mously awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal and the Animals in War
& Peace Medal of Bravery.
In her book K-9 Korea: The Untold Story of America’s War Dogs in
the Korean War, J Rachel Reed shares the story of Chief, who she
says was a “symbol of the power, ferocity, and loyalty that all dogs
possessed,” adding that he “died a hero’s death, a super hero
who made sure that someone’s beloved son made it home alive.”
The war dogs of Vietnam were equally courageous and self-sacrificing,
enduring a land of jungles, heat, monsoons, and mud. They
served as sentries, located booby traps, detected ambushes,
hunted down Vietcong, and entered deadly “spider-holes” dug
out by enemy soldiers. It’s been estimated that more than 10,000
lives were saved in Vietnam by the 500 dogs killed-in-action.
Other courageous K9s were wounded, like Nemo, who, despite
being shot and blinded in one eye, guarded his injured handler
until they were rescued. Both recovered.
Retired US Army Master Sergeant John Burnam (recipient of the
Purple-Heart, Bronze Star, and Legion of Merit medals) was also
a dog handler in Vietnam. Among his K9 colleagues were Timber
and Clipper, two German Shepherds.
Here’s what Burnam told reporters when he returned stateside:
“How do you thank a dog who saved yours and other men’s lives
in combat after he alerted you to a trip-wire you didn’t walk into
because he stopped you before your leg hit it? It’s something I
carry in my heart and always will.”
But Burnam did more than just carry it in his heart. First, he wrote
a book, Dog Tags of Courage, about his personal experiences.
The response to his first book was so overwhelming, he
wrote a second book, A Soldier’s Best Friend, which the
late Lieutenant General Harold G Moore described as
“An authentic and compelling story by a two-tour combat
infantry veteran.”
That’s not all.
Inspired by the many stories that other handlers shared with
him, Burnam made it his mission to gain support nationwide for
a memorial for these hard-working and valued four-legged
soldiers. The seed for that dream was planted in December of
2007 when Burnam met with the late Congressman Walter B
Jones of North Carolina.
That effort became a reality on 28 October 2013, during a dedication
ceremony for the US Military Working Dog Teams National
Monument at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, where
America has been training its military working dog teams since
1958. It’s the world’s largest such training facility.
Central to the 3,000-square-foot plaza of the US Military Working
Dog Teams National Monument is the statue of a dog handler,
honoring those who served in World War Two, Korea, Vietnam,
the Gulf, as well as the War on Terror. Also featured are largerthan
life bronze statues of the four most prominent breeds used
by the military are the Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd,
Labrador Retriever, and Belgian Malinois.
Providing a back-drop for the statues is a large three-segment wall.
The backside of the wall includes laser-etched images of Military
Working Dog Teams in action. Behind the granite wall are five
flags representing the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast
Guard. Etched on the front of the wall behind the statues is a
description of the qualities that successful K9s possess, as well
as jobs they have performed:
“The working dogs’ size, intelligence, trainability, and
adaptability to various climates and terrains throughout
the world make them ideally suited for jobs like
Scout, Sentry, Tracker, Patrol, Messenger, Search
and Rescue, Explosives Detection, Tunnel Detection,
Building Search, Cadaver Search, and Drug and
Contraband Detection.”
Also etched on the wall is this poignant statement:
“The dog is your best friend, your partner, and lifesaver.
You are his focus, trainer, provider, leader, and
interpreter. Together you train to hone your skills and
bond as a team. A dog team’s ability to detect enemy
targets, near and far, with exceptional accuracy is
ARMY 245: Call to Duty 97