The Canine Heroes of Memorial Day

American Thinker ^ | 28 May, 2018 | Elise Cooper

[MtnClimber]

This Memorial Day, anyone who loves dogs should give a shout-out to Laura Miller and Dave Nielson, a retired Ranger. They are co-founders, along with Chuck Yerry, of the SOFK9Memorial Foundation. When thinking about those who have sacrificed their lives to keep Americans safe, people should also consider the canine soldiers killed in action. Dave told American Thinker, "My children have a dad because of my canine partner, Pepper. We can actually multiply that by sixty-two, the number of those in my unit. In this unit we lost twenty-two dogs, while they searched for either the enemy or a bomb." Once they decided to start the foundation, three phases were established. Phase I to create a memorial in honor of the fallen dogs killed while engaging the enemy. The statue and museum are located at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville, just outside of Fort Bragg, N.C. In addition, plaques representing Special Operations dogs are placed at the base of the statue and includes the dogs' names, the countries they served, and the years and theaters they were killed in.

[MtnClimber]

My dogs have never sniffed out a bomb, but they have chased off a bear or two.

[jazminerose]

Beautiful and sad at the same time. Thank you for posting.

[Reeses]

Dogs are truly man’s best friend. They were our ambush detectors for many thousands of years and still are. Ambushers hate dogs, the first thing they shoot.

[PGalt]

Thanks.

[MtnClimber]

Mohammad hated dogs because they alerted the caravans to his thieves.

[vetvetdoug]

I visited the Marine base at Tachikawa (Showa) in 1959 and was impressed at the MWD facility there and the honor given to the MWD that gave all during the Korean War. I always remembered the first MWD killed in Korea was named Leo. I served in the USAF Veterinary Service and took care of many MWD. A recently read a book about the 8125th Sentry Dog Detachment serving during 1954-1956 in Korea. My partner in veterinary practice from 1983-2004 was the Army veterinarian for Uijongbu those years. Until recently, MWD were not adopted to the handlers or responsible people and they were euthanized when they were no longer effective. Many dogs were left in Viet Nam because of the thought that a disease that was endemic in RVN was to be kept out of the US only later to find out it was throughout the US. Read “K-9 Korea” by J. Rachael Reed for some insight into the MWD program and handlers.

[Mariner]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_War_Dog_Cemetery

[ThankYouFreeRepublic]

Blurry screen; can’t read much further.God bless our doggy friends and comrades in arms.

[MtnClimber]

I know. I have not read it all yet.

[thesearethetimes...]

BTTT

With a blurry screen warning.....

[DivineMomentsOfTruth]

I’ve never doubted why some people grieve their dogs more than they do people.
Rest in peace, Pepper. Good girl.