Remembering the Dogs that Served

For several decades, soldiers have fought battles with a loyal dog beside them. These hero pups come in all shapes and sizes from small terriers to big german shepherds. Below are a few of the monuments dedicated to these war heroes.

Lackland Air Force Base is located in San Antonio, Texas. It is the main training center for military dogs and their handlers. This air force base produces 230 canine/handler teams per year.

Their memorial is a nine-foot-tall bronze statue that features a dog handler and the four breeds used most often since World War II (Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd Dog, Labrador Retriever, and Belgian Malinois). Inscribed on the statue reads “Guardians of America’s Freedom."

One of the most famous war dogs is Stubby. Stubby fought alongside soldiers during World War I in France. Stubby was able to help locate lost soldiers, alerted troops to a gas attack, and even captured a German soldier.

He has two memorials dedicated to him. The first one is in the AKC Museum of the Dog collection in New York City. His second memorial is at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

In California sits The March Field Air Museum. This is home to over 70 historic aircrafts and several thousand artifacts. This is also the home of The War Dog Memorial statue.

Every year the museum hosts War Dog Remembrance Day. This special event brings together veterans, retired war dog handlers, and their dogs to celebrate the ones who served.

In the city of Knoxville, you can find a statue commemorating the 25 dogs that gave their lives during the American recapture of the island.

The Doberman in the sculpture is Kurt. He was hit by a mortar blast during battle. After attempting surgery, his trainer held the dog in his arms to protect him from the shaking caused by the continued shells that were being fired from battleships.

Unfortunately, Kurt was not able to pull through and lost his life on the battlefield.