Within minutes, the base was all lit up. Air Base Defense Not a pleasant thought to consider given their incredible service, endurance, and devotion to duty. In 1965, the Air Force prepped 40 handler-and-dog teams at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, for missions in Vietnam. BalanceRose They were certainly not all purebreds. And it took less time for a Lab than a German shepherd to get used to a new handler. They loved to work purely for the approval and praise of their handler and partner. Many more followed, with the U.S. Air Force sentry force in Southeast Asia peaking in early 1967 at nearly 500 dogs. USAF 633rd SENTRY DOG Section Camp Pleiku K-9 Vietnam Patch. 00, 000, 0000 000 General Military Duty 0001 Duties Unassigned 0002 General Officer 0003 "Relieved From Duty, Sick in Hospital or Quarters" 0005 ROTC Officer Awaiting Entry On Active Duty . Instructors willtell them to drop the purse so they lower the leash and assume a more relaxed hold of it. References We talked on the phone several times in the last few years, and finally we were able to meet in El Paso, TX for a short visit. Your email address will not be published. - Backpacks Watch this tribute to dogs of the Vietnam War. You had to be careful not to get in an area that was being hit by one of these dragon ships or a helicopter gun ship. EIN: 52-1149668, Copyright 2023 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display. He was killed in a Viet Cong mortar attack in December 1966. A1C David Shark with his sentry dog Heino at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam. The two were trained to scout which meant they would go on patrols and search for people, mines and booby traps. At Okinawa, where I met and trained with Smokey, most of the dogs were veterans being reassigned to new handlers. D.O.B: 27 Sept. 1946 United States War Dog Association (USWDA) was established in 2000 by 5 dog handlers (Ron Aiello, Bucky Grimm, Bob Cicero, Bob Thompson, and Al Gunderson) who served in Vietnam. Ray Roberts & King, Da Nang AB Vietnam April 1973 Photo Courtesy of Don Poss, Fred Hewitt & Sentry Dog Bullet Da Nang AB Perimeter Dec 1967 Photo courtesy of Monty Moore, A1C Shark and K-9 Heino at Cam Ranh Bay AFB Vietnam. The Labrador retriever dog was the only breed trained for tracking. Congressman, Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland. concluded that the future control of canine Nemo: Canine Hero
Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 437th Air Base Group: 1 August 1950 - 10 June 1952. They were trained to sniff out mines and booby traps buried in roads, hidden on bridges or in buildings, and sniff out the location of tunnels. Most of hte handlers even offered to pay thier dog's way. There are over 1300 working Dog handler teams worldwide, and the . We were all so young. Patrolling thick, triple-canopy jungles was dangerous by day, and even more perilous by night. This would be the largest battle involving sentry dogs, their . The mission of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is to honor and preserve the legacy of service and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The U.S. Army had the highest number of infantry scout dog teams deployed throughout South Vietnam and consequently suffered the highest number of casualties, dogs and handlers, of the war. UP NEXT SHE . During the ground war, Veterinarians and Vet Techs were also deployed throughout South Vietnam to help manage the diets and medial health of the war dogs. Defenders and military working dogs from the 75 th Security Forces Squadron at Hill Air Force Base gathered with the community on K-9 Veterans Day, March 13, to dedicate a Vietnam Veterans War Dog Memorial at Layton Commons Park. Only around 200 made it home to retire in peacetime. Website Last Updated: "We now have 2,000 former dog handlers in our organization today." Airman 2/C George Bevich, a dog handler in Vietnam is pictured with his dog, Rex. On a night in early December 1966, about 75 enemy raiders slipped past the first perimeter line at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam. Some, but not many, were transferred to the South Vietnamese military and police. Dog handlers from the 1ATF move towards a RAAF Iroquois helicopter of 9 Squadron during operations against the Viet Cong, 1967. Zachary Wolf) Total: 37 12th SPS (Cam Ranh Bay & Phu Cat) Read More: 14th SPS (Nha Trang) Read More The dogs were given to the ARVN, and were used in combat. The typical responsefrom a handler whose dog was jammed is to ask the decoy if they want peanut butter. Visitors are welcome to listen and interact with SAM subject matter experts located throughout the Presidential Gallery in . It wont be like it was when he first attended the ceremony a quarter century ago with no recognition for the dog handlers. Click here to view the collection in the Library of Congress. Before this Veterans Day, today, the 25th anniversary of the unveiling of the Vietnam Wall, Langley will make a pilgrimage. Deadly Disease for Military Working Dogs in SEA (South East-Asia) The United States employed large numbers of military working dogs as sentries, scouts, trackers, and mine detectors in Vietnam. A contingent of former Vietnam dog handlers will be there standing with Langley as part of the Veterans Day services at The Wall this week. Click here for frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum. Vietnam Security Police Association Air Force Seurity Police Association State Representative MI [ Edit | View] Replies: Re: 35th Security Police Squadron-- James David, Kilo 5 69-70, 10:56:49 04/22/03 TuePDT. VA Volunteer and Vietnam Veteran Recalls Dog Handling Days "Anka," a female German shepherd, was paired with Airman 1st Class Edward McClouds in 1969 at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, his first duty station after sentry dog training. Once in Vietnam, these dogs were the gold standard. - Water bottles (clear, sealed bottle, up to 20 oz.) ** Two handlers and one ex handler (total of Second line sentry dog teams detected the enemy force, and Security Police killed or captured several of them. Stormys first master was Ron Aiello, President ofwww.uswardogs.org. Story Interest Rank: Airman 2/Class Its important to always remember to trust your dog because if theres anyone who is wrong, its the handler because the dog is always right. Younger Vistors. August is National Dog Month in the United States, so in this episode we salute the four-legged warriors who helped us fight the war in Vietnam, saving an estimated 10,000 American lives. My Marine friend got medication, food, vitamin supplemens from a veterinarian and shipped them to the ARVN. The tracker dog teams were very effective and relied on heavily. Army and Marine Corps snipers were another group targeted with the threat of bounties because they were force multipliers on the battlefield. In a decision that remains controversial to this day, the Department of Defense classified the dogs as equipment, and most were left behind transferred to the army of South Vietnam, systematically euthanized, or simply abandoned. These dogs are credited with saving more than 10,000 lives. * A2C George Bevich, Jr. was the Change). Between the years 1964 and 1973, America had deployed an estimated 4,000 war dogs and 10,000 handlers to help defend South Vietnam from invasion from North Vietnam. . FREEAdmission & Parking. dog's fate! We talk about you all the time. Photo courtesy of VSPA, Sgt. Jiggs The name of the Marines' first Bulldog mascot, circa 1922. Required fields are marked *. Our training instructors seemed to take a perverse pleasure in informing us how dumb we were compared with the dogs. Our US Air Force Dog Handler, K9 Unit Experience, Cam Ranh AB. Whats more, all our dogs had lived with our American smells for years. that crashed during the Mayaguez rescue attempt. By Sheila Tunney, Public Affairs Specialist March 18, 2020 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Reeves was a dog handler in Vietnam. VSPA.com, its design and content are 1995-2023, of the Vietnam Security Police Association, Inc. (USAF). These dogs were rarely sent into combat. And although it appeared that the dogs were being instructed, it was the soldiers who were actually being taught. Your email address will not be published. I was 20 years old and weighed 135 pounds; Smokey weighed 90 pounds. What did the S. Vietnamese Army do to the dogs, eat them? . MWD Commendations: Memorial Why Our US Air Force Dog Handler, K9 Unit Experience, Cam Ranh AB. Your email address will not be published. The handler trusted the dog with his life, and the dog was absolutely loyal, even to the death. It is not possible to overestimate the incredible bond that existed between handler and dog. Includes sound bites from Staff Sgt Tim Castillo and Staff Sgt Witney Young, U.S. Air Force 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. additional veterinary research. - Alcohol I know all your dog handler friends are. The program that deals with the Department of Defense Military working dog program is the United States Air Force. Prince worked in San Diego sniffing for drugs at the border. A dog handler witht he combat tracker team from the 4th Inf. Dogs have been mans partners in war for a long time. served in Vietnam or The 22-year-old received the Silver Star, for sounding the initial alarm that an enemy attack was under way, and the Purple Heart, both posthumously. Though there was. May Iforward it to other vets online?Thank you,Leo G. Hernandez 602-359-9628, If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for a reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed., From: War Tales To: leohernan@yahoo.com Sent: Sunday, August 9, 2015 10:38 PM Subject: [New post] Vietnam dog handlers recognized at The Wall Veterans Week #yiv0250566932 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv0250566932 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv0250566932 a.yiv0250566932primaryactionlink:link, #yiv0250566932 a.yiv0250566932primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv0250566932 a.yiv0250566932primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv0250566932 a.yiv0250566932primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv0250566932 WordPress.com | Don Moore posted: At 6:06 a.m. Thursday, former Airman 1st. 71-72', list all USAF, USN, USA, Your donation to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund will help expand our mission to honor, educate and heal. The vision of VVMF is to ensure a society in which all who have served and sacrificed in our nation's Armed Forces are properly honored and receive the recognition they justly deserve. U.S. Air Force A2C George M Bevich Jr. and his dog, Rex, were killed defending their base on December 4, 1966. military dogs are employed, disease education of Over 1,600 + dogs are We now have 2,000 former dog handlers in our organization today., Airman 2/C George Bevich, a dog handler in Vietnam is pictured with his dog, Rex. To conduct a proper detection search, all handlers are taught the inverted V method in which the dog detects low, then high, then low again. A retirement ceremony for Morgen, a military working dog with more than eight years of service, was held Feb. 24 at the 88th Security Forces facility on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The volunteer force, nicknamed Merrill's Marauders, executed skilled fighting tactics in the Burmese jungles to defeat the veteran soldiers of the Japanese 18th Division. Air Force K9 Dog Handler Careers. Dogs were trained to alert their handlers to all kinds of hidden dangers, from snipers to trip wires and weapons caches. I remember how we all got off the plane in Hawaii with our dogs and took them out on the ramp eventhough the government told us they had to remain on the plane. Click here to return to Protecting the Force: Air Base Defense. It was awful, it was a terrible thing to have happen to them, he said as he shook his head. The monument which honors U.S. military dogs that didn't return after serving in war is located . Everything for our dogs. Night Beat, Cold Nose-Brave Hearts Legendary War Dogs, Handlers & On November 1, 1964, between 12:25 and 12:33 AM, Vietnamese Communist (VC) troops attacked Bien Hoa Air Base with six 81-mm mortars positioned about 400 meters north, outside the air base. MWDs that do this are known as typewriters. Face-to-face with Elvis, an energetic German shepherd, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Alyssa Stamps, a military working dog handler with the 35th Security Forces Squadron, makes a grab for the ball. To Sandbox, Vietnam He was procured by the Air Force when he was one and a half years old. He talks about serving with his K-9, Jake, and the roles of military working dogs in-country. U.S. Air Force dogs received extensive training, including learning to attack upon command. He was killed in a Viet Cong mortar attack in December 1966. We knew that, unlike other soldiers, we at least had our dog with us so we would never be alone. This photo of Bevich and Rex is part of The Wall That Heals mobile exhibit. June 26, 2012 - Bomb dogs are integral to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. As some of the only . I feel really sorry for these soldiers . Tags: 212th Military Police Sentry Dog Company, A human nose has about five million scent receptors, aggression, American "smells", and scouting, Dogs, Dogs and their handlers went through three phases of instruction: drill/obedience, Lackland Air Force Base, Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, New Zealand's elite Special Air Service in Malaysia, sentry dog handler, Tay Ninh, Tay Ninh Base Camp, Vietcong, Vietnam War, Your email address will not be published. Dogs and their handlers went through three phases of instruction: drill/obedience, aggression, and scouting. I laugh at some of the things we all did. I went to see the dedication at The Wall when it first opened in 82 and realized they had nothing to recognize the dog handlers who died in the war, he said. "Those that did not die were euthanized or left behind when US troops withdrew from the war. The dogs started out at Lackland Air Force Base in . The success of the war dogs and handlers walking point, tracking, guarding, patrolling, and protecting American lives and military assets, ultimately reduced the enemys capacity for surprise attacks. extensive effort to control this disease and to The toy used as a universal reward for all military working dogs is the kong. To Sandbox View military histories of over 2 million, If you are a veteran, reconnect with people. Stamps, a military working dog handler with the 35th Security Forces Squadron, describes this as "battling a streak of stubbornness" taken on during the two-week rapport stage destined to nurture their new relationship. He received the Silver Star for alerting the airbase a VC attack was coming. I know you have a son and I know that he had to be very proud of you. When the war ended, many handlers wanted to bring their dogs home to America. Many more followed, with the U.S. Air Force sentry force in Southeast Asia peaking in early 1967 at nearly 500 dogs. In the Vietnam War about 350 dogs were killed in action and 263 handlers were killed. For the Air ForceBasic Military Training: 8.5 weeks; For the Coast GuardRecruit Training: 8.5 weeks . The cost to feed a dog was more than the cost to feed the handler. (U.S. Air Force photo). VIDEO: Remembering the Vietnam Wars Combat Dogs (National Geographic), VIDEO: Walking Point: Vietnam Scout Dogs Trailer (YouTube), VIDEO: A Breed Apart: Combat Trackers and Their Dogs in the Vietnam War (YouTube), A History of the 58th Infantry Platoon (Scout Dog), Training of War Dogs The War Office, 1962, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund | 3033 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300 | Arlington VA 22201 | 202.393.0090 Base Defense of Vietnam - Thailand, He arrived in Vietnam with Prince on September 12, 1970. Bob Dunn handled military working dogs in the U.S. Army and served with the 212th Military Police Company (Sentry Dog). Lava Reeves has volunteered at Motts Military Museum since 2012. Natural Credited with saving Throneburg's life, Nemo was hailed as a hero. Very few dogs were redeployed to U.S. bases outside of South Vietnam to live out their lives in peace. Take the thin, monofilament lines that were practically invisible to the human eye, which the Vietcong attached to a grenade or other explosive device that detonated when tripped. A large proportion of American infantry casualties were caused by these devastating devices. The German Shepherd Dog (GSD, also known as Alsatian) was the most common service dog in the Vietnam War, used for scouting, sentry duty, mine/tunnel detection, and water patrols. Deadly Disease for Military Working Dogs in SEA Tom King was another handler who attended. list all USAF, USN, USA, These dogs and their handlers are credited with saving more than 10,000 U.S. lives (imagine The Wall with 10,000 more names inscribed on it) and preventing certain injury for countless more. Whenever he visits the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., he looks at the names of the soldiers who died on September 12, 1970, and on February 14, 1971.