Episode 31 – Veteran’s Day Episode: Hairy Heroes!
Happy Veteran's Day, Strange fam! This is a unique episode in which we honor and appreciate not only our human servicemen and women, but their furry counterparts! That's right...dogs, cats, camels...animals that served their country right alongside us! It's a fun one! Listen now!
STOP! INSIDE JOKES AHEAD!
If you haven’t gotten to listen to the episode yet, spoiler alert! This post contains lots of stuff that will make waaay more sense if you listen to the episode before or while reading. So if you haven’t already, pump the brakes and listen to the episode or just click above to play so that you can be in on all the shenanigans to follow!
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Produced by Peter Woodward
Listener Story
This week, our listener story came from Sue from the UK! She told us about her dearly departed doggo, Daisy visiting them and her other dogs being aware of it! Ghost dogs, dude! Cool.
VETERAN'S DAY!
Before we begin, a very special and heartfelt thanks to all the brave men and women who are actively serving, have served, and will be serving in our military to keep us and our country safe and free! We love and appreciate all of you, your sacrifice and bravery, and your family’s sacrifice and bravery. From the entire Strange Woods Podcast Crew, you have our forever gratitude and respect! Happy Veteran’s Day and Thank You!
Military Service Animals!
Carrier pigeons were used by French troops to send secret messages in WWI.
AND NOW THE STARS OF OUR EPISODE...
Sergeant Stubby
As a stray brindle terrier puppy, he wandered into camp and bonded immediately with Private Robert Conroy. When his presence was discovered, the commanding officer intended to get rid of him… until he actually raised his paw and saluted the officer! And then what was he supposed to do: throw him out? Nah.
He officially joined the 102nd Infantry Division in New Haven, CT. Stubby went through drills with the soldiers learning bugle calls, marching drills, and, of course, how to salute!
They even made a cartoon about him!
Heroic Acts
Sergeant Stubby was quite the hero during his time in the military. Once, he caught an enemy spy in camp and held him down by the seat of his pants!
He was an expert at locating wounded soldiers on the battlefield, learning to listen for English to help identify American soldiers. Fitted with his own gas mask, he saved soldiers from gas attacks in the trenches.
Stubby became the first dog to be formally granted rank in the U.S. Armed Forces when he received an honorary promotion to Sergeant after directly assisting in the capture of a German soldier during a patrol in “No Man’s Land.”
In total, he served in 17 engagements and four major campaigns, sustaining two shrapnel injuries. He was given numerous medals: he earned one Wounded Chevron (predecessor to the Purple Heart) and three Overseas Service Chevrons for his time in the lines: one for every 6 months of service.
Stubby met U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and was celebrated in parades after the war. He was honored as a hero until his death in 1926. His remains are on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. as part of The Price of Freedom: Americans at War exhibit.
Corporal Wojtek
Initially, Wojtek was not going to be allowed onto the military boat due to a strict no pets policy. To get around this rule, the Polish enrolled him in the military as a “private” in the military. As an enlisted soldier, he had his own paybook, rank, and serial number! He lived with the other men in tents or in a special wooden crate, which was transported by truck.
Wojtek was promoted to corporal as a result of his bravery!
For the rest of his life, he would stand on hind legs and salute when he heard the Polish language.
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Multiple memorials exist to honor Corporal Wojtek in several countries such as England, Poland, Scotland, and Italy.
Other Hero Military Animals...
Chips, the war dog, is noted to be the most decorated canine in WWII. He was a sentry dog for the U.S. Army and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star and a Purple Heart as well as a PDSA Dickins Medal and the Animals in War & Peace Medal of Bravery!
Staff Sergeant Reckless served during the Korean War as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps! Her claim to fame is making an astonishing 51 solo trips in one day to resupply soldiers on the front lines.
She was the first horse in the Marine Corps to participate in an amphibious landing! She was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. LIFE magazine also recognized her as one of America’s 100 all-time heroes.!
Cher Ami, the pigeon, was the hero of the 77th Infantry Division in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He was responsible for saving the lives of the Lost Battalion in WWI by delivering a message that had been attempted by two other carrier pigeons that were shot and killed. Cher Ami was shot in the chest, blinded in one eye, and lost his leg en route to bringing the message, but still made it through. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre Medal with a palm Oak Leaf Cluster, a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Racing Pigeons Fanciers, and the Animals in War & Peace Medal of Bravery. Cher Ami’s remains are on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History…with Sergeant Stubby!
Lucca is a bomb sniffing dog in the Marine Corps! She is the recipient of a Dickin Medal, Britain’s highest award for valor by a military animal. She was granted this for leading more than 400 patrols in three separate tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She also lost her leg in 2012 during one of these missions as the result of a bomb. The vote to give her the award was unanimous.
Gabe was a puppy when he was adopted from a shelter and trained for use in the U.S. Army. He was a also a bomb-sniffing dog that served in Iraq during an amazing 170 combat patrols. Before passing away in 2013, Gabe spent his retirement still serving by visiting wounded soldiers in the hospital. He was named the Hero Dog of 2012 by the American Humane organization!
Modern Military Service Animals
By far the most-used modern military animal is a dog. Most military working dogs (MWDs) are German shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Labrador retrievers. Average weight ranges from 50-80lbs. The average career of an MWD is approximately 8 years. They are specially selected from birth and rigorously trained. Over 700 dogs have been deployed and each dog is estimated to save between 100-200 lives. Very very cool!
WHAT ELSE DID WE DISCUSS?
Adults stealing candy on Halloween...
Check these winners out…
https://www.wsmv.com/2023/11/01/videos-capturing-adults-stealing-candy-bowls-create-uproar/?fbclid=IwAR0FvZj3GgJKs41EG1NsPEqcDU-bf-FwgoAx1NhxSQ-1G_gjXP937BhpZ78
Pets stealing your food...
I mean…are they actually crazy? Come on, guys.
Guy with the "Fake Kids" Halloween Costume
BASEketball and Male Lactation
Yeah…so that exists.
Atlanta International Airport Beagle Brigade!
G’boys and G’girls…
IF YOU ARE A VETERAN OR ACTIVE SERVICE PERSON AND NEED TO REACH OUT FOR HELP, DON'T HESITATE...
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/get-help/index.asp
Remember if you or someone you know is struggling with depression, reach out! You are needed, necessary, and loved. You matter. Don’t ever forget that!
Another one in the vault! We love our veterans, and we wanted to do a more light-hearted episode to honor them on this Veterans Day. Hope you all enjoyed it!
Thank you a thousand times to our active service people and animals! We enjoy the freedoms we have because of all of you!
So, until we meet again, be a furry rocket because they are the best!
Also, never never for to Stay Strange! 😉
LATER, STRANGERS!
Some articles and sources:
Peter’s wife. Registered nurse. Uber-fan of The Strange Woods Podcast.
