CHATNJACK
06-11-2009, 02:37 PM
Sgt. Stubby 1917-1926
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/wardogs_stubby_portrait_200.jpg
While training for combat on the fields of Yale University in 1917, Private J. Robert Conroy found a brindle puppy with a short tail. He named him "Stubby", and soon the dog became the mascot of the 102nd Infantry, 26th Yankee Division. He learned the bugle calls, the drills, and even a modified dog salute as he put his right paw on his right eyebrow when a salute was executed by his fellow soldiers. Stubby had a positive effect on morale, and was allowed to remain in the camp, even though animals were forbidden. When the division shipped out for France aboard the SS Minnesota, Private Conroy smuggled Stubby aboard. Hidden in the coal bin until the ship was far at sea, Stubby was brought out on deck where the sailors were soon won over by the canine soldier. Stubby was once again smuggled off the ship and was soon discovered by Pvt. Conroy's commanding officer. The CO allowed Stubby to remain after Stubby gave him a salute. When the Yankee Division headed for the front lines in France, Stubby was given special orders allowing him to accompany the Division to the front lines as their official mascot. The 102nd Infantry reached the front lines on the 5 February 1918. Things there were cold, wet and very dangerous. The soldiers lived in dug-out ditches called trenches. Water and mud gathered shin deep in these trenches, making it very unhealthy for the men and Stubby. Sniper fire was exchanged between the Germans and the allies constantly and men were killed and injured often. Stubby became accustomed to his new surroundings and learned to deal with the loud rifles and heavy artillery fire. All remained 'trench normal' until the day a large gas attack was launched by the Germans. The gas was a mixture of chemicals that burned the skin off, caused the lungs to blister, and the eyes to burn. This caused blindness, loss of limbs, and death in many cases. Stubby's first battle injury occurred due to gas exposure. He was taken to a nearby field hospital and nursed back to health. His exposure to the gas made him sensitive to even the slightest hint of the vapor. This came in handy several weeks later when an early morning gas attack was launched. The men in his portion of the trench were sleeping and were unaware that gas had just been launched. Stubby picked up the scent of the gas and ran through the trench barking and biting at the soldiers shirts and boots waking them. Some of the soldiers woke up and realized what was happening and sounded the gas alarm. Many men were saved that morning. Stubby left the trench to avoid the gas and didn't return until it was all clear. After Stubby's return to the trenches he became very useful in locating wounded men in 'no-mans land'. No-mans land was the ground area between the Allied and German trenches. It was called no-mans land because if you became stuck there you were almost sure to be killed by snipers since the available cover was very sparse. Stubby would listen for injured and lost men shouting in English. He would then go out to them and bark for paramedics or lead the uninjured ones back to the safety of the trenches. The men were more than grateful and treated Stubby as a golden asset to the division. One day, while on patrol in no-mans land, Stubby heard a noise coming from a small patch of brush. He went to investigate and found a German spy who was mapping out the layout of the Allied trenches. The German soldier tried to call Stubby to him but it didn't work. Stubby put his ears back and began to bark. As the German ran, Stubby bit him on the legs, causing the soldier to trip and fall. He continued to attack the man until the United States soldiers arrived. For capturing an enemy spy, Stubby was put in for a promotion to the rank of Sergeant by the commander of the 102nd Infantry. He became the first dog to be given rank in the United States Armed Forces. Again the Germans attacked, except this time it was a full out Infantry attack. German soldiers poured over no-mans land firng rifles and throwing grenades. Stubby and Private Conroy were tucked down in a bunker. Private Conroy poked his head and rifle out to fire at the enemy and Stubby stepped all the way out of the bunker. The area looked clear but a German soldier, out of Stubby's sight, threw a grenade at the bunker. The grenade explode and Stubby caught a large amount of shrapnel in his chest and right leg. He lay there motionless and limp and the men thought he was dead. Private Conroy picked him up and checked for a heartbeat and breathing. Stubby was still alive so Private Conroy rushed him to the field hospital. The doctors patched Stubby up as best they could but he had to be sent to a Red Cross recovery hospital for follow-up surgeries and recovery. Stubby became well enough to move around and spent his time at the Red Cross hospital visiting wounded men and socializing with the very caring nurses. He was a great help to the morale of the wounded men and again showed himself to be a hero to the wounded. Stubby eventually recovered fully and was returned to the front lines with the 102d Infantry Division. WWI ended on the 11th of November, 1918. Stubby had served in 17 battles. He led the American troops in a pass and review parade for the President in Europe. When he met President Wilson he gave his trademark salute and the President loved it. He later visited the White House twice and met with Presidents Harding and Coolidge. Stubby was awarded many medals for his heroism, including a medal from the Humane Society which was presented by General John Pershing, the Commanding General of the United States Armies. The American Red Cross, the YMCA and the American Legion all made Stubby a life member of their organizations. After WWI, John Robert Conroy returned to the United States and attended law school at Georgetown University. Stubby became the mascot for Georgetown's football team and used to chase a football around the field during half time. He also visited with all the VIP's during the games. Stubby died March 16th, 1926. He lived his final years with John Robert Conroy, the man who rescued him as a pup so many years before.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/stubby3.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/sergentstubby25.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/wardogs_stubby_pershing.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/stubby_200x207.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/wardogs_stubby_medals_650.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/STUBBY1.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/wardogs_stubby_portrait_200.jpg
While training for combat on the fields of Yale University in 1917, Private J. Robert Conroy found a brindle puppy with a short tail. He named him "Stubby", and soon the dog became the mascot of the 102nd Infantry, 26th Yankee Division. He learned the bugle calls, the drills, and even a modified dog salute as he put his right paw on his right eyebrow when a salute was executed by his fellow soldiers. Stubby had a positive effect on morale, and was allowed to remain in the camp, even though animals were forbidden. When the division shipped out for France aboard the SS Minnesota, Private Conroy smuggled Stubby aboard. Hidden in the coal bin until the ship was far at sea, Stubby was brought out on deck where the sailors were soon won over by the canine soldier. Stubby was once again smuggled off the ship and was soon discovered by Pvt. Conroy's commanding officer. The CO allowed Stubby to remain after Stubby gave him a salute. When the Yankee Division headed for the front lines in France, Stubby was given special orders allowing him to accompany the Division to the front lines as their official mascot. The 102nd Infantry reached the front lines on the 5 February 1918. Things there were cold, wet and very dangerous. The soldiers lived in dug-out ditches called trenches. Water and mud gathered shin deep in these trenches, making it very unhealthy for the men and Stubby. Sniper fire was exchanged between the Germans and the allies constantly and men were killed and injured often. Stubby became accustomed to his new surroundings and learned to deal with the loud rifles and heavy artillery fire. All remained 'trench normal' until the day a large gas attack was launched by the Germans. The gas was a mixture of chemicals that burned the skin off, caused the lungs to blister, and the eyes to burn. This caused blindness, loss of limbs, and death in many cases. Stubby's first battle injury occurred due to gas exposure. He was taken to a nearby field hospital and nursed back to health. His exposure to the gas made him sensitive to even the slightest hint of the vapor. This came in handy several weeks later when an early morning gas attack was launched. The men in his portion of the trench were sleeping and were unaware that gas had just been launched. Stubby picked up the scent of the gas and ran through the trench barking and biting at the soldiers shirts and boots waking them. Some of the soldiers woke up and realized what was happening and sounded the gas alarm. Many men were saved that morning. Stubby left the trench to avoid the gas and didn't return until it was all clear. After Stubby's return to the trenches he became very useful in locating wounded men in 'no-mans land'. No-mans land was the ground area between the Allied and German trenches. It was called no-mans land because if you became stuck there you were almost sure to be killed by snipers since the available cover was very sparse. Stubby would listen for injured and lost men shouting in English. He would then go out to them and bark for paramedics or lead the uninjured ones back to the safety of the trenches. The men were more than grateful and treated Stubby as a golden asset to the division. One day, while on patrol in no-mans land, Stubby heard a noise coming from a small patch of brush. He went to investigate and found a German spy who was mapping out the layout of the Allied trenches. The German soldier tried to call Stubby to him but it didn't work. Stubby put his ears back and began to bark. As the German ran, Stubby bit him on the legs, causing the soldier to trip and fall. He continued to attack the man until the United States soldiers arrived. For capturing an enemy spy, Stubby was put in for a promotion to the rank of Sergeant by the commander of the 102nd Infantry. He became the first dog to be given rank in the United States Armed Forces. Again the Germans attacked, except this time it was a full out Infantry attack. German soldiers poured over no-mans land firng rifles and throwing grenades. Stubby and Private Conroy were tucked down in a bunker. Private Conroy poked his head and rifle out to fire at the enemy and Stubby stepped all the way out of the bunker. The area looked clear but a German soldier, out of Stubby's sight, threw a grenade at the bunker. The grenade explode and Stubby caught a large amount of shrapnel in his chest and right leg. He lay there motionless and limp and the men thought he was dead. Private Conroy picked him up and checked for a heartbeat and breathing. Stubby was still alive so Private Conroy rushed him to the field hospital. The doctors patched Stubby up as best they could but he had to be sent to a Red Cross recovery hospital for follow-up surgeries and recovery. Stubby became well enough to move around and spent his time at the Red Cross hospital visiting wounded men and socializing with the very caring nurses. He was a great help to the morale of the wounded men and again showed himself to be a hero to the wounded. Stubby eventually recovered fully and was returned to the front lines with the 102d Infantry Division. WWI ended on the 11th of November, 1918. Stubby had served in 17 battles. He led the American troops in a pass and review parade for the President in Europe. When he met President Wilson he gave his trademark salute and the President loved it. He later visited the White House twice and met with Presidents Harding and Coolidge. Stubby was awarded many medals for his heroism, including a medal from the Humane Society which was presented by General John Pershing, the Commanding General of the United States Armies. The American Red Cross, the YMCA and the American Legion all made Stubby a life member of their organizations. After WWI, John Robert Conroy returned to the United States and attended law school at Georgetown University. Stubby became the mascot for Georgetown's football team and used to chase a football around the field during half time. He also visited with all the VIP's during the games. Stubby died March 16th, 1926. He lived his final years with John Robert Conroy, the man who rescued him as a pup so many years before.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/stubby3.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/sergentstubby25.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/wardogs_stubby_pershing.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/stubby_200x207.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/wardogs_stubby_medals_650.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/chatnjack/STUBBY1.jpg