Homing pigeons saved thousands of lives during both World Wars.  Despite amazing technological progress in warfare during the early 20^th century, there were times when the military needed to rely on other methods of communication. An estimated 500,000 homing pigeons were used in the first World War. It was an old “technology” for new warfare.

Sometimes the front line moved forward faster than the Signal Corps could string new wiring for telephones or telegraphs. At other points lines were severed, cutting off communication.  Messengers on foot, on horseback or traveling by motorcycle were open targets and were frequently injured or killed.

Homing pigeons were fast and reliable. They seemed to appear out of nowhere, and that helped them get through. Pigeons could also work despite bombardments, dust, smoke, fog, and bad weather.  But they were not totally trouble-free. The military needed soldiers who understood pigeon care and could assure that the pigeons were in good health for arduous flights through dangerous territory. The birds were sometime needed to fly 300-600 miles.

The key to pigeon use was getting them where they needed to be. Homing pigeons are a one-way communication system. The birds can be dropped off in many locations, but they only fly one direction—-home. That said, birds can imprint on a pigeon loft different from the one where it was born. The military tried to breed pigeons near where they would be needed, but often, they had to teach the pigeons to return to a new home.

Where Were Pigeons Used?

Pigeons served in every military branch. Tanks dispatched pigeons to relay locations of hidden machine gun nests. Pilots launched the birds midair to quickly transmit reconnaissance information. Ships and sea planes that traveled relatively close to shore carried pigeons. If there were radio failures or emergencies, the pigeons were released so the crews could be found.

During World War I, some reconnaissance was conducted via hot air balloon. Rather than trying to string a telegraph wire up to a balloon, it was easy and efficient to take pigeons. When a message needed to be sent, it was attached to the pigeon and the bird was released. After leaving the balloon, pigeons generally circled once to get oriented and then flew directly for its loft.

How the Pigeon Story Began

Homing pigeons have been used throughout world history. As far back as the Greeks, pigeons were used to carry messages as well as for the sport of pigeon racing.

Pigeon use expanded as the Ottoman Empire grew and stretched across vast territory during the 14^th century.  Pigeon fanciers developed a “pigeon relay.”

Towers were built at intervals of about every 30-40 miles with pigeon lofts atop each tower. Sentinels were on continuous watch. When a pigeon arrived, the message was taken off the bird and transferred to another bird to carry the message on the next leg of the flight. This process was repeated across the territory.

Reuters News Service

Even with the telegraph available, Reuters News Service, a prominent news agency, opted to use pigeons for transmitting the latest news and stock prices between Germany and Belgium in 1850. They determined that birds were faster than the railway and more reliable than the newly developed telegraph. Reuters maintained at least 45 working pigeons in the company lofts.

Siege of Paris

At few times in history were pigeons more important than in the Siege of Paris (September 1870-January 1871).  Napoleon was under the impression that the French Army was more powerful than the Prussian military. When he declared war on Prussia in July of 1870, he was quickly surprised.

The Prussian Army was unified and well-trained, and they quickly moved forward to surround Paris. They cut telegraph lines and closed all paths into and out of the city.

Parisians soon saw that the only way to communicate was via homing pigeon. They needed to get their pigeons out of Paris so that the French military could send back news to those under siege.

Small hot air balloons with baskets containing 2-3 pigeons were employed to send out pigeons and information. Those on the outside retrieved the pigeons and sent them back with messages.

Though the Parisians could receive news, the Prussians effectively blocked the food supply. The French eventually had no choice but to surrender. The people were starving.

The Source of Birds in World War I

The homing pigeon is a feral pigeon, descended from the Rock Dove (Columba livia). The Rock Dove weighs about 1 pound, and they are powerful fliers. These birds can fly 12-15 hours per day, covering 500-700 miles. The average speed of the motivated flier can range from 30-60 mph. In a sprint, some homing pigeons have been timed traveling 90 mph.

The wild Rock Dove has an inherent homing instinct, which is the basis for the abilities of its descendants. (City pigeons are also feral pigeons but the homing instinct has not been reinforced by breeding.)

In Europe in the late 19^th and early 20^th century, pigeon racing using homing pigeons was a popular hobby. Once the military realized they might need fliers, they contacted hobbyists. Belgian citizens were particularly involved in the sport, so they quickly began working with the military to build needed lofts for the birds and to increase breeding.

How Do Pigeons Navigate?

For birds that are bred for racing or message-carrying, scientists have developed several theories for the “instinct of orientation.” They recognize that these birds have an instinctive ability to know where to go, but scientists note that they also have heightened perception of atmospheric pressure as well as excellent sight. Pigeons seem to see in color and can focus telescopically.

The more recent understanding of homing pigeons comes from zoologist William T. Keeton (1933-1980). He worked with pigeons over a period of years and discovered that they have tiny magnetic particles in their beaks. Their sense of the earth’s magnetic field tells them where they are and shows them where they need to be.

Scientists say that as pigeons get closer to home, they switch from “compass” navigation to visual navigation. They have excellent memories.  Since their vision is good, they can use visual cues. They sometimes take a slightly longer route because it is a path that is familiar to them. 

The United States Makes Pigeon Preparation

One of the contributions the U.S. made even before they entered the war was commissioning mobile pigeon lofts for the Allies. They contacted D.M. Sechler Carriage Company in Ohio, to build mobile pigeon lofts that could be shipped overseas.  The intent was to have lofts that could be moved along with the fighting.

Next, the U.S. Signal Corps needed to find men who could work with pigeons. The ideal candidates were American pigeon racers. The sport was not as poplar as in Europe, but there were pigeon clubs in the U.S.

The need for birds was so great that the military purchased birds from American breeders, but they knew they needed to establish breeding lofts in Europe so that the birds would acclimate more quickly.

The first U.S. Pigeon Service eventually included 50 mobile lofts, nine officers, 324 soldiers, and 6000 pigeons.

How Are the Birds Trained?

The process of training homing pigeons is consistent. Young birds are given time to acclimate to the pigeon loft that will be their home base. Once they are suitably settled, they are sent out for short flights. Most pigeon handlers have whistles or calls they can use to help educate the birds as to how to come home.

As the birds become familiar with the sights, sounds and atmosphere of their area, the pigeon handlers take the birds farther and farther away. They may start with a release that is just two miles away. Over time the distance is extended until the birds are sufficiently trained.  

Occasionally birds become disoriented or pause for a time, but unless they are killed, almost all birds find their way home.

Traveling by Basket

Homing pigeons are accustomed to traveling by basket, so the military got to work at creating ways to carry them into the field.  Small baskets were appropriate for many situations (tanks and ships, for example), but soldiers in the infantry and bicycle messengers were given backpacks fitted with bird  baskets.

Because dogs were often part of message systems, special harnesses were crafted. Two baskets were attached firmly to each side of the harness. When seen from afar, the dogs appeared to have wings. These dogs often needed canine gas masks to get through war zones. Once outfitted with the mask and the baskets, the dogs could have been mistaken for flying monsters as they dashed through a battlefield.

Pigeons traveling with spies were the only birds that didn’t need baskets. These birds were used to being tucked under a coat or inside clothing.  When the spy carrying the pigeon was ready to send a message, he wrote the note, inserted it into the pigeon’s leg tube and released their bird.

Pigeon handlers were taught not to coop birds up for too long. If the bird was enclosed for up to 48 hours, they were not in good shape for flight.

Soldiers were also told not to feed the birds too close to flight time. They needed to be hungry enough to go home right away but not so hungry that they stopped for a snack.

Bird Threats and Enemies

Enemy armies were well aware of how important the pigeons were. If pigeons were in active use, the military knew that there were would be enemy gunfire. Because snipers on both sides of any fight were quite good at what they did, two pigeons were always sent carrying the same message. If one pigeon was killed, the other bird might escape with the information. 

In addition to gunfire, birds of prey were a danger. Some were birds that were simply out in the wild, but opposing military also brought in hawks and Peregrine falcons as part of the defense arsenal.

But there was a catch. Birds of prey were clueless when it came to identifying pigeon allegiances. The German army also used homing pigeons, so if their own birds were being sent out with messages, they had to hold off on releasing the birds of prey.

How the Messages Were Carried

Messenger dogs had collars that could hold messages, but pigeons were free of encumbrance. While there were some variations, most messages were carried in small aluminum tubes attached to a bird’s leg. The tube was closed at both ends to keep rain or water from seeping in.

Occasionally messages were tied to a tail feather, but these messages were more vulnerable to damage than those attached to a leg.  

Messages ranged from short, handwritten notes to multiple messages that were photographed and reduced in size so that a number of missives could be sent. It was not uncommon for a pigeon tube to hold 15 feet of film negatives. Occasionally, these could be viewed in the field using a magic lantern. Other times the film needed to be developed and sent on.

The soldiers responsible for sending messages carried pigeons and supplies as well as protective cloths to cover the pigeon baskets in case of gas attack. Every pigeon unit had message books with carbons so that copies could be made.

In the military, lofts where message-carrying pigeons returned were rigged with a bell system. When the bird arrived, the soldiers in charge were notified by the tinkling of the bell.

A Well-Known Dog and Pigeon Story

Perhaps one of the best-known stories of message-carrying during World War I involved a messenger dog as well as two pigeons.

In 1916, the ancient city of Verdun was under attack. Its location on the Meuse River was at a cross-roads where armies could travel north and south as well as east and west. The Germans felt if they could destroy Verdun they would effectively wipe out French resistance.

Fighting had gone on for almost 10 months, but the Germans seemed to be closing in. They had taken position on a ridge overlooking Verdun and were preparing for a final attack.

At French headquarters, officers wanted to send word that they were sending more military units. They hoped that there would be a way to get word from Verdun as to what they might expect.

Seventeen Messengers Killed

Seventeen soldiers had been killed carrying messages, so the French military turned to Satan, a messenger dog in their K-9 unit. One of Satan’s handlers was trapped in Verdun. If they turned Satan loose, he would head as directly as possible for his handler. A message was inserted in the tube on Satan’s collar, and he was outfitted with a harness carrying two pigeon baskets. He also wore a gas mask.

Satan was released, and he headed off on a zig-zag pattern as he had been trained to do to confuse snipers. There was underbrush on the battlefield for part of his run. As he neared Verdun, he had to cross an open field. A German sniper fired and hit him. Satan went down, then staggered up again. The men called to him. Finally, French soldiers were close enough to dash out to carry him in.

The message on his collar was received with relief, and the commander quickly wrote a return message. The pigeons in Satan’s baskets were taken out. Messages were attached, and the birds were released.

As they feared, one bird was shot immediately. The other pigeon fluttered at first, but ultimately rose into the sky, taking with him the hopes of the citizens.

 One hour later, the French successfully targeted and brought down the Germans on the ridge. At last Verdun was free.

After the War, What About the Pigeons?

After World War I, there was disagreement as to what to do with the pigeons. It was a difficult question, as there were thousands of pigeons that had been part of the pigeon brigade. Many thought that they should be left in Europe, but General Pershing’s Signal Officer Colonel Edgar Russel wanted to bring them home. Russel knew the pigeons told an important story.

Ultimately, the Signal Corps selected 32 pigeons deemed as heroes, 10 captured German pigeons, and 132 birds that were ideal for breeding.

The rest of the pigeons were available to be purchased at auction. Soldiers could bid on their particular favorites. Others would be given to French and British military.

Pigeons in World War II

By World War II, pigeons were still needed but in fewer numbers.

One of the primary needs for the pigeons was for information gathering.   Emergency communication needs still occurred but this was a day before drones, and the military needed help with reconnaissance.

When the United States put out a call for pigeons in January of 1942, they received enthusiastic support. The American Racing Pigeon Union and the International Federation of American Homing Pigeon Fanciers both stepped forward to help. Many valuable birds were donated. One shipment from New York City consisted of 52,000 birds. Pigeon breeding stations were also set up in Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, and Texas.

Pigeon Cameras

Pigeon cameras were invented between the two wars, permitting pigeons to be the forerunners of drones. The birds could fly behind enemy lines and come home with a photographic record of what was happening.

Maidenform factories were already making parachutes for the war. They were soon commissioned to make camera-carrying vests. The vests were made of netting and were form-fitting for the birds, leaving wings, head, and feet all available for flying.

From April 1941-September 1944, the British used pigeons to track what was happening on the ground behind enemy lines. Pigeons were placed in containers with parachutes attached. Planes could drop them behind enemy lines. The  parachutes gave the birds a softer landing.

Resistance fighters as well as regular citizens picked up the birds, and sent back information. The Allies received everything from vital intelligence on Nazi plans to daily reality of life under Nazi regime.

D-Day News Reports

Author Cornelius Ryan wrote that correspondents on Juno Beach during WWII had no communication method until Ronald Clark of the UPI wire service came ashore with two baskets of carrier pigeons. The correspondents wrote their stories, inserted them into the aluminum capsules, and released the birds.

To read about some of the pigeons who were war heroes, click on Cher Ami and Other Heroes.

Use During Peacetime

Some homing pigeons were used long after the war.

One hospital in Granville, France, used pigeons to send blood samples inland to a test lab in Avranches. The drive time was about 30 minutes, and pigeons could deliver the samples in 25 minutes. They maintained this system until the pigeon keeper died in 1992.

Devil Dogs was a term first used by the Germans to describe the U.S. Marines in World War I. They were such fierce fighters at the Battle of Belleau Woods that German officers were rumored to refer to them as “Teufel Hunden” (German for “Devil Dogs”).

The name stuck as a nickname for the men, and it proved useful in mid-1942. About 6 months after the United States entered World War II, the commander of the Marines decided to bring in war dogs to help the men fight in the Pacific. They, too, are referred to as Devil Dogs.

Backstory of War Dogs

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States declared war on Japan the next day (December 8, 1941). Days later, Germany declared war on America, and on December 11, 1941, President Roosevelt declared war on Germany as well. Americans faced war on two fronts.

At that time, the United States had no war dog unit. During World War I, the European Allies made excellent use of trained dogs for guarding installations, for scouting new areas, and even for carrying messages between units. The United States intended to build a canine corps but by 1940, nothing had happened.

Volunteers quickly came up with a plan. Poodle breeder Alene Erlanger and her friend Arthur Kilbon, a dog columnist for The New York Sun newspaper, stepped forward. Eralnger’s trainer Henry Stoeker, who previously worked with military dogs and police dogs, worked with Erlanger and Kilbon to develop a program. They would create a canine unit for the military.

Calling the group Dogs for Defense, Erlanger received government approval to procure and train dogs.

Asking for Dogs

Americans were horrified by the war they faced, and people wanted to do their part. Men enlisted, and women accepted war-related jobs or worked in the private sector in employment left vacant by men going to war. Even children did their part to help out. As Americans recognized the importance of bringing down Japan and Germany, it became a time of maximum sacrifice.

When Dogs for Defense asked for people to donate their pets for the war cause, it was a huge “ask.” Many families did so with heavy hearts. Husbands, fathers, brothers, and uncles were going…it was painful to send the family dog, too.

Despite this, 10,000 pets were donated for the war effort.

Families were told that if their dog didn’t qualify, the pet would be sent home right away. The dogs were also to be returned if they lived through the war. (Read about Chips and about Lucky.)

Dog Qualifications

As Dogs for Defense outlined their requirements, they specified medium-sized dogs of either gender. The dogs should weigh about 50 pounds and be between 1-5 years of age. German shepherds, Doberman pinschers, Staffordshire terriers and other mid-sized dogs were popular. Hair dogs (like poodles) were not good all-weather dogs, and any high-strung dog was not suitable.

Dogs could not be timid, gun shy, or overly aggressive. If the temperament testing went poorly, they were sent home right away. Otherwise they were on their way to training.

At first there were no plans to send dogs to the Pacific. The trainers and military felt that the jungle growth would make it too difficult to work with dogs.

Sentry Training For U.S.

As Erlanger put together her resources, she saw that guard dogs would be the most useful. If dogs could work sentry duty with just one soldier, then other men could be sent off for other assignments.

Because of the attack on Pearl Harbor, American ports and factories that made war supplies might be targets, so the first placements of dogs would be in the U.S.

Sentry dogs would also be relatively easy to train since dogs are protective of their own environment anyway.

Called to the Pacific

As the Commandant of the Marines worked to assemble his best fighting men for the Pacific, he read more about the use of dogs, including reports that dogs could sense enemy soldiers from as far away as a mile and a half.

The commander thought these reconnaissance dogs might actually be very helpful to soldiers in the Pacific. He put out a request for dogs.

Initially, the Marines were sent 62 dogs. Forty dogs came from the Army. Another 22 dogs were provided by Miss Roslyn Terhune of Baltimore.  Terhune was active with the Doberman Pincschers Club of America. The dogs she provided—and volunteered to train—were Dobermans. The athletic build, high level of loyalty, and short-haired coats made the Doberman seem ideal.

The heavy presence of the Dobermans in the Pacific led some to believe that the Doberman was the official dog of the Pacific. However, no K-9 unit settled on an official breed. The use of the of the Dobermans in the Pacific simply had to do with availability.

Setting Up Training for the Pacific

When it was decided that dogs would indeed be sent to the Pacific, new training camps were needed. In November 1942, Dogs for Defense took over Camp Knox, a former Civilian Conservation Corps camp that was part of Camp LeJeune in Virginia.

One aspect of training Marine dogs that differed from some other branches of the service was that Marines are a combat unit. All of them needed to be combat ready at all times, and this would apply to any dogs assigned to be Devil dogs.

Training Plan

Training would be for 14 weeks. The first two weeks were for basic training and assessment.  Among the rudimentary skills the dogs needed to learn were heel, down, and stay. (All training used positive reinforcement.)

In addition, the dogs needed to learn “crawl” so that handler and dog could move forward even when down. Those who were slated for scout work were taught to alert without barking. Stopping stock still, ears cocked forward and fully alert was a signal to all handlers that something was wrong.

The dogs that made it through the first weeks were then assigned to two Marines. This meant that if one soldier were sent on another detail or was injured, the dog still had a master.

The last 6 weeks were for advanced work for whatever assignment each dog was likely to be given. Throughout it all, the dogs were subject to small arms and explosive gunfire to be certain that they would remain calm under fire.

Specialty Training for Reconnaissance or Scout Dogs

Further plans were made to train dogs for scouting ahead of a military unit. If dogs could move forward and seek out what was to come, that would make them very useful.

Training for scout dogs was a little different from training sentry dogs. While sentry dogs were on short leads, scout dogs often needed to roam free, exploring ahead of his unit.

Scout dogs also required a different way to alert the troops. Barking would reveal the dog’s and the regiment’s whereabouts. For that reason, scout dogs were trained in the way that hunting dogs are. The dog needed to stand  totally still, looking in the direction of trouble.

Once his handler got the warning, he could warn the men behind him to pull up and hold still. That gave time for the U.S. snipers and lookouts to assess the situation before the men moved on.

Messenger Dogs

Messenger dogs were outfitted with special collars that could hold coded messages. The training for the dogs was quite complex. The dog needed equal bonds with both soldiers to whom he was assigned. That way he or she would get through anything—or over any obstacle to reach the other person.

The training involved one of the men traveling farther and farther away—eventually putting at least two miles between them. The dog would be expected to leave one master and “report” to the other one. (To read about a messenger dog in action during World War I, read A Remarkable Messenger Dog.)

As electronic communication devices improved, the need for messenger dogs decreased. However, in the Pacific Islands with the jungle growth and the high humidity, it was often difficult for communication signals to get through. At those times the messenger dogs more than earned their keep.

Promotion System

Before leaving the United States, the men and their dogs were put into platoons. One war dog platoon consisted of 1 officer, 65 men, and 36 dogs (18 scouts and 18 messenger dogs).

The Marines established a very specific promotion system for their dogs based on length of service.  All dogs began as privates, but after 3 months they became private first class.

A year later, they made corporal. At 2 years, they were sergeants; three years was platoon sergeants; 4 years Gunner Sergeants, and at 5 years they were a master gunner sergeant.

Dogs could quickly outrank their handlers!

Crossing the Country

The first Marine Dog Platoon was to sail from San Diego on June 23, 1943, but first, the dogs had to travel cross country by train. The trip was intended to be secret, but word must have spread.

At some stops where the dogs were permitted off for brief exercise, they were met by local people bringing food for the dogs and for the men. At one stop a group of Navajo women were there to wish them well.

Solomon Islands

The First Marine Dog Platoon arrived in the South Pacific on July 11, 1943. They joined the Second Marine Raider Regiment to attempt to push back on the Japanese who were well-entrenched at Bougainville, the largest island of the Solomon Islands. The Japanese needed to be pushed back away from the coastline so that reinforcement regiments could not make their way in.

Three Devil Dogs: Andy

As the Marines landed at Bougainville, they faced heavy gunfire from the Japanese. Andy, a Doberman trained as a scout dog, was accompanied by two handlers and was to lead the 250-man M Company inland.

Andy worked off lead, ranging ahead of his men by about 25 feet. Numerous times, he froze, letting handlers Private First Class Robert Lansley and PFC John Mahoney, know that there were snipers nearby. The handlers and the men behind them then dropped back until it was safe to move forward.

M Company successfully cut off the Japanese so that they could not be reinforced. Over time, they were able to whittle back on the number of Japanese on that island. It became an island-by-island fight.

Continued Bravery

On the 14^th day in Bougainville, Andy again earned his keep. The Marines were under fire, but they couldn’t determine where the firing was coming from. Handlers Lansley and Mahoney took Andy out, and soon he located the gunners. The machine gun nests were set up on both sides of the trail to create cross-fire and confusion. With that information, the Marines were able to strike back and clear the area. They were saved.

Officers had no obligation to get in touch with previous owners, but the officer for that first war dog platoon went above and beyond. Andy so surpassed what anyone expected, that the commander sat down to write to Andy’s previous owner Theodore Widermann of Norristown, Pennsylvania: “Andy gave warning of scattered Japanese sniper oppositions on many occasions and was undoubtedly the means for preventing the loss of life of Marines.”

A Messenger That Didn’t Stop for a Bullet

Jack was a German shepherd trained for messenger work. He and his handler encountered a roadblock where they were both hit. But Jack had already been given a command to return to headquarters with a message about the attack.

Though his handler was down, and Jack’s wounded back stung, he headed off anyway. He reached the headquarters and back-up help was on its way.

Sentry Dogs–Rex on Night Alert

Initially the military thought that all the dog would be a help in guarding the camps at night. They soon saw that the dogs who worked during the day were just as exhausted as the men. For them to be prepared for work the next day, they needed a night off to sleep.

For that reason, certain dogs were assigned to night guard duty. Rex, a Doberman, was one of them. One evening he heard noises and signaled to his unit.

No one could do anything until daylight, but as dawn broke all the Marines were on alert. The Japanese attacked, but because of the warning, the men were ready to fight back.

Success in Pacific

Ultimately, the experiment with having war dogs in the Pacific was very successful. Because of the dense undergrowth, the heat, and the difficult fighting conditions, the fighting for men was terribly difficult. The Devil Dogs in the Pacific helped the Marines overcome some of those challenges.

While it was harder for snipers to bring down dogs, they could and did kill some of them. Dogs also died from heatstroke, and a jungle-related form of hookworm that had no cure. But many made it through.

There were approximately one thousand dogs trained as Devil Dogs for the Pacific Theater. Twenty-nine were killed in action, most of them during the fighting in Guam.

Initially these dogs were buried at a cemetery in Guam. But over time, their medical supervisor, veterinarian Dr. Bill Putney, moved the gravesites to the United States for burial at home.

There is still a war memorial in Guam.

To read another story about animal heroism, read about Reckless, the Horse That Was a Marine. Reckless fought as part of a unit in the Korean War and his efforts made all the difference to his men.

Smoky, a four-pound Yorkshire terrier, went to war by happenstance. She was found in New Guinea near an American military base in 1944. No one was going to send home a lost dog, no matter how tiny.  She soon embedded with a unit of the U.S. 5^th Air Force and was adopted by one of the photographers working reconnaissance near the front line in New Guinea.

Smoky was found in a foxhole and brought back to the base by a fellow who was happy to sell her so he could get into that night’s poker game. William A. Wynne offered to buy Smoky for 2 pounds Australian ($6.44 U.S).  After that, the two were inseparable.

War Dog?

Describing Smoky as a war dog, a mascot, or as therapy dog for the wounded military men doesn’t do her justice.  She was all of those things. But most important, she became a soulmate for Bill Wynne. Wynne spent two years of his childhood in an orphanage, so he knew loneliness firsthand. When he adopted Smoky, he staved off what would have been many lonely hours by training his bright little companion. Then he did a loving thing: He turned and shared her with all those with whom Smoky and Bill came in contact.

Smoky accomplished many things while in the service, but her most important job was keeping smiles on the faces of the men with whom she served.

Smoky and the Telephone Wire

The most frequently told story about Smoky concerns her “war work.” This heroic deed came about because someone realized Smoky’s potential.

The Photo Reconnaissance Squad of which Wynne was a part, was with a unit that was moved forward to Luzon, the northernmost island in the Philippines. In that day, photo reconnaissance planes had to be very near the frontlines as the planes were only big enough for the pilot and a camera mounted to the plane. The pilot had to return to base quickly so the photographers could develop the film, which would reveal the whereabouts of the enemy.

They were part of a larger group moved to the Philippines to establish a full-scale military base. The goal was to move in quickly and keep everyone on the ground safe. Setting up the operation was going to require that new telegraph wire be run under the an existing runway that the Allies needed to keep open if at all possible.

The original airfield builders had provided a 70-foot long pipe that ran under the runway. The problem was that soil had shifted around the pipe joinings. In some places, dirt partially filled parts of the pipe.

The engineers knew that there was a strong likelihood that they would need to dig up the airfield in that section to get the wire buried, and this was a bad thought. It meant wasted days and potential risk to the men while the airfield was out of service and under construction.

Someone on the team had a bright idea and approached Bill Wynne with it: Did he think he could coach Smoky to make her way through the pipe? If so, they could tie a string to her collar. After she was all the way through, they could then use the string to pull the wire to the other side.

Smoky to the Rescue

“Can you see daylight all the way through the culvert?” Wynne

asked.

The answer was that there were a couple of places where dirt had almost filled the pipe but “yes, you could still see some daylight coming through.”

Wynne figured it was worth a try. He and Smoky went out to become familiar with the sights and smells of the field. When Wynne felt Smoky was comfortable, he tied the string to her collar and left her with one of the engineers.

Wynne went to the other end of the culvert to try to coax her through. Her first steps were exploratory, Wynne wrote. She ran in about ten feet and then ran back out again.

“But I stayed on the other end and said sharply, ‘Come Smoky.’”  She re-approached the pipe and began to scamper and then crawl through the tighter sections.

“At last, about 20 feet away, I saw two amber eyes and heard a faint whimpering sound….At 15 feet, she broke into a run. We were so happy at Smoky’s success that we all patted and praised her for a full five minutes,” wrote Wynne. She kept the airfield open and saved the men from additional danger.

Smoky’s Tricks

From the beginning, Wynne spent his downtime working with Smoky. He started with basic obedience commands and then went on to various tricks. One of the tricks Wynne invented was quite a complex version of “play dead.” Smoky would drop down on command, and she didn’t move even when poked until Bill lifted her “lifeless” body up by the feet.

She also learned to cross a tightrope—blindfolded. Others in the unit made her a scooter that she learned to ride. Bill was always teaching her something new.

While Smoky initially performed for the men around her barracks, she soon became well enough known that Wynne would be asked to bring her to nearby military hospitals to perform. Everywhere they went, the two of them brought smiles.

Smoky and Hollywood

After the war, Wynne returned to his hometown of Cleveland and married his sweetheart. He suggested that they honeymoon in Hollywood so that he could see if Smoky could make a living in show business.

Wynne got a part-time job working with some of the dogs belonging to Rennie Renfro. This put him on set with all the Hollywood trainers of the day, including Rudd Weatherwax (Lassie) and the young Frank Inn (eventually Benji). Unfortunately, no roles came along that were right for a 4-pound Yorkshire terrier.

Wynne’s wife waited for a time, but she was pregnant and wanted to have her baby in Cleveland with her mother nearby. This made Wynne’s decision obvious. He started applying for jobs in Ohio and was soon hired as a flight photographer with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA; becomes NASA in 1957) in Cleveland, studying the de-icing of planes.

The Wynnes settled in Cleveland where they eventually had nine children. Bill supplemented their income by performing with Smoky on weekends.

By the mid-1950s, Smoky was still bright and funny and energetic, but her performing days were behind her. In 1957, she died. She was probably 14 at the time.

In closing the book, Bill Wynne writes of Smoky and how she happened into his life:  “One wonders, could this have been an angel in a foxhole—a buddy sent to teach me how to share her comical antics in a bigger task? That task being the sharing of her with others in a time when joy was scarce? Sometimes under stress it only takes a delightful moment of diversion [to steer away from]… mental disaster.”

Smoky in a Helmet?

As you’ll see from the photographs, the statues of Smoky that are part of the memorials to her, generally show Smoky in a helmet. This was not a “cute” pose; it was a practical one. Because of Smoky’s hair and the jungle climate, Wynne found that he needed to bathe her regularly to keep her pest-free.

How best to bathe a four pound dog? Why in a helmet, of course!

Yorkie Doodle Dandy

I usually try to save my readers time by presenting to them a “story

in a nutshell,” but in this case, I highly recommend that you read Wynne’s memoir, Yorkie Doodle Dandy: The Other Woman Was a Real Dog.  The book is a delight because the bond between man and dog is so tight.

During the war, Bill frequently needs to hide Smoky from superiors as dogs were not an accepted part of the corps. His anxiety radiates—not for himself or his own safety–but with a fear that Smoky might be taken away from him. It is clear that this man and this dog are a true pair.

****

To read another great story about a war dog, read Lucky, who became a Marine Devil Dog. 

Bill Wynne sent this video to me before Christmas 2017. There is original footage of Smoky and a delightful interview with Bill:

Loyal dogs populated both armies in the Civil War. For every Union

dog, there was a Confederate dog taking part in the battles.

Like wars before it, the Civil War had no organized canine corps. (The first canine corps for the U.S. did not come about until World War II.)  But if men were going to war, so were lots of dogs. Some were pets the men brought from home; others were stray pups that joined a regiment along the way. All were happy to fight for which ever cause their newly-made friends were fighting for.

Dogs Were Helpful in Many Ways

Dogs were highly useful for morale. When soldiers were at rest, there was nothing better than a wagging tail, a wiggling body, and an eager pink tongue offering kisses. 

Dogs were also expert at finding water sources for troops. Officers leading men into unknown territory had only primitive maps, and water, of course, was a vital commodity. Both soldiers and their horses needed regular water breaks. Even when a regiment was marching near a river, a dog who could show routes down a steep embankment was worth more than the morsels of food the men were feeding him.

And in a day when provisions were slow to arrive and often difficult to come by, some dogs were reportedly good at finding food for more than just themselves. Chickens were relatively easy prey to kill and bring back. Other dogs were skilled at pulling food off loaded wagons that happened nearby. And if the men had time to hunt for their own dinners, there were few better assistants than dogs.

Stories of loyal dogs involve those who stayed by their wounded masters, and some who remained by a body even though the master was gone. (One widow located her husband’s remains because the family dog, who had accompanied him to war, remained near the shallow grave where the man had been hastily buried.)

But for the most part, dogs of the Civil War were just nice to have around.

Confederate Dog, Sawbuck

Sawbuck was a dog who traveled with the Confederacy. Unlike many of the men and some of his four-legged counterparts, he made it through the entire war and was able to go home.

Sawbuck’s master (there is no record of the man’s name) was part of

the Louisiana Brigade led by LeRoy Augustus Stafford.

Stafford had been the sheriff of Rapides Parish, Louisiana. In 1846, he joined the military to fight in the Mexican-American War. By 1860-61 regional tensions grew but, Stafford voted against southern secession.

When the matter was decided differently from what Stafford might have liked, he knew he couldn’t let his neighbors down. He used his expertise from the earlier war to form “Stafford’s Guards,” using local men who volunteered. Sawbuck’s master and Sawbucks must have been among those who joined the company.

On June 4, 1861, Stafford and his men left Louisiana to meet up with the Army of Northern Virginia.

Sawbuck Goes to War

Sawbuck was described as a medium-sized bird dog with black and white spots.

During a battle, Sawbuck was known to race up and back along the front lines, barking at the enemy. He was at Gettysburg where Stafford’s men succeeded in taking Cemetery Hill, holding the position during the twilight of July 2 before being forced to retreat.

At some point during the war, Sawbuck was shot in the right foreleg. He recovered, and after that, the men encouraged him to remain behind the lines where he continued to cheer them on.

Lost Dog?

In the chaos of war, one of the challenges faced by both men and dogs was not knowing what came next. If you were injured or separated from your regiment during a battle, where were you supposed to go?

In Sawbuck’s case, he knew what to do. John O. Casler, a Confederate who wrote Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade, wrote a letter to the Confederate Veteran magazine, to report that Sawbuck survived the war. His letter told how the dog stayed with his company:

Sawbuck knew every man in his brigade. If a battle ended and Sawbuck was separated from his group, he waited at the side of the road as Confederate soldiers marched by. When he saw one of his men, he dashed over to the fellow, bounding and kissing in excitement.  Then man and dog joined together to go off to find their unit, no longer alone anymore.

To read more stories about dogs in the Civil War, see Sallie, a dog commemorated at Gettysburg, and Harvey, a dog who was part of what was called the Barking Regiment.

Rags, who became a World War I dog hero, was originally just a stray pup picked up by a couple of American soldiers in July of 1918. James Donovan and George Hickman, part of the 1^st Infantry Division, had been celebrating Bastille Day in a bar in the famous Montmartre section of Paris, when they stumbled on what they thought was a bundle of rags.

The accidental bump of one of their boots aroused the bundle and it barked, revealing that the men had come upon a dog, not rags.

A Dog Not Rags

The men must have stooped to quiet him, and the dog—now fully awake—had the good sense to follow them back to base.  Rags cheerfully became the companion of Jimmy Donovan though everyone in the unit enjoyed him and slipped him scraps of whatever they were eating.

Rags’s story has recently been carefully researched and movingly written by Grant Hayter-Menzies. Though a biography of Rags had been written by a fellow named James Rohan in 1930, Hayter-Menzies saw that the dog had lived six years beyond the date of that biography and that there was still a great deal more to be reported. His book, From Stray Dog to World War I Hero: The Paris Terrier Who Joined the First Division was published in 2015.

Dog Hero During the War

The officers saw that Rags was great for morale, but it soon became obvious that Rags could function as an early warning system.  When Rags heard the sound of an incoming mortar attack, he would immediately flatten himself on the ground and stay down.

After the first incident when the men remained standing, they learned. If Rags went down, so did they. Paying attention to Rags saved lives.

Jimmy Donovan was part of the Signal Corps so he was often busy stringing telephone lines. Rags worked alongside him and somehow became adept at spotting breaks in the lines, perhaps by noting a different smell to an open wire. Rags would mark a spot and Donovan would then set up to repair it.

Donovan also taught Rags to carry messages. This is a difficult skill to teach a dog as it means that the dog must leave its handler on command, going into the unknown to another “master.”

As he mastered the skill, Rags was soon counted upon for message-carrying. He did so willingly, often having to cross open areas while being shot at.

No matter where Rags was he brought inspiration to the men with whom he fought.

Dog Hero and Donovan Brought Down

In the prolonged fighting in the Meuse-Argonne–the final American campaign of World War I–Donovan and Rags were caught in a mustard gas attack. Both were seriously injured and sent to a field hospital.

Rags suffered leg injuries and was blinded in one eye and lost hearing in one ear. He eventually recovered well enough to get around.

Jimmy Donovan was much more seriously wounded. He was to be sent back to Fort Sheridan in Chicago for added medical care. Rags had been a frequent presence on Donovan’s bed in the field hospital so some of the other patients made certain that Rags was smuggled on to the ship that was taking Donovan back to the U.S.

At first, the hospital at Fort Sheridan prevented Rags from visiting his favorite soldier, but as the story of Rags and Donovan spread, Rags was soon permitted in the ward. This must have brought great comfort to the Donovan who never recovered from his injuries, dying in the hospital in 1919.

Telling Rags the News

Some of the soldiers worried about how to tell Rags his master had died. In one of my favorite passages of the book, Hayter-Menzies describes how dogs mourn—and how Rags did.

A few of the men brought Rags to the bed in which Donovan had died. The body was gone but the sheets had not yet been stripped:

“Anyone who knows dogs is aware of the stages of their grieving,” writes Hayter-Menzies. “Their favorite person leaves for only a few days, but for the dog it is forever. There is waiting and pining at the doors and windows and jumping to investigate every remotely familiar sound, which could be the longed-for person returning home.

“…[But] the dog seems gallantly determined to face loss by adopting new loves, new faces to watch and footsteps to listen for. Behind it all, the longing for the original person is still there, and if that person does return, the dog’s joy is uncontainable. Rags, was no exception to this pattern, but as with every challenge in his life, he quickly adapted. Rohan [the first biographer] was told that on being placed on the bed, Rags “sniffed, stretched himself, his forepaws extended and his nose buried between them, and lay motionless for more than a minute. He then hopped to the floor and headed for the ward’s exit.”

Rags then spent about a week not eating much and simply lying quietly at the firehouse, his latest home. After about a week, he perked up and went about life as he knew it with one exception.

It was said he never again returned to the hospital where Donovan died.

Rags Becomes the Base Dog

For about a year, Rags was simply the base’s dog. But an officer’s daughters soon found this funny little dog was always waiting for them when they finished school and came for their bikes. Initially, they were fearful, but soon they were begging their father to let Rags sleep in the house.

For the rest of his life Rags belonged to the Hardenbergh family. It was his first true home, and he was well-cared for and very much loved. The family was frequently moved from base to base, and so Rags would become a participant at each base at which they were posted.

When stationed in New York, the Army press department decided to circulate Rags’s  story. After that, Rags became a well-loved celebrity. He was awarded medals and ribbons and participated in parades.

All this is lovingly documented in Grant Hayter-Menzies’s book, From Stray Dog to World War I Hero.   

Why This Dog Hero?

When contacted for his thoughts on choosing Rags as a subject, Hayter-Menzies wrote in an email: “As a stray, Rags’s vital statistics are a mystery and may forever remain so.  The life he was enduring on the streets of Paris, at a time when war was creating famine across Europe, might have been a short one. …Rags was lucky. Humans intervened, scooping him up out of harm’s way, allowing him to be reborn as the beloved companion animal he was meant to be.  All animals should be loved, but especially the abused and abandoned of this world.”

Indeed.

To order the book, click here.  Rags also has a facebook page.

For another story of an amazing dog that served in world War I, see “First War Dog to Carry Messages in World War I.”

At the start of World War II, the United States military had no canine corps so it fell to civilians, primarily led by poodle breeder Alene Erlanger, to organize a drive for people to donate their pets for the war cause.

As Erlanger saw it, fathers, sons, uncles, and brothers were all enlisting… Was it so far-fetched to think that people might donate their dogs to fight for the nation?

Not at all. The patriotic spirit spoke to many, and donate they did. One of the pets donated was an 18-month-old German shepherd, named Lucky, owned by the Walton family who lived in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.  (Erlanger also donated many of her poodles; for her story, read “Poodles Against Hitler.”)

The Walton’s Story

As the possibility of the U.S. entering the war came closer, Donald Walton enlisted as did many men of his generation. He was notified that he had had passed his physical for the Navy and that it would be only a few days until he would be called up.  He and his wife had a young son and they needed to scramble to make arrangements for where she and the baby would live while Donald was serving. The best option seemed to be for them to move in with her parents in Washington, D.C., but the D.C. house did not have the yard or space for a dog.

Walton knew the Marines were looking for dogs, and so he made arrangements for Lucky to enlist. Walton registered Lucky, and Lucky was boarded onto a train in a crate that bore the label: “USMC Devil Dog.” This was the term for Marine war dogs at the start of World War II.  Lucky was to report to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina where these dogs were being trained.

In this way, Lucky became a war dog, a Marine.

Family Pet to War Dog

At Camp Lejeune, the dog training was overseen by Dr. William Putney, a veterinarian who had seen all the errors made with dogs in World War I. He insisted on reward training, no negative punishments, and he not only oversaw all the intake training of the dogs, but after the war, he created a program to de-train the dogs so that they could return to family life.

When Lucky passed his basic training, he was promoted to Private First Class, and the Marines notified the family that he was being transported to the Pacific Theater as a replacement for a casualty. While the family was delighted he had passed basic training, “we didn’t exactly like the idea of him replacing a casualty.”

Lucky’s job turned out to be searching out Japanese soldiers who were hiding in caves on Guam.  Next he was sent further west where dogs were needed in the amphibious invasions of the islands of the Pacific.

Regular reports were given by the Marine Corps, explained Don Walton in an interview conducted with him as part of the Veterans History Project run by the Library of Congress.  The family was also told they could write to Lucky via his handler. They were given his serial number (651) and an Army Post Office number in San Francisco with the promise that the letters would be delivered to Lucky’s handler.

The family never wrote, however. Walton explains: “We were still having to move around a lot and everything was uncertain. We thought since we had actually given away the dog that perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to keep up correspondence.”

Lucky as War Dog

Lucky was the type of dog that became well-regarded by the entire Marine unit he traveled with.  After a few expeditions out with him, the other men learned his value. He and the handler never had to dig their own foxholes as the other men would dig it for them. They wanted Lucky close at hand.

The dogs could not bark or growl when they and the men were in hiding, or it would reveal their location. In a letter to the family, Lucky’s handler explained how he took to sleeping with Lucky by his side; the palm of his hand under Lucky’s throat. If Lucky’s throat vibrated with a silent growl, it was enough to waken the handler who then awakened the other Marines.

After the war ended, Lucky continued to serve. He was part of the occupation forces in Japan, and they needed handlers and dog teams to patrol and help with the transition as Japan worked to re-form a civilian government.

Discharge of War Dogs Nears

When Lucky and his handler were close to discharge, the handler sent a long, impassioned letter, requesting that the family let him keep Lucky. (In the hierarchy established by the Marines, the family’s right to the dog came first; second in line was the handler.)  The handler referred to him as “a sweet dog you could do anything with.”

The Waltons said “no;” they wanted Lucky to come home. In the VHP interview, Walton said writing back to the handler was the most difficult letter he ever had to write.  He explained that just as all the young men were returning to their families, Lucky needed to return to his family too.

Detraining the Dogs

The war dogs that had been trained to be on hyper-alert round-the-clock and to attack as needed had to be re-oriented to civilian life.  Dr. Putney had developed a careful system for detraining. The process involved supervising the dogs re-entry into civilian life and letting the dogs socialize (under close supervision) with all types and ages of people.

When the dogs were sent home, there were specific instructions for all families.  The dogs needed a specified amount of play or exercise time so they had an outlet for their energy, and the families learned what command words they were never to say in front of the dogs so that the dogs would never think they were to attack.

War Dogs Coming Home

After midnight one evening in April 1946, Lucky arrived on a train coming into Richmond, Virginia. Donald Walton was at the station waiting for him as crates were unloaded from the train. Walton said that though these dogs had gone through the war years being taught not to make a sound, “As soon as Lucky heard my voice, he couldn’t resist a little whimper.”  When Walton opened the crate, Lucky went over to a bush to take care of business, and then he came back and put both paws on Walton’s shoulders wagging his tail violently.  “He recognized me.”

Lucky had never been to the home where the Walton family had moved after Donald was discharged.  Walton said that Lucky entered the house and carefully went through every inch of it, making sure there were no threats for himself or the family. “Then he came back and laid down at my feet.”

Taking Care of the Waltons

Because Lucky was used to taking care of his Marines, it was only natural that he would become protector of the Waltons’ two young sons. One day one of the boys had packed up a few provisions and put things in his wagon. He was planning an adventure. If the child was going somewhere, Lucky was going with him.

A neighbor looked out and saw the pair on their jaunt, and decided the boy was a bit young for a big adventure.  She called out to them, offering a couple of cookies. That was enough to slow progress of the journey that day.  Lucky and the little boy came up to visit with the neighbor and eat some cookies.

No matter where the children were—playing in the yard, biking down the street, or swimming at the beach—Lucky was there making sure that no harm came their way. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to his little Marines.

There are more stories of this type documented in the Veterans History Project.