Stubby "Hero Dog"
From: Wardogs (a history of loyalty and heroism)
Writen By: Michael G. Lemish
Stubby: American Mascot Hero
During the summer of 1917, Stubby became the mascot of the 102d Infantry, part of the army's 26th "Yankee" Division, while they completed their military training in the Yale Bowl near Hartford. Robert Conroy smuggled him aboard ship at Newport News, Virginia, and the pair landed together at St. Nazaire, France, in January 1918. Stubby joined fighting with the 102d on Feb. 5, 1918, at Chemin des Dames, just north of Soissons. During one night while the troops slept, he warned a sleeping sergeant of an impending gas attack, allowing for time for the soldiers to don their masks. Another time, Stubby acted as a sentry, clamping his teeth onto a German infiltrator who was then quikly captured..
The small dog accompanied the men into the Toul sector, where he inadvertently strayed into no man's-land, receiving a shrapnel wound for the errant walk. After recovery from the injury, Stubby and the 102d participated in battles at Chateau-Thierry, the Marne, Saint-Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne. The men fashioned a Victory Medal with five bars and attached it to his collar to display his participation in each offensive.
As Stubby's popularity grew, several French women fashioned a blanket for him to wear. For unknown reasons, it became popular for people to pin medals on the blanket, and shortly he became known as the "Hero Dog." The actions of Stubby may not be considered heroic, although several messages were carried by the short-tailed dog under enemy fire, but heroism is a broadly defined term, and if devotion to duty is included within the attributes of a hero, then Stubby fulfills the definition. Perhaps the medals were presented more as a reward for the companionship the dog offered, as battles raged. Often the dog sought out the wounded and simply cuddled alongside.
After serving 19 months overseas and participating in 17 battles, Stubby returned home with Conroy, and the dogs popularity seemed to grow even more. In 1920 the Eastern Dog Club of Boston awarded him a large silver medal with the inscription "Awarded to the Hero Dog Stubby" A year later, Gen. Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, who commanded the American Expeditionary Forces during the war, awarded the little dog a gold medal awarded by the Human Society. The American Red Cross, the YMCA and the American Legion all made the dog a life member of their organizations.
Stubby toured the country by invitation from Legionaires and probably did more parades than any dog in the world. While the 102d was in France, he was in attendance while Pres. Woodrow Wilson reviewed teh troops. President Harding met both Conroy and Stubby in 1921, and in 1925 President Coolidge welcomed teh pair during a visit to the white house. What other dog could ever boast of being in the presence of Presidents?
Old age finally caught up with the small warrior in 1926, as he took ill and died in Conroy's arms. Irene Givenwilson Kilner, curator of the Red Cross museum, promply asked to have the body prepared for permanant display in the musium. Stubby greeted visitors behind the glass for about thirty years. Stubby now resides at the Smithsonian Museum between dusty records and other artifacts long forgoten. The dog who provided unquestionable devotion for many years has his final epitaph scribled on a shipping crate reading "Stubby the dog-Fragile"
|
Super Member
Linear Mode
