“To build and dedicate a National War Dogs Monument in the Washington D.C. area to honor the service and sacrifice of all military working dog teams of all U.S. Armed Services of all Wars and Peacekeeping Missions since WWI.”
It all started on April 1, 2001 with an article, “Let Us Remember Our Forgotten Heroes” written by Richard Ben Cramer and published in Parade Magazine as the featured headline on the front cover. That feature article caused a massive public outcry of support, all across America, for the nation be recognize the need for a National War Dogs Monument in Washington, D.C.
Two Good Reasons for a Monument
Rocky [A855]Rocky arrived in Vietnam in April of 1966 and served as a Sentry Dog on the perimeter of the sprawling Tan Son Nhut AB. Rocky was on duty on the night of December 4, 1966 when a large force of Viet Cong attacked the base. Rocky survived this action and went on to perfrom his security duties with several other handlers. Unfortunately, as was the case with so many Vietnam dogs, no records exist to tell us of the fate of Rocky and many others like him. |
Toby [206F]Toby was one of the first K-9s in service in Vietnam arriving in country in April of 1965. Toby was a Sentry Dog working the heavy jungle on the perimeter of Tan Son Nhut AB. On the night of December 4, 1966, Toby alerted and with his handler closed on a position in an old graveyard. What Toby had alerted on were elements of an attacking Viet Cong force. In the ensuing fire fight Toby was killed becoming one of the first K-9 combat casualties of the Vietnam War. |
