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War Dogs

Patriots sonPatriots son Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭✭
Anyone familiar with the use of K-9 in VN? I would like to learn more about the German Shepherds role, and any others that were used for service. Thanks

Comments

  • Henry0ReillyHenry0Reilly Member Posts: 10,893 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I know very little about it, but one of my best friends served as a dog handler with the 69th (?) MP Brigade.

    He said that the VC could collect bounty of approximately a years wage for his billet patch or his dog's ears. Military dogs were never "retired" but were put down when no longer useful.

    On the day he got his rotation orders, he went down to the kennel to say goodbye to his dog. This was strictly against the rules [because the dog would have to be turned over to a new handler] but he got the door open before the NCO in charge realized what was going on. The NCO told him to put the dog back in, but Steve just smiled and said, "You want him back in, you do it." So Steve got to spend one last afternoon with his buddy having fun rather than working.

    Steve died of cancer just after his 50th birthday. It might have been Agent Orange related, but his family didn't bother with the government autopsy and red tape.
    I used to recruit for the NRA until they sold us down the river (again!) in Heller v. DC. See my auctions (if any) under username henryreilly
  • ElMuertoMonkeyElMuertoMonkey Member Posts: 12,898
    edited November -1
    I've heard some pretty heartbreaking stories about war dogs in Vietnam. Like a lot of soldiers, they got the stabbed in the back by an uncaring bureaucracy.
  • 101AIRBORNE101AIRBORNE Member Posts: 1,252 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    We called them *scout dogs*. I had a man from my squad transfer
    and he was KIA while performing his duty. Tim Newell-name on the wall.
    My only experience using dogs was after a very bad night in the bush.
    Bad guys using flashlights in the jungle. We let them get away as this was their home turf. Scout dogs were brought in the next A.M. and
    were repelled down. Their intended usage was to locate the stinking
    butter heads and thus allowing us to locate their position and kill them. Such was not the case as the rains apparently washed away all scent. The dogs I saw were Labs. I *understood* that these woderful animals never came back to the world. What a pity.
  • Patriots sonPatriots son Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the help.
  • campcook51campcook51 Member Posts: 194 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    PS,
    Everything you might want to know is here, I have a copy
    of the video. Do a good deed, send them $10 and
    you will have your own.

    Let me know if you can keep a dry eye.

    http://www.war-dogs.com/
  • Patriots sonPatriots son Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Outstanding!!! Thanks Mark, I will let you know when received!
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