air force dog handlers in vietnam air force dog handlers in vietnam

We used German shepherds like Smokey, mixes of shepherd types, and Labrador retrievers that were well trained in detecting, attacking, and tracking the enemy. Please feel Dogs, from Elks magazine Courtesy of Don (Jack) Kelly Korat RTAFB 'Nov Air Force dog handlers provided a unique and critical capability in defending air bases against attack. D.O.B: 27 Sept. 1946 The VC fired 60 to 80 rounds into parked aircraft and troop billets then withdrew undetected and unabated. On 1 August, Capt Robert M. Sullivan and 53 air policemen, including six sentry dog/handler teams, were transferred from the 366th Air Police Squadron at Phan Rang Air Base to be the cadre for the newly activated 37th Air Police Squadron at Qui Nhon.Their first assignment was to escort 63 engineers of the 554th and 555th Civil Engineer Squadrons to Ph Ct, and then to assume . Bill was the first SEAL to handle Dogs in SEAL Team. Prohibited Items: Another Article From Us: The Follow-Up to Band of Brothers is Coming. 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. Bases in SEA & Topics of But with a scout dog team leading the way, most patrols were successful or uneventful. While serving as a dog handler and sentry in Montana, Bob was called to protect one of the last American bases in Southeast Asia after the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam in 1973, known as Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base. Change). military working dogs. A scout dog team was deployed as pointman which is the most vulnerable and dangerous position of a tactical formation moving through enemy territory. Bevich and a group of four other dog handlers and their dogs were on their way to Vietnam and Langley drove them to Logan Airport in Boston for the trip overseas. of Vietnam, including attacks on bases. Air Force dog handlers provided a unique and critical capability in defending air bases against attack. These teams didnt wait to be ambushed. They had their good days and their bad days, he explained, On a good day, Vogie would pay attention and really be alert, watching out for everything. The several thousand surviving war dogs were crated and no longer performing their jobs in the field because their masters were ordered out of South Vietnam. The dogs were given to the ARVN, and were used in combat. list all USAF, USN, USA, In January 1966, Nemo and his handler Airman Leonard Bryant, Jr., were transferred to the Republic of South Vietnam with a large group of other sentry dog teams. Organized January 8, 1966 at Charleston AFB, South Carolina; Redesignated 437th Security Police Squadron March 8, 1967. As a result, allhandlers in the militaryuse key terms and phrases that every handler will understand. According to Dogs in History, only about 200 of the more than 4,000 dogs who served in Vietnam made it out. Or copy and paste this, which is the link: https://donmooreswartales.com/2015/08/10/john-langley/. Click here for frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum. (LogOut/ All Rights Reserrved. Many of the Vietnamese handlers were Buddhist and did not develop a relationship with their assigned dogs. At the moment of impact its important the decoy is not so stiffto allow the dogs momentum carry through. Their keen senses, learning ability, physical endurance, and devotion to man have made them invaluable companions on battlefields both past and present. 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. The Ron England Follies. Throneburg, who was still in the hospital, seeing Nemo for the first time after the attack. Rosa and Joyce went to the base commander, explained the situation and requested that they be given combat boots and fatigues. Their primary role was to track the enemys scent or blood trails throughout South Vietnam, so that larger American forces could reengage. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Vietnam. On Jan. 30, 1968, all hell broke lose. Dragon ships sprayed the surrounding jungle with bullets. This film looks at the relationship between two handlers and their canines. . Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE, The Follow-Up to Band of Brothers is Coming. Second line sentry dog teams detected the enemy force, and Security Police killed or captured several of them. Click here to view the collection in the Library of Congress. "The dog, being a non-commissioned officer, or NCO, would outrank or match in rank to . Military Working Dog Ttoby, 23d Security Forces Squadron, prepares for an MWD demonstration, Feb. 2, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Ttoby is a Belgian Malinois and specializes in personnel protection and detecting explosives. U.S. Air Force A2C George M Bevich Jr. and his dog, Rex, were killed defending their base on December 4, 1966. WWII, U-T - Camera bags View military histories of over 2 million, If you are a veteran, reconnect with people. Black and yellow Labs were favored. Every dog responded to both verbal and nonverbal hand commands. All rights reserved. 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. Search Page Content . Dogs have been mans partners in war for a long time at least as far back as 4000 BC. Within a few years, several hundred dogs had been turned over to the Vietnamese military. 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. Canine ehrlichiosis, a When a dog team arrived at its post usually just a path around a camp, ammo dump, or airfield it performed a changeover. The handler changed the dogs choke-chain collar to his leather now its time to work collar. EIN: 52-1149668, Copyright 2023 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display. When he went home, he stayed in contact with Taddys ARVN handler. His handler, Airman 1st Class Robert Throneburg, released him to attack. Photo provided I feel really sorry for these soldiers . In the Vietnam War about 350 dogs were killed in action and 263 handlers were killed. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Click here to search Veterans Records and to obtain information on retrieving lost commendations. He received the Silver Star for alerting the airbase a VC attack was coming. Photo 1 of 17. Whether it was a sniper at 200 yards, a rocket fired into a base camp or an attack from a well-concealed bunker complex, the element of surprise was usually on the side of our enemies. Hear him talk about his service, from parachuting with Prince, to lying on ambush in Vietnam with Prince. Your email address will not be published. Bob Dunn handled military working dogs in the U.S. Army and served with the 212th Military Police Company (Sentry Dog). He flew home and another airman took over handling his shepherd, which remained in the war zone. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force will provide another unique opportunity for visitors to honor Presidents Day and the legacy of Special Air Mission (SAM) Presidential Transport aircraft through "Plane Talks" on Saturday, February 18 from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. 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 . These are MWDs who are so well trained overall, especially in obedience, that they will rarelyneed acorrection, if any. Vietnam and Thailand. Reeves attended the dedication of the new memorial. It is believed that over 9,000 handlers and 4,000 dogs served in Vietnam. Like their. Yet, with the bond a dog team creates and all the training they have gone through, handlers will, at times, doubt their dogs abilities. that crashed during the Mayaguez rescue attempt. Under PROJECT TOP DOG 145, the U.S. Air Force sent 40 sentry dogs and 40 handlers to South Vietnam in the summer of 1965. Most of the dogs that survived the war were either euthanized or sent to work for the South Vietnamese Army. Air Force Photo. Also Read: 5 Fake Enemies US Troops Have Been Battling For Decades. I laugh at some of the things we all did. An official website of the United States government, National Museum of the United States Air Force. This is ingrained in every handlers head. Entered Service: 27 Aug. 1964 You are a member of that organization and your name is on our honor roll. 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. The program was a huge failure. The dogs had major health problems, the majority died from malnutrition. Free shipping for many products! listed by name, brand number, and bases assigned. AKC Museum of the Dog in St. Louis, Missouri; John Burnam, a dog handler during the Vietnam War, successfully raised funds for the Military Working Dog Teams National Monument at Lackland Air Force Base, where military dogs have been trained since 1958. The two were trained to scout which meant they would go on patrols and search for people, mines and booby traps. as Air Police / (War Dog Previsional), and his dog wait at a helipad for an early evening flight to a combat area. The 341st Military Working Dog Center will only consider applicants who meet the minimum requirements previously listed. MWD U.S. Air Force dogs received extensive training, including learning to attack upon command. When U.S. forces exited from Vietnam only 200 of the dogs made it back to the states. Nemo's The toy used as a universal reward for all military working dogs is the kong. - Coolers Approximately 350 dogs were killed in action, many more were wounded, and 263 handlers were killed. Air Base Defense UP NEXT SHE . Commendations: The mission of the 341st Training Squadron is to provide trained military working dogs and handlers for the Department of Defense, other government agencies and allies through training, logistical, veterinary support and research and development for security efforts worldwide. share a common bond. Reeves was a dog handler in Vietnam. The dogs sense of smell and hearing saved a lot of American lives. Reeves grew up loving dogs so he volunteered for the opportunity to be a dog handler. Claims! information on joining. I added other services because all dog handlers Mills, 76, of Sterling Heights, served in the U.S. Air Force 377th Air Police as a dog handler during his service, including a tour in Vietnam. To do this they need to make noises and watching them scream and grunt for the first time can be hilarious. The dogs started out at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas with a thorough physical exam. Vision: Due in large part to their collective efforts, Robbys Law was passed by the U.S. Congress in 2000. The For the Air ForceBasic Military Training: 8.5 weeks; For the Coast GuardRecruit Training: 8.5 weeks . (U.S. Air Force photo by Airmen Elizabeth Figueroa) George, I remember you today as well as I did when I met you at Lackland AFB, Tx when we were on our way to Viet Nam. Visit the main pages for USAF 633rd SENTRY DOG Section Camp Pleiku K-9 Vietnam Patch. Only around 200 made it home to retire in peacetime. The Vietnam War introduced American troops to a new kind of warfare. 366th SPS History. In late March 1967, Langley arrived at Tan Son Nhut Air Base and became a member of the 377th Security Police (K9). A1C David Shark with his sentry dog Heino at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam. . Eventually, almost all of the 4,000 guard dogs were turned over to the South Vietnamese when the U.S. forces pulled out of Vietnam. We knew that, unlike other soldiers, we at least had our dog with us so we would never be alone. Night Beat, Cold Nose-Brave Hearts Legendary War Dogs, Handlers & The sculpture was created by Alan Cottrill, a sculptor from Zanesville, Ohio. experience proved that canine ehrlichiosis can . At times we had to lay on our dogs to keep them quiet when he VC ran by. US Army veterinarians provide training for Air Force military working dog handlers. There is a long history of dogs being used in war that stretches back to ancient times. He was taken on tours throughout the U.S., and lived in a special kennel at Lackland AFB, Texas, until his death in 1972. Every dog accepted was highly intelligent, and each became a canine soldier, with his or her own individual four-digit service number tattooed in the left ear. 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. 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. Reeves found out that Prince had been one of the few dogs that returned to the US. While serving as a dog handler and sentry in Montana, Bob was called to protect one of the last American bases in Southeast Asia after the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam in 1973, known as Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base. Although frustrating, the visits with her new dog, Elvis, are just the beginning of her dream becoming a reality. After the dog located the tunnel, a soldier (Tunnel Rat) would enter the tunnel to investigate. The program that deals with the Department of Defense Military working dog program is the United States Air Force. Lava Not a pleasant thought to consider given their incredible service, endurance, and devotion to duty. Over time, you will have the opportunity to advance into higher ranks. dog's fate! MWD Criteria for Inclusion USAF Police Virtual Memorial, When they started school,they only had blues and low quarters and were cleaning kennels withwet shoes and one set of blues. Battles/Campaigns: Vietnam. Enemy fighters used the jungle to their advantage, employing guerilla tactics (such as ambushes, mines, tunnels, and traps) in ways that U.S. troops hadnt encountered before. 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. 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. Congressman, Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland. The success of these teams, combined with those working in U.S. law. Then on February 14, 1971, Prince stopped Reeves as he was about to step over a fallen tree. Photo provided, https://donmooreswartales.com/2015/08/10/john-langley/. When an MWDis released to bite, handlers want them to get a full mouth bite, clench tight, and hold on until the handler gets there so the suspect cant get away. 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. Currently: Venice, Fla. The retirement was followed by his adoption by former handler Staff Sgt. No handler wants to hear reverse. Whendoing detection with their MWD, if a handler hears reverse from the instructor, they know they missed the training aid and now must do the embarrassing action of backtracking. He and his shepherd were stationed 3 miles from the fence surrounding the airbase along a path surrounded by jungle. I belong to an organization today that honors the Viet Nam dog handlers. Natural He began contacting his former dog-handler buddies and eventually formed the nucleus of a dog-handler group known today as the Vietnam Dog Handlers Association. Our US Air Force Dog Handler, K9 Unit Experience, Cam Ranh AB. MWDs areincredibly strong and athletic andso when the situation calls for a handler to maintain tightcontrol of their dog, they will apply a short safety. All handlers use a 6-foot leash and, with the dog on their left, they will hold the end of the leash in their right hand while using their left hand to grab the leash halfway down and wrap it once around their hand to ensure the dog stays close. Smokey and I typically worked at night, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., but we would also conduct daylight area sweeps when temporarily attached to infantry units. When an MWD is trained to detect specific odors it will show a change of behavior when it encounters it. My companion was a German shepherd named Smokey. When the war ended, many handlers wanted to bring their dogs home to America. 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. Tracker dogs were trained to track based on blood trails, odors, and other evidence of someone having . By the time the handler comes to clean it, the MWD has painted the kennel with feces. . On a bad day, she was in another world.. 437th Air Base Group: 15 June 1952 - 16 Nov 1957. A human nose has about five million scent receptors; a shepherd has at least 225 million. evaluation of the disease threat in areas where - Strollers FREEAdmission & Parking. Rank: Airman 2/Class This study, using primary Once in Vietnam, these dogs were the gold standard. Class John Langley of Venice stood in front of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., and read 30 servicemens names who appear on the memorial together with more than 58,000 others inscribed there forever. | |, Leo A Marine dog handler I knew finished his 13-month tour of duty in 1969 and was told his dog, Taddy, was being transferred to the ARVN. In The gun ships and choppers were firing at everything that moved. Then the US government in the end of the war would not allow the scout dogs to come home instead they were either euthanized or turned over to the ARVN an ultimately end up on the dinner table. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. 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. While stationed in Thailand with the 56th Security Police Squadron Bob formed a steadfast relationship with his military working dog Rex. He was one of the perimeter guards protecting the airbase from intruders. Only about 200 of the dogs came home to the US. I never mind when people share this website with their family and friends. Nemo: Canine Hero Stars & Stripes, The The dog handlers and scout dogs attached to the Army's Marauder Infantry from the WWII China-Burma-India theater. Thailand from 1960-1975, U.S. Air Force A2C George M Bevich Jr. and his dog, Rex, were killed defending their base on December 4, 1966. and the Sandbox. Please email me with information. Labs were friendly, handled the heat okay and had a natural instinct for tracking ground scent. Kyle Pethtel, a dog handler with the 27th Special Operations Security Forces, was fun and filled with challenges for both canine and. Search-and-destroy missions used a handler and his scout dog to walk point, out in the jungle, able to raise an alarm about an ambush long before most of the unit was in danger. Photo Above Courtesy of Nemo's War Dog Heroes Memorial. Chemical Exposure! I know I felt it with Smokey. Tokeep the dog motivated, its important the handler staymotivated. TogetherWeServed.com Inc. All Rights Reserved | Not a U.S. Government Website. 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. He talks about serving with his K-9, Jake, and the roles of military working dogs in-country. It was on March 13, 1942, that the . Complete Lists of 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. Hear him talk about his service, from parachuting with Prince, to lying on ambush in Vietnam with Prince. And it took less time for a Lab than a German shepherd to get used to a new handler. Dogs and Handlers Lost: Vietnam dogs? The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a symbol of America's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. It's a 120-day course, where basic skills are learned and, at the unit, they learn more. He arrived in Vietnam with Prince on September 12, 1970. The dog understood the difference immediately and went to work. Assignments. Notice:Visitors may be filmed, photographed or recorded by the U.S. Air Force for educational and promotional uses, including for posting on public websites and social media. King learned that Fritz was euthanized after the war. "Nemo", born in October 1962, entered the United States Air Force as a sentry dog in 1964, at the age of 1 years. And throughout training that special bond was formed between trooper and dog. I added other services because all dog handlers Most were given to the military by families back home. . Smoke in the background. The Lisa Rogak, in " The Dogs of War," commented that the Viet Cong offered the equivalent of $20,000 for a dog's ear; proof of the handler's death only garnered the equivalent of $10,000. Army Military Working Dog Handlers (MOS 31K) are responsible for training and caring for their service dog. military working dogs as sentries, scouts, Det. Handlers & The German shepherd dog was the only breed used for this job. Dogs to be used as scouts were trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, learning to detect tripwires, weapons caches, and other items. K-9 sentry dogs at Phu Cat Air Base in Vietnam are trained by members of the 37th Security Police Squadron. They werent interested in us, they wanted to knock out our planes and helicopters with satchel charges, mortars or 122 millimeter rockets, he said. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vietnam Era Dog Tag plus US Air Force Patches | Memorial Ephemera & Misc Affects at the best online prices at eBay! Dog Handler Bob Curnick was a dog handler who served in the Air Force from 1972-1976. . Dog attacks a man. However, dogs that are not fully confident will not clench and hold and instead will bite, then release, and then bite a different area. Many more followed, with the U.S. Air Force sentry force in Southeast Asia peaking in early 1967 at nearly 500 dogs. In addition all bags are subject to search and may be placed through an X-Ray machine. The next night, sentry dog Nemo, an 85-pound German Shepherd, detected a small enemy group that remained hidden on the base. After completing an 8-week training course, he was assigned to Fairchild AFB, Washing, for duty with the Strategic Air Command. I would wager that 90 percent of American combat troops killed in action during the Vietnam War never saw their killers. or photos. (LogOut/ The Vietnam Dog Handler Association formed to help these veterans cope with the guilt of leaving their dogs behind. 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. Vice president Ernie Ayala says that it is difficult to think about how these dogs saved their lives and in return the handlers went home and left the dogs behind. Redesignated 437th Security Forces Squadron July 1, 1997. VoyForums: Vietnam Security Police Association K-9 Bulletin Board. The Army and Air Force used about 90% of the dogs sent to Vietnam, with the Army having the most by a wide margin. Of the 4,000 dogs that served in-country, fewer than 200 made it back to the States. This scent or sound alert was also true of the sentry dog teams, like Smokey and me. A human nose has about five million scent receptors; a shepherd has at least 225 million. Deadly Disease for Military Working Dogs in SEA deaths. Former dog sentry handler Richard Cunningham shared a history about well-trained dogs as a new kind of warfare. Name: John Francis Langley National K9 Veterans Day, March 13, is a day set aside to honor commemorate the service and sacrifices of American military and working dogs throughout history. Through the hours of darkness, sentry dogs and their handlers patrolled along the perimeters of U.S. Air Force air bases. You will never be forgotten. While stationed in Thailand with the 56th Security Police Squadron Bob formed a steadfast relationship with his military working dog Rex. These service dogs are used in both abroad combat operations and installation security in the U.S. Additionally, other branches of the military ( including the Marine Corps ), also employ dog handlers for various reasons.