Mae West Life Preserver: Countless Owe Lives to It
Most of the time, it’s the little things that count.
Anyone in the military knows that the mode of transport and the types of firepower available to each soldier are important, but ultimately, the most important equipment provided is the “back-up plan.” What happens in an emergency?
During World War II the U.S. aviators and the Royal Air Force servicemen had available to them a vital piece of American-made equipment for emergencies that had only been in use for a few years: an inflatable (Mae West) life preserver, courtesy of a man named Peter Markus (1885-1973). Markus developed his invention in the 1920s and received a patent on it in 1928; in 1930 and 1931 he patented some minor changes to the vest.
Markus came up with the invention when he was living in Minnesota. He was a merchant in the area who loved to boat and fish, and he was attuned to the fact that boaters and fishermen sometimes went overboard and drowned because they refused to wear the life vests in use at that time. The vests were cork-filled and bulky; sportsmen didn’t like to wear them because they hindered arm movement.
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What if the U.S. government wanted your dog to enlist in the military?
Despite the success that European countries had with the dogs used during World War I, the U.S. government had never proceeded with organizing a canine military unit.
The news that a dog had been an important member of the team that brought down Osama Bin Laden in the spring of 2011 highlighted the vital role dogs have played in our military. 
