Honor to Our Soldiers

When I was writin' 'bout all those canines durin' our special week, I didn't have time to include one very special story, winner of the 2004 Dog Hero story contest. Written by Wayne H. McDowell about his time in Vietnam, it's called "A Dog Named Jeff," about an almost border collie whose favorite toy was a battered tennis ball--"…the old off-white kind."

Jeff is one of those veterans whose service was completely unknown 'til now. But he's why, as McDowell writes, "…if you had been at "The Wall" that afternoon [when McDowell and his fellow-veterans visited], you would have seen a bunch of middle-aged men standing there quietly, with heads bowed, and then slowly walk away, leaving behind them at the base of the Memorial, an old dog collar made from an Army belt, and a battered tennis ball…the old off-white kind."

Your Liver Snaps® might get a little soggy when ya' read it.

Then a couple of days ago I ran across this story at Wonderdog Cal's--a tale of a canine honorin' a forgotten soldier of Korea.

"Charles Patrick Dugan of Del Rio, Texas, a retired U.S. Marine Corps infantryman and survivor of heavy combat in Vietnam, gave his rank and serial number to his muscular Jack Russell terrier by calling him Cpl. Jack Russell Dugan, USMC, 2164539, or "Cpl. J.R." for short. Dugan and the dog often exercised by walking through four local cemeteries.

"As it neared Veteran's Day one year, Cpl. J. R. ran off unexpectedly. Dugan found the dog scratching at a neglected grave marker. Brushing the debris away, he was amazed to find that the dog had found one of the only military gravestones in the cemetery. It was inscribed with the dog's same name, Jack A. Russell, Texas, Cpl. Signal Corps. After Dugan swept the tombstone clear of debris, the dog rested on the headstone of his namesake who had died during the Korean War.

"Cpl. Dugan says, "A little dog paid honor and respect by bringing new meaning to the belief that no soldier should ever be forgotten."

Thanks to each and every soldier for bein' willin' to risk everythin' to make the world a little safer for humans and canines.

Okay, okay…and even fe-lyin' Demo-cats

posted by Harrison at 11:38 PM