Skipper’s grave in Guam photo, most likely taken in 1944.

“It’s amazing what a bond you can get with a dog when you spend so much time with it. It’s just like being brothers.”— Bruce Wellington, a U.S. Marine Corps dog handler during World War II

Pearl Harbor ushered in an unfamiliar battleground. U.S. Pacific commanders were not prepared for jungle warfare. In Guam alone, roughly 20,000 Japanese troops — often hidden by dense jungle camouflage and terrain — waited to ambush American soldiers. Casualties were high.

The Marine Corps tried an initially ridiculed experiment by employing new weapons — dog platoons borrowed from patriotic citizens and trained by novice Marines.

Memorial Day honors all who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Oral histories remain crucial lest we forget. Each year, fewer veterans from the “greatest generation” remain to tell their stories.

“They saved hundreds of lives — including mine,” said Capt. William W. Putney, a veterinarian and commanding officer of the U.S. Marine Corps 3rd War Dog Platoon.

The late Putney, author of “Always Faithful,” was also responsible for bringing surviving dogs home after the war and creating a monument in Guam honoring the dogs who perished.

In typical fashion, the Marines rose to the challenge. No one was a K-9 expert. Recruits were assigned because of remote connections — perhaps they owned a Cocker Spaniel or grew up on a farm. “Devil Dog” school at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, supplied many trainees. The Doberman Club of America helped provide roughly 75 percent of the dogs. Most of the others were German Shepherd types.

Some had been rejected by the Army as incorrigible, which proved far from true. Marine and dog became inseparable teammates. Bonds formed quickly. Besides learning basic obedience and hand signals, the dogs learned to suppress barking so they would remain undetected in combat.

The dogs later mastered specialized skills as scouts, messengers and explosive detectors. They performed sentry duty, explored caves and captured prisoners. A Marine’s life depended on knowing how to read his dog.

Source: Massapequa Post