DOGMAN
Page 8
June 2002
Honors sought for America's war dog `soldiers'
war. These dogs were either
more than 30,000 dogs have
by LISA HOFFMAN
euthanized by the U.S. military
done everything for the military
Scripps Howard News Service
or turned over to the South
from carrying messages and
(Printed with Permission
Vietnamese Army as America
first-aid supplies to the front, to
Memorial Day 2002)
hustled to pull out of the
searching for land mines and
unpopular conflict.
tunnels, detecting booby traps
During a 1945 Japanese
"They didn't get to come back
and trip wires all but invisible to
"banzai" attack against U.S.
home like we did. For them,
two-footed soldiers, alerting
troops in the Philippines, Bruce
(serving) was a death sentence,"
troops to imminent ambushes,
didn't wait for a command to act.
said former Marine Vance
protecting camps, and tracking
Instead, he hurled himself at
McCrumb, whose dog Dutch
and capturing the enemy.
three enemy soldiers with fixed
was put to sleep after McCrumb
bayonets who were poised to
In Bosnia, Kosovo and
left Vietnam in 1966.
finish off two wounded GIs
Afghanistan, hundreds of
That fate gnaws deep at the
huddling in a foxhole. Bruce
"military working dogs," as
veterans who, to a man, say their
saved not only their lives but also
they're now known, have
bond with the dogs -- with
those of others in the U.S. unit.
deployed to far-flung posts to
This flag display, with five helmeted rifles in their memory, was the
whom they spent more than a
serve as sentries, explosives
Two decades later, near Ton
main backdrop for the dedication of five service pedestals May 11 at
year, facing death together --
sniffers and land-mine detectors.
Son Nhut Air Base in South
the War Dog Memorial at Ft. Benning honoring military working dogs.
was unlike what they forged
Vietnam, Nemo showed the
But it was in Vietnam that the
before or since with anyone or
same selfless guts under fire.
canines really earned their stripes
They have launched an effort
cemetery system, neither K-9
anything.
Though shot in the head during
-- only to be shamefully
to create the first national
burials nor tributes are allowed.
Some extended their combat
a 1966 Viet Cong attack, Nemo
betrayed by their nation in the
memorial to military dogs,
Arlington National Cemetery
tours just to remain with their
charged the enemy and knocked
end, Harvey, Aiello, Burnam and
hoping it will find an honored
won't even permit a tree to be
four-footed buddies. Others
two down, giving fellow U.S.
other members of the Vietnam
spot near monuments in
planted in memory of the four-
credit the dogs with keeping
soldiers time to radio for backup.
Dog Handler Association
Washington dedicated to their
footed soldiers because so
them sane.
When his comrade was shot,
contend. More than 4,000 dogs
human counterparts who also
honoring animals would sully
Nemo -- though in severe pain
served in that war, where, with
"Leaving my dog was the
gave their all for their country.
such hallowed ground, the
and mortal danger -- crawled to
the Army alone, they racked up
hardest thing I have ever had to
"Those dogs never gave up for
Department of Veterans Affairs
him and covered him with his
more than 88,000 missions in
do in my life," Air Force veteran
us. We'll never give up on them,"
insists.
body, protecting him until help
which at least 3,800 enemy
and dog handler Kenneth
said Army veteran John Burnam,
To Burnam and his fellow
arrived.
soldiers were killed and 1,200
Bernhardt wrote on one of the
a Vietnam War dog handler
former dog handlers, that
captured.
several web sites that have been
For acts of similar bravery,
living in Fairfax, Va.
attitude reflects a lack of
built as tribute to these canines.
many soldiers have been thanked
The dogs, mostly German
Burnam spends all his spare
understanding of the extra
"These dogs knew more of
with the nation's highest military
shepherds, had one of the most
time traveling the country to
ordinary contributions of the
honor, devotion and duty than
medals.
dangerous jobs in combat --
spread the word about this
dogs, many of which went
most people today."
ranging ahead of a patrol deep
But because Nemo and Bruce
mission.
through hell for their humans.
into enemy territory, often at
Burnam, 55, a computer-
were dogs, their valor has been
Not only have hundreds, if not
Author of Dog Tags of
night. Some dogs served five or
systems analyst whose private
all but officially overlooked.
thousands, of dogs died in
Courage, an account of war
more combat tours.
mission is proselytizing about
"They're America's real
service to their country, they also
dogs' heroics, and president of
the dogs, is heartened by the
They were so effective that
forgotten heroes," said Vietnam
saved the lives of thousands of
the Vietnam Dog Handler
support he has tapped in his
the Viet Cong offered a bounty
Marine Corps veteran John
GIs in the Vietnam War alone.
Association, Burnam is lobbying
travels.
for their death or capture --
Harvey, who, when his beloved
Congress to authorize a
"Without them, there would
twice as much as the reward paid
A fund for a national
war dog Prince died from a
memorial. Unlike many
have been another 10,000 names
for a GI, according to war-dog
memorial has collected nearly
shrapnel wound, carried the 80-
European countries, which not
on the (Vietnam Veterans
histories. An estimated 500 dogs
$100,000.
pound corpse on his back during
only have national memorials to
Memorial) Wall," said Ron
died in combat in Vietnam.
a long day's trek back to camp,
And, in a sign of belated
their war dogs but even award
Aiello, who walked point on
Others succumbed to illness,
refusing to leave his best friend
appreciation, the Hasbro Toy
them medals, America has but a
patrol in Vietnam for 13 months
parasites or the tropical heat.
behind.
Company has introduced a dog
few small, regional monuments.
with his beloved Stormy, who
Barely 200 were brought home
handler to its GI Joe series.
Harvey and a band of other
saved his life and those of other
Until the Korean War, some
to the United States.
former GI dog handlers, fueled
"These dogs have been
GIs "more times than I could
U.S. war dogs were given ranks
The thousands of others -- no
by an undimmed devotion to
waiting so long to get the credit
count."
and medals, but that policy was
one kept precise count -- were
their canine charges of more than
they deserve," Burnam said. "I
rescinded for "cheapening" both.
Since America first used
deemed surplus "equipment" by
three decades past, are
just feel in my heart we're going
combat canines in World War I,
the Pentagon at the end of the
Today in the national
determined to rectify that slight.
to get (the memorial) for them."
Vietnam Dog Handlers Association
DOGMAN
c/o John C. Burnam, President
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