A Critical Review of the Use of Dogs in the US Army During the WWII - Essay Example

A Critical Review of the Use of Dogs in the US Army During the WWII The use of dog in warfare is a long practice in the human history. In ancient times, dogs had been used as sentries, guides and trackers by most of the ancient civilizations such the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, the Egyptians, the Samaritans, the Britons, etc. In the past, the main of role of trained dogs was that that of sentries or patrols. But in modern warfare, dogs had been used the most tactfully. Though in post modern warfare, dogs’ role has mostly been replaced by modern technology, they played a crucial role in the US Army during the Second World War (Blumenstock pars. 2). After the attack on Pearl Harbor Navy Base in December 7, 1941, the US Army led a campaign to inspire the pet-owners to donate their dogs to the army-training camps. The US Army named this campaign as “Dogs for Defense”. In order to inspire the owner, they further claimed that the dogs would be trained to be accustomed into civil life after the war. Indeed, it was the beginning of the dog-squad in the US military. Subsequently, martial dog training programs were adopted and, in the meantime, a number of dog-training centers were established to facilitate the programs around the country (MWD History, pars. 2). Some of the dog-training centers were Gulfport, Fort Carson, Rimini, San Carlos, Fort Washington, Fort Riley, Fort Belvoir, Fort Robinson, Nebraska Camp, Beltsville, etc. During the Second World War, the US Army used dog to perform a number of risky as well as routine jobs. According to the types of breed and performance, the dogs were to be sled dogs, sentry, scouts, mine-detecting dogs, wire-layer, pack-pullers, and messenger dogs. The military training of a dog used to take 8-12 week to be fully trained. By late 1944, the Army selected about seven breeds of dogs to receive the highest performances in war-fields. Among these breeds were German Shepherd, Doberman Pinscher, Collie, Belgian Sheep dog, Eskimo, Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, etc. During the Second World War, the German Shepherd was the most preferred choice in the army because of its courage, strong sense of responsibility, keen nose, strength, adaptability and trainability. Doberman Pinscher was second to German Shepherd in terms of strength, nervous power, speed, sensing power, and tractability. Collie and Belgian Sheep dogs were mainly used as messengers for their loyalty, alertness, endurance and agility. Muscular and sturdy breeds were generally used for pack-pull and wire-laying jobs. Alaskan Malamute, Eskimo and Siberian Husky belonged to this group. Among these three breeds, Siberian Husky was the most desired type because of their speed and endurance. During the war, the US dog-squad’s performance was surprising (Blumenstock pars. 2-4). Due to their high sensibility, loyalty and alertness, the military dogs were the preferred options for the soldiers in many war fields. There were many fields where dogs were more skillful performers than the soldiers. During the WWII, the war-theater-wise performance of the US military dogs was great. The dogs showed great performances mainly in two theaters: the pacific theater and the European theater. In 1944, under the command of William W. Putney, the “3rd Marine War Dog Platoon” played a crucial role in the liberation of Guam from the Japanese occupation. According to the MWD, approved and led by the US Congress, “Twenty-five of Lieutenant Putney's war dogs gave their lives in the liberation of Guam and were buried there in a War Dog Cemetery with name markers” (MWD History, pars. 2). In the war-field of Guam, the Doberman Pincers breed showed a great performance in guarding and scouting along the frontline of the war. Evading the enemies’ eye, they successfully worked as messengers between the US camps. Several of the success stories are as following: In February 17, 1945, a war-dog called Bruce saved two wounded soldiers from the attack of three Japanese infantrymen. During the nocturnal Japanese attack on the ‘E’ Company of the 27th US Infantry, Bruce could successfully defeat the approaching three Japanese soldiers by injuring them viciously. Another messenger dog, called, Buster which was enlisted with the number A684, saved the lives of 17 patrol soldiers in 1944. Buster’s principal assignment was to deliver a message to the patrol team that they should hold their position on the Morotai Island against the invading enemies until the reinforcement reached them. Buster’s firm determination and loyalty provided him with the energy to reach his goal amid heavy mortar bombardment and machinegun fires. In the Pacific Front, “the American war dog teams helped defeat the Japanese military forces on Guam, Luzon, Morotai, Okinawa, Guadalcanal and many other pacific islands” (MWD History, pars. 4). In European Front, Chips, a German Shepherd which was trained at Front Royal in 1942, was the first sentry dog to participate with the US soldiers. Chips joined the military dog platoon at the age of 2. It, for the first time, participated with the US Army’s campaign in Africa. Later, it participated in the Battle of Sicily with the 3rd Division of Patton's Seventh Army. Not only in the history of the US but also in entire military history, Chips was the first dog which was “awarded the Silver Star for heroism and Purple Heart for wounds received in combat” (MWD History, pars. 5). But later the United War department revoked the medal with the excuse that medals are only for humans. The US Army issued several military certificates in order to honor “thousands of America's war dogs deployed during World War II” (MWD History, pars. 4). During the Second World War, military dogs played a glorious role in the US Army. Due to the inborn ability to sense danger, dogs had no match. In some cases such as guarding and patrolling at night, finding out the wounded soldiers, carrying messages, the use of dogs was more effective than that of men. Loyalty and endurance of military dogs were questionable. The US Army successfully employing them as sentry, messengers, wire-layers, etc. In order to receive the highest performance, the dogs were assigned to jobs which were the most suitable to their breeds. Even by showing their performance, the military dogs in the army had been able to praiseworthy credits. In order to acknowledge the successful performance of thousands of war dogs in WWII, the War Department issued two military certificates for them as well as their owners. Works Cited Blumenstock, “Kathy. World War II’s Dogs for Defense”, 09 November, 2011. 19 October, 2013. available at MWD History. “World War II – War Dog Teams”, 19 October, 2013. available at Read More