I have never heard my father mention a dog in his units during WWII.
He did have a company mascot though. His name was “Little Joe”. He was a very young Russian who had been held captive and badly treated by the Germans. Not sure about his age but he spoke fluent German and actually went on patrol with my father. The GI’s in the company even outfitted him with a U.S. Army uniform. Someone cut it down from the smallest issue they could find. He did not carry a weapon, but was the interpreter and was street smart and brutal with the Germans.
After the War my father seriously considered adopting him. (he has mentioned it many times, saying “you two boys almost had another brother”). He checked into doing so, but did not because he was concerned what the scars of his treatment by the Germans might have done to him. He may have been too hardened to adapt. We will never know.
Dad and my mother met when he passed through DC on his way to Europe. They exchanged letters all during the War. On his way home he called his father and had him wire the money for a train ticket to my mother, they were married in my grandparents home the night she arrive in TX. They have been married 65 years.
Very nice story and a happy ending, too.
What a wonderful story and told beuatifully!
All this crap about “fear of committment” nowadays. and ...” Oh we got to shack up first to see if it works”.
If you love someone, you want to be with them and be married!
Thanks for your post, Tex.