Sergeant Stubby

Sergeant Stubby (1916 or 1917 – March 16 1926), was the most decorated war dog of World War I and the only dog to be promoted to sergeant through combat.

Stubby was found on the Yale campus in 1917 by John Robert Conroy. He was of unknown breed; some sources speculated that he was part Boston Terrier and part Pit Bull, while other sources state that he was in fact a pure bred american pit bull terrier [Richmond, Derek (2003-11-04), "From Mascot to Military, Stubby Left Pawprints on Hilltop and Beyond," "The Hoya" of Georgetown University. Retrieved from http://www.thehoya.com/sports/110403/sports12.cfm on 2007-02-26.] while his obituary described him as a "Bull terrier" (which was at the time synonymous with "American Bull Terrier" and "Pit Bull terrier"). ["STUBBY OF A.E.F. ENTERS VALHALLA" Connecticut Military Department, reprint from the "New York Times", 4 April 1926. Retrieved from http://www.ct.gov/mil/cwp/view.asp?a=1351&q=257958 on 2007-03-16.] Stubby marched with Conroy and even learned an approximate salute. When Conroy's unit shipped out to France, Stubby was smuggled aboard the "USS Minnesota".

Military service

Stubby served with the 102nd Infantry, 26th (Yankee) Division in the trenches in France for 18 months and participated in four offensives and 17 battles. He entered combat on February 5 1918 at Chemin des Dames, north of Soissons, and was under constant fire, day and night for over a month. In April 1918, during a raid to take Schieprey, Stubby was wounded in the foreleg by the retreating Germans throwing hand grenades. He was sent to the rear for convalescence, and as he had done on the front was able to improve morale. When he recovered from his wounds, Stubby returned to the trenches. After being gassed himself, Stubby learned to warn his unit of poison gas attacks, located wounded soldiers in no man's land, and — since he could hear the whine of incoming artillery shells before humans could — became very adept at letting his unit know when to duck for cover. He was even solely responsible for capturing a German spy in the Argonne. Following the retaking Château-Thierry by the US, the thankful women of the town made Stubby a chamois coat on which were pinned his many medals. There is also a legend that while in Paris with corporal Conroy, Stubby saved a young girl from being hit by a car. At the end of the war, Conroy smuggled Stubby home.

After the War

After returning home, Stubby became a celebrity and marched in, and normally led, many parades across the country. He met Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren G. Harding. Starting in 1921, he attended Georgetown University Law Center with Conroy, and became the Hoyas' mascot. He would be given the football at halftime and would nudge the ball around the field to the amusement of the fans.

Medals and awards

Stubby was made a life member of the American Legion, the Red Cross, and the YMCA. In 1921, the Humane Education Society awarded him a special gold medal for service to his country. It was presented by General John Pershing.

*3 Service Stripes
*Yankee Division YD Patch
*French Medal Battle of Verdun
*1st Annual American Legion Convention Medal
*New Haven WW1 Veterans Medal
*Republic of France Grande War Medal
*St Mihiel Campaign Medal
*Wound stripe, replaced with Purple Heart when introduced in 1932
*Chateau Thierry Campaign Medal
*6th Annual American Legion Convention
*Humane Education Society Gold Medal

In 1926, Stubby died in Conroy's arms. His remains are featured in "The Price of Freedom: Americans at War" exhibit at the Smithsonian.

Stubby was honored with a brick in the Walk of Honor at the United States World War I monument, Liberty Memorial, in Kansas City at a ceremony held on Armistice Day, November 11 2006.

ee also

*Bamse (St. Bernard)
*Chips (dog)
*Horrie the Wog Dog
*Judy (ship's dog)
*Just Nuisance
*Lex (dog)
*Rags (dog)
*Smoky (dog)
*List of famous dogs
*Military animal
*War dog
*Cher Ami - Carrier pigeon who is displayed with Stubby in the Smithsonian Institute's Americans at War: The Price of Freedom exhibit.

References

*"The Hoya" of Georgetown University, " [http://www.thehoya.com/sports/110403/sports12.cfm From Mascot to Military, Stubby Left Pawprints on Hilltop and Beyond] ", November 4, 2003.
*Smithsonian Institution, " [http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=15 The Price of Freedom: Americans at War -- Stubby] "
*Connecticut Military Department, " [http://www.ct.gov/mil/cwp/view.asp?a=1351&q=257892 Stubby the Military Dog] "
*History Wired, "Stubby," WW I Canine Hero 1921 [http://historywired.si.edu/detail.cfm?ID=519]

References

[http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/12111]