America also Honors Its Heroic “War Dogs” on Memorial Day for their Devoted Service and Ultimate Sacrifice

Imagine any of the things you might have expected to hear on a locally produced program called “Veterans Radio” on the Sunday before Memorial Day weekend. Would you have ever guessed an interview about dogs? [1,2]

If so, it likely focused on emerging research into the benefit of canines helping military personnel with PTSD and issues related to the aftermath of serving in combat. Very important work to be sure. But the Memorial Day recognition being advocated on May 20 was a great deal closer to the battle field. In fact, it spoke directly to battle fields. [3,4]

“The War Dog” was discussed on AM 1600 in Ann Arbor as a primer to this holiday by asserting that these animals “have been fighting alongside our men and women in uniform” since World War I. Back then they were trained to find wounded soldiers after frontal attacks. Duties expanded significantly beginning with World War II, where the United States military directly credits them with having saved the lives of 15,000 men and women there, followed by another 10,000 in Vietnam. [5,6]

Declassified films produced by the United States military provide glimpses of what the government felt was important to say about this program and how they wanted it said. Like almost any deeper look into history, motives and processes aren’t always neat. Furthermore, it must be acknowledged that these dogs didn’t freely enlist for duty here — a fact that makes them no less honorable or courageous. [7,8]

Officially known today as “Military Working Dogs” (MWDs), their ongoing training and mission is a great deal more expansive. They have ongoing, personal relationships with their handlers, and the specifications for their care is exacting. [9,10,11,12,13]

Far from a fringe interest, recognition of these dogs continues to be spotlighted here in Michigan and internationally. Last year when the black labrador retriever “Cena” succumbed to terminal bone cancer after having served as a bomb-sniffer in Afghanistan, he was buried in South Lyon will full military honors. [14,15,16]

In response to an inquiry from Saline Journal, Michigan War Dog Memorial (MWDM) President Phil Weitlauf described the origins of that not-for-profit organization that handled honors for Cena. It began with the 2010 discovery of a 1936 pet cemetery abandoned in 1936. “There were about 36 War Dog memorials throughout the United States,” he added, “but only two memorials that offered burials, one in Hartsdale New York, and ours.” [17]

After contacting the United States Department of Defense, he found that there was no “proper procedure” for burying a military dog; rather, all that was left up to each unit. So the MWDM developed one to use here. Additionally, at the request of Mr Weitlauf and his organization, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder proclaimed March 13, 2012 as “K-9 Veterans’ Day.” [18]

Bag piper, full color guard, eight German Shepherds escorting the remains to the table of honor, invocation, reading of the biography, presenting a folded American flag to the handler, taps, and Amazing Grace on the pipes. [Those] German Shepherds have been trained to howl on command called a ‘K9 Salute to their Fallen Comrade’ and howl for 30 seconds.

In 2017 veteran singer-songwriter Kenny Lang from Southeastern Michigan recorded “Four Legged Hero as a tribute to the Michigan War Dog Memorial. “All proceeds go to the MWDM,” Mr Lang said to Saline Journal. Prepare to be touched when you listen. [19]

With that it now feels easier to see why Veterans Radio chose to highlight this subject for the week preceding Memorial Day 2018. Among other things, it can help make the solumn rememberances tomorrow feel that much more human. [20,21,22,23]

References

1. “Veterans Radio” WAAM Talk 1600.
2. Veterans Radio (home page).
3. “Service Dog Research – Dr Maggie O’Haire” Dale Throneberry (March 13, 2018) Veterans Radio.
4. “Do Psychiatric Service Dogs Really Help Veterans with PTSD?” Hal Herzog PhD (February 15, 2018) Psychology Today.
5. “The War Dog” Michigan War Dog Memorial.
6. “World War I” The United States War Dogs Association.
7. “The Use of War Dogs, 1943” US National Archives (September 3, 2013) YouTube.
8. “War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love” US National Archives (November 13, 2014) YouTube.
9. “Careers & Jobs: Military Working Dog Handler (31K)” US Army.
10. “Dayton clubs outfit working dogs with desert protective gear” Derek Kaufman (July 17, 2008) Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
11. “Simulation Training: Military working dog handlers prepare for medical emergencies” Kimberly Gaither (March 27, 2015) Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
12. “Military working dogs and handlers … a dedicated partnership” Stacey Geiger (May 9, 2018) Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
13. “The 9 Biggest Myths About Military Working Dogs” Mike Dowling (February 9, 2015) Military.
14. “Michigan bomb-sniffing war dog gets military funeral” Randy Wimbley (August 25, 2017) Fox 2 Detroit.
15. “Cena, hero military dog, laid to rest” (August 26, 2017) The Detroit News.
16. “Military dog’s tearful final farewell draws hundreds in Michigan” (July 27, 2017) The Guardian.
17. Michigan War Dog Memorial (home page).
18. “K-9 Veterans’ Day” Governor Rick Snyder (March 13, 2012) State of Michigan.
19. Kenny Lang Songs (home page).
20. “Five war dogs you’d want in your squad” Ashley Bunch (June 2, 2017) Military Times.
21. “What it’s really like to be a dog handler in the US military” Ashley Bunch (June 1, 2017) Military Times.
22. “A Military Working Dog Handler” Today’s Military.
23. “Military working dog handlers: ‘It’s the best job ever’” Venessa Villarreal (July 8, 2015) US Army.