Station in Barnegat Light, New Jersey
Lager at Sinbad’s grave-site
🐕Sinbad’s medals:
🏅American Defense Service Medal
🏅American Campaign Medal
🏅European-African-MiddleEastern
Campaign Medal
🏅Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
🏅World War II Victory Medal
🏅Navy Occupation Service Medal
Irish Brigade Monument: Gettysburg Battlefield / Gettysburg National Military Park
Lager Visited the Irish Brigade Monument in Gettysburg Battlefield located in Gettysburg National Military Park.
This monument features an Irish Wolfhound.
11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry War Dog Memorial: The Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, PA
We took Lager to the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry War Dog Memorial located in The Gettysburg National Military Park .
Location: Gettysburg, PA
Sculptor: E. A. Kretschman
Dedicated: 12/13/1901
“Sallie,” a brindle Staffordshire Bull Terrier, was the regimental mascot for the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Given to 1st Lt William R. Terry as a four-week old puppy, Sallie grew up among the men of the regiment. Sallie followed the men on marches and to the battlefield. At the Battle of Gettysburg, the dog got separated from the unit. Unable to find her way, Sallie returned to the Union battle line at Oak Ridge, where she stood guard over the dead and wounded. The dog continued her faithful service through February, 1865, when she was struck by a bullet to her head in the battle of Hatcher’s Run, Virginia. She was buried on the field of battle. For her devotion to the men, Sallie is memorialized at the 11th Pennsylvania monument erected at Gettysburg.”
*All information obtained from the Vietnam Dog Handler Association ( http://www.vdha.us/content15795.html )
War Dog Memorial: Knoxville, TN (University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine)
While we were in Knoxville for the DockDogs World Championship, we were fortunate enough to have enough time to take Lager to visit this wonderful War Dog Memorial.
This noble Doberman Pinscher represents hundreds of heroic war dogs that served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II.
This Memorial is an exact replica of the official memorial in Guam, was donated to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine by Dr. Maurice Acree July 17, 1998.
It honors not only the war dogs, but symbolizes the special connection people share with dogs.
We will continue to get Lager to every War Dog Memorial we can throughout his retirement years with us. Click below to see the other Memorials Lager has already visited.
Click HERE to see a list of all the War Dog Memorials in the United States.
War Dog Memorial: Bristol Township, PA
To celebrate Veteran’s Day, we took Lager, our retired Explosives Detection Canine, to the War Dog Memorial in Bristol Township, PA.
Few Americans are aware of the invaluable service given by War Dogs teams during the Vietnam War. Dog teams consisting of Scout, Combat Tracker, Sentry, and Mine/Tunnel dogs saved thousands of lives. Routinely braving danger, these intelligent and adaptable dogs would locate injured GI’s, search out Vietcong weapon caches, locate deadly booby traps and would alert and thwart enemy attacks and ambushes.
The handlers responsible for the dog teams lovingly cared for these brave animals. These soldiers literally carried food and water into battle for their faithful friends and protectors.
Despite the impassioned pleas of the handlers these valorous animals were classified as “expendable equipment” at the end of the Vietnam War and were abandoned to unknown fates in South Vietnam. The courage and loyalty of these dogs are honored only in the memories of the soldiers whose lives they protected.
The War Dog Teams were so effective and efficient that’s the Vietcong High Command issued a bounty on them. Hundreds of War Dogs gave their lives in combat. This memorial is dedicated in honor of all the brave War Dogs from every military conflict. Let us never forget the thousands of War Dog heroes that served with valor during the Vietnam War…
“All gave some, some gave all.”
~from the inscription on part of the Bristol, PA War Dog memorial pictured below:
New Jersey Vietnam War Dog Memorial; K9 Veterans Day
March 13 is K9 Veterans’ Day. Today, on National K9 Veterans’ Day , we remember and honor all military and working dogs, both past and present. We would like to thank all the courageous K9 soldiers for their service, and the sacrifices they have made for our nation. We are honored to have a K9 veteran as a family member, and thank SOC for blessing us with Lager (war zone name, Nayt) as a family member. Lager served 18 months in Iraq as an Explosives Detection Canine. In honor of Lager’s service, and all K9 veteran heroes, we took him to visit and pay our respects to the War Dog Memorial, located in Holmdel, NJ, guarding the gateway of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial . If you know a K9 veteran, be sure to shake their paw and thank them today!
