AMERICAN CANINE HERO'S - WAR DOGS

Smoky, a yorshire Terrier who served as a war dog who served in World War II. She weighed only four pounds and stood seven inches tall. Smoky was found by an American Soldier in a Foxhole in the New Guinea Jungle. She was sold to Corporal William A. Wynne of Cleveland, Ohio for 2 Australian Pounds (equal to $6.44 at the time). 

For the next two years, Smoky back-packed through the rest of the war and accompanied Wynne on Cobat flights in the Pacific and throught the jungle of New Guinea.  Throughout her service, Smoky slept in Wynne's tent on a blanket made from a green feltcard table cover; she shared Wynne's c-ration's and an occasional can of Spam Unlike the “official” war dogs of World War II, Smoky had neither medical care nor a Balanced Diet formulated especially for dogs.           

Smoky Served in the South Pacific with the 5th Air Force, 26th Photo Recon Squadron [and] flew 12 air/sea rescue and photo reconnaissance missions."[6] On those flights, Smoky spent long hours dangling in a soldier's pack near machine guns used to ward off enemy fighters.[4] Smoky was credited with twelve combat missions and awarded eight battle stars.[7] She survived 150 air raids on New Guinea and made it through a typhoon at Okinawa.[5] Smoky even jumped from a 30-foot tower with a specially made parachute.[2] Wynne credited Smoky with saving his life by warning him of incoming shells on an LST (transport ship), calling her an "angel from a foxhole." As the ship deck was booming and vibrating from anti-aircraft gunnery, Smoky guided Wynne to duck the fire that hit 8 men standing next to them.[4] After the end of World War II, Wynne brought Smoky back to Cleveland, Ohio to live with his family. Smoky was the first therapy dog of record. Her service in this arena began in July 1944 at the 233rd Station Hospital, in New Guinea. She appeared on many shows and made alot of people laugh.  But, on February 21, 1957,  "Corporal" Smoky died unexpectedly at the approximate age of 14.

Sinbad, the Coast Guard's most famous mascot. He was adopted by a crewman from the cutter Campbell prior to World War II. He was so beloved by the crew that they actually enlisted him in the Coast Guard. Sinbad served faithfully through thick and thin, surviving combat with the Germans and Japanese, causing a few international incidents with his antics, and even having a book written about him.

DOGS AND FAMOUS PARENTS

Martha, Paul McCartney's dog, which allegedly inspired the Beatles' song "Martha My Dear".

Jack, Mariah Carey's dog.

Elvis, owned by John Lennon.

Phiz, a Boston Terrier, was given to Helen Keller by some of her classmates from Radcliffe College

Trixie Koontz a retired service dog , purported author of Life is Good: Lessons in Joyful Living and Christmas is Good, companion of Dean Koontz. Trixie Koontz, the Golden Retriever is a retired guide dog and the purported author of Life Is Good. ] Trixie passed away on 6/30/07 at home. She was euthanized on her favorite couch with Koontz and his wife holding her in their arms. She had a tumor in her heart.

Marlowe, Stephen King's Pembroke Welsh Corgi, inspired the character of Oy in King's fantasy series The Dark Tower.

Lola, Hilary Duff's dog

Joe, a mixed pound dog, Kevin Kline's family dog.

Mr. Binks, actor Jeremy Brett’s beloved Jack Russell Terrier mix. After taking the elderly dog to be put down at the vet the actor was so traumatized he never owned another dog.

Approximately 350 search and rescue dogs worked at the World Trade Center site following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Rescuers relied on the dogs' sense of smell and agility in tight spaces to seek survivors and recover the remains of victims.

Buddy, a female German Shepherd, was the first formally trained guide dog in the United States. She belonged to Morris Frank, who worked to establish The Seeing Eye, the first dog guide school in America.