Sergeant Stubby, a short brindle bull terrier mutt, was officially a decorated hero of World War I. The award was not a formal U.S. military commendation, but it symbolically confirmed Stubby, who’d also earned one wound stripe and three service stripes, as the greatest war dog in the nation’s history. According to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, he was the first dog ever given rank in the U.S. Army. His glory was even hailed in France, which also presented him with a medal.
Chips, a German shepherd-husky cross, was awarded the Dickin Medal for actions during a 1943 beach landing in Sicily. According to the U.S. soldiers, Chips raced into an Italian machine-gun nest, attacking an enemy soldier by the throat and pulling the gun from its mount.
The medal was awarded by veterinary charity PDSA in a ceremony at the Churchill War Rooms in London. The honor was accepted by 76-year-old John Wren of Southold, New York, whose father donated Chips to the war effort in 1942.
Lt. Col. Alan Throop, who attended on behalf of the U.S. Army, said that shortly after the battle Chips was recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. The awards were later rescinded because army policy didn't allow animals to receive medals.
Chips suffered scalp wounds and powder burns in the battle but survived the war, returning to his owners in Pleasantville, New York.
The medal was awarded on the 75th anniversary of the Casablanca Conference, at which British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt plotted wartime strategy. Chips served as a sentry at the conference and met both leaders.
"It has taken over seven decades, but Chips can now finally take his place in the history books as one of the most heroic dogs to serve with the U.S. Army," PDSA director general Jan McLoughlin said.
The deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in US history happened on September 11, 2001 when 19 militants belonging to al-Qaeda caused extensive death and destruction in New York City, Washington DC and Pennsylvania. After the attacks, hundreds of dogs helped man during this difficult time. Ten years later, one dog named Cairo (a Belgian Malinois) helped man bring justice to the man responsible for the attacks - Osama bin Laden.
The deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in US history happened on September 11, 2001 when 19 militants belonging to al-Qaeda caused extensive death and destruction in New York City, Washington DC and Pennsylvania. After the attacks, hundreds of dogs helped man during this difficult time. Ten years later, one dog named Cairo (a Belgian Malinois) helped man bring justice to the man responsible for the attacks - Osama bin Laden.
On May 2, 2011 bin Laden was killed shortly after 1:00 am PKT after two Black Hawk helicopters carrying Navy SEALs from Team Six, a Pakistani-American translator, and Cairo landed (one was a crash landing) outside the Pakistan compound where the al-Qaeda leader lived. The SEALs brought Cairo along to detect bombs, search out concealed enemies and find secret doors or passageways in the compound. However, because of the helicopter crash, the task list changed. Cairo, four SEALs and the translator were used to help secure the perimeter around the dwelling while six other SEALs stormed the compound. Thirty-eight minutes later bin Laden was shot dead.
Navy SEAL dogs are trained at a very early age to perform missions by sea, air and land. They can swim, parachute and rappel into action, and are as well-equipped as their human teammates. On the night of the raid, Cairo wore a customized body vest made of Kevlar with a night vision camera, radio and other attachable gadgets - costing close to $30,000.
"The capability they [the dogs] bring to the fight cannot be replicated by man or machine," said General David Petraeus in 2011. "By all measures of performance, their yield outperforms any asset we have in our industry. Our Army would be remiss if we failed to invest more in this incredibly valuable resource."
Four days after the raid, in a private ceremony honoring Seal Team Six, the squadron commander mentioned Cairo's role to President Obama. "There was a dog?" Obama interrupted. The President was told that Cairo was in an adjoining room, and Obama said "I want to meet that dog." "If you want to meet the dog, Mr. President, I advise you to bring treats," the commander joked. The President met Cairo. I am not sure if he had a treat to give, but he did pet the heroic dog.
To read more about our Brave K9 Veterans, visit the following links:
- These 5 Dogs of War Took It to America’s Enemies
- 13 Photos of Military Working Dogs Being Awesome
- The 9 Biggest Myths About Military Working Dogs
- Check Out These 17 Awesome Photos of Military Working Dogs at War
- A Brief History of Dogs in Warfare
Today's military dogs are valued as important members of their military units and even have their own retirement ceremonies, awards and medals and memorial services.
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