Posted on 05/28/2007 2:18:33 PM PDT by nypokerface
WASHINGTON, May 28 (UPI) -- Congress is considering legislation that would create a privately funded memorial to dogs that have served with the U.S. military.
Until a 2000 law allowed them to be adopted, many of the dogs that served with U.S. soldiers were euthanized by military veterinarians, The Denver Post reported.
Most of the more than 4,000 dogs that served in Vietnam died there. Some were killed by enemy troops, some died of tropical diseases, and some were put down by military veterinarians or given to the South Vietnamese army, the Post reported.
"The day we stood down in 1972, (Gen. William) Westmoreland was pinning medals on us as I watched the South Vietnamese take our dogs away," Rick Claggett of Denver, who worked with a German shepherd named Big Boy, told the Post. "Today, talking about this, I still choke up. The government shouldn't have let this happen."
Claggett is a member of the Vietnam Dog Handlers Association, which is lobbying Congress to approve the war-dog memorial.
And what did you do during the War, dr_who_2? Did those services exceed the contributions of war dogs?
They must want official recognition status.
http://www.war-dogs.com/main.htm
[I watched the South Vietnamese take our dogs away]
That had to be a truely sad moment and memory. A simple memorial is very appropriate but nowdays they seem to run these things into millions of dollars!
Privately funded sounds good.
That’s it! March Field! They have an aviation museum there as well. It was a lovely afternoon. I did go to Riverside National Cemetery as well and spent considerable time at the Medal of Honor Memorial.
A humbling experience......
Yes. People are worth more than their pets.
Both, I judge each mutt and moggy by the content of their character.
These dogs are my constant companions and I treasure them. Can't say that much about the humans I come across. Too bad that such heresy gets under your skin.
Doesn’t get under my skin really. It’s just a pity that like-minded dogs and cats don’t post here.
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