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Sgt. Stubby

American War Dog

The use of dogs in war has a history reaching back to ancient times. The most famous American war dog was a four-legged hero of World War I named Sgt. Stubby.

Thanks to newspaper stories that had made him famous, Sgt. Stubby returned to America a hero.

Sgt. Stubby was not just famous; he reached a level of celebrity that would make even Lady Gaga, whose online viewing of her music videos recently surpassed the 1 billion mark, an afterthought. His paw shook the hands of three presidents, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, and Calvin Coolidge. Influential politicians jockeyed to be photographed with him. He led hundreds of parades across the nation and stayed in elite hotels that otherwise banned dogs. Charles Ayer Whipple, the most prominent portrait artist of the day, painted his portrait. General of the Armies John J. Pershing personally decorated him, and he received numerous honors in addition to his wartime awards.

Sgt. Stubby

Sgt. Stubby displays his impressive collection of medals. National Archives photo

The American Red Cross, the YMCA, and the American Legion all made him a lifetime honorary member, with the YMCA’s membership card stating that it was good for “three bones a day and a place to sleep.” He crowned his career by becoming the official mascot of Georgetown University.  Not bad for a stray pit bull mongrel that wandered onto the Yale University campus in the summer of 1917, attracted by the sounds made by recruits from the 102nd Infantry Regiment as they were training.

The pit bull mix soon fell in line with the ranks and participated in some of the drills. He became the unit’s unofficial mascot and, amongst other things, was taught how to salute with his right paw. Stubby (as he was now called) eventually bonded with Pvt. J. Robert Conroy. In early October, as the 102nd, part of the 26th “Yankee” Division, prepared to ship out to France, Conroy tucked Stubby into his overcoat and smuggled him aboard the troopship Minnesota. During the sea voyage one of the machinist mates made Stubby a special set of dog tags. Shortly after the unit disembarked at the French port of St. Nazaire, the commanding officer discovered he had an unauthorized member in his ranks. But an earnest plea from Conroy and a sharp salute from Stubby convinced the officer to let the pit bull remain, this time as the unit’s official mascot.

On one patrol Stubby found something else hidden in some bushes. It was a German spy who had been mapping the American positions. Attracted by canine barking and human cries, the patrol arrived to discover the hapless spy on the ground with Stubby’s jaws clamped onto his backside.

Stubby’s baptism of fire occurred in February 1918, shortly after the division was stationed in the Chemin des Dames sector in northern France. Within days after the troops took up position in the trenches, they were hit by a poison gas artillery barrage. Stubby survived, and from that point on was acutely sensitive to the deadly chemicals. Once, the area where Stubby’s company was deployed received a pre-dawn poison gas barrage. As soon as his nose scented the first whiff of poison gas, Stubby began raising the alarm, running back and forth through the trench, barking and nipping at the slumbering soldiers. The men awoke in time to don their mask (and fit Stubby with his), and fight off the German attack.

Stubby was not content to remain in the trenches, often accompanying raids and patrols into no man’s land, the region between the opposing armies’ trench lines. In April 1918, during a raid on the German-held town of Schieprey, Stubby was wounded by shrapnel from a German grenade.

Sgt. Stubby

Sgt. Stubby the most decorated war dog of World War I. National Archives photo

Stubby became an expert in finding wounded or dead soldiers during patrols. On one patrol Stubby found something else hidden in some bushes. It was a German spy who had been mapping the American positions. Attracted by canine barking and human cries, the patrol arrived to discover the hapless spy on the ground with Stubby’s jaws clamped onto his backside. One of the soldiers confiscated the German’s Iron Cross and gave it to Stubby as a souvenir. The commanding officer of the 102d was reportedly so impressed by the incident that he “promoted” Stubby to sergeant. When the unit was transferred to the town of Château-Thierry, a group of women from the town made a blanket for him that soon became decorated with medals and badges.

Stubby spent eighteen months in Europe, participating in seventeen battles. Thanks to newspaper stories that had made him famous, Sgt. Stubby returned to America a hero. When Conroy enrolled at Georgetown University’s law school, Stubby became a mascot of the university’s football team.

Sgt. Stubby died in 1926. His body was preserved and, wearing his decoration-filled blanket, he is on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

By

DWIGHT JON ZIMMERMAN is a bestselling and award-winning author, radio host, and president of the...

    li class="comment even thread-even depth-1" id="comment-39738">
    Ken Collins

    A true hero…Above and beyond.

    li class="comment odd alt thread-odd thread-alt depth-1" id="comment-41164">

    Please see excerpts about the War Dogs of Guam from my book, The Foreign Burial of American War Dead.
    http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/war-dogs-of-guam/

    li class="comment even thread-even depth-1" id="comment-41178">

    at least some returning vets were treated well – back then

    li class="comment odd alt thread-odd thread-alt depth-1" id="comment-61091">

    here is a pit bull that we can see is not mean and yet we can not see that humans are what makes the dog and that the dog just wants to be with us and make us happy so we humans make them fight and the dog get’s blamed well if we don’t forget dogs like SGT. Stubby and his human friends that trained him just showed we make the dog and the dog will be like us in the end.

    li class="comment even thread-even depth-1" id="comment-104243">

    The Brits had an Airedale named Jack who received the dog version of a Victoria Cross called a Dicken Award. He died in action saving an entire battalion. Dogs are the most amazing creature ever put on earth and prove it again and again. What a shame they are treated so badly – especially in the cause of science. I feel sorry for people who have no connection to the dog.

    li class="comment odd alt thread-odd thread-alt depth-1" id="comment-111464">
    Alyssa Brugoto

    I liked the part about him catching the German spy

    li class="comment even thread-even depth-1" id="comment-217158">

    He looks almost identical to my pal, Larry, who’s ears are unclipped. All creatures great and small have alot incommon with human animals. It seems we’re all individuals in this experiience together. It’d be good for us all get to know each other better and therefore learn to learn to work together so to better share and discover our greatest strengths to the mutual benefit of us all together as the collective whole that we are as the whole of existance. The Peaceable Kingdom, not to be sexist, though a peaceable existance for all and all for ever more so. Even if you believe this to be unattainable and impossible, what is there really to lose in striving for it anyway?