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

When a handler asks another handler to decoy for their MWD. 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. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Links of Interest This scent or sound alert was also true of the sentry dog teams, like Smokey and me. credit line. When Vogies ears would go up, the fur on her back would go up, her tail would also go, I knew she had something, Langley said. 437th Air Base Group: 1 August 1950 - 10 June 1952. There was an epidemic of parvovirus that year that killed a lot of dogs in Viet Nam, and Taddy got sick. On a bad day, she was in another world.. After 11 months and 27 days as an Air Force dog handler in Vietnam, Langley and Vogie parted company. It is believed that over 9,000 handlers and 4,000 dogs served in Vietnam. Airman Robert A. Thorneburg was assigned as Nemo's handler in July 1966. Assignments. The 20-year-old airman was paired with a 75-pound female German shepherd named Vogie., These dogs were just like having a child. USMC & Handlers from our allies killed in Vietnam, Thailand, 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. TogetherWeServed.com Inc. All Rights Reserved | Not a U.S. Government Website. 366th SPS History. Instead, they are offered first to former military dog handlers, then to law enforcement, and finally to qualified families, who undergo a rigorous screening process. Handlers reward their dogs so much that they call themselves nothing but a kong dispenser. Labs were friendly, handled the heat okay and had a natural instinct for tracking ground scent. The handler trusted the dog with his life, and the dog was absolutely loyal, even to the death. After the dog located the tunnel, a soldier (Tunnel Rat) would enter the tunnel to investigate. Click on the title to read a short history. This photo of Bevich and Rex is part of The Wall That Heals mobile exhibit. Pablo Gonzalez. The war dog association believes that as many as 4,900 dogs served in Vietnam but records from the early years of the war are incomplete so it is impossible to say for certain. I read they given to the S. Vietnamese Army or euthanized. Mark Smoot served in the U.S. Air Force as an Airman 1st Class with the 56th Security Police Squadron in Thailand from 1971-1972. ** Two handlers and one ex handler (total of The dog and handler were very effective in defending aircraft, airfields, supply depots, ammunition dumps, defensive perimeters, and many other strategic military facilities throughout South Vietnam. The retirement was followed by his adoption by former handler Staff Sgt. It is unnatural, theres no reason for it, and typically its a sign of the handler not being relaxed. VoyForums: Vietnam Security Police Association K-9 Bulletin Board. Also Read: 5 Fake Enemies US Troops Have Been Battling For Decades. To conduct a proper detection search, all handlers are taught the inverted V method in which the dog detects low, then high, then low again. Dog teams were placed on the perimeter in front of machine gun towers/bunkers. We knew that, unlike other soldiers, we at least had our dog with us so we would never be alone. Vietnam Security Police Association Air Force Seurity Police Association State Representative MI [ Edit | View] Replies: Re: 35th Security Police Squadron-- James David, Kilo 5 69-70, 10:56:49 04/22/03 TuePDT. Name: John Francis Langley Pixie and Brutus. including attacks on bases, Nemo served with BUD/S Class 13, UDT 21, UDT 22, SEAL Team Two with three tours in Vietnam. Please feel All Rights Reserved. This Bulldog, officially known as Chesty XV, is the Marines' official mascot. (LogOut/ The dog handlers begged and pleaded for the government to let them take thier dogs home. Click here to search Veterans Records and to obtain information on retrieving lost commendations. personnel who deal with military dogs, and . Congressman, Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland. Then they were observed and tested to determine which area of training they would be assigned. Credited with saving Throneburg's life, Nemo was hailed as a hero. 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. serologic screening of prospective and active Deadly Disease for Military Working Dogs in SEA Faced with the very real threat posed by Viet Cong sappers infiltrating USAF bases in Vietnam and sabotaging multi-million dollar aircraft with grenades and satchel charges, the Air Force's. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for USAF Security Police Sentry Dog K9 Handlers Photo Flight Line Formation 1950-60s at the best online prices at eBay! As a result, the enemy placed a price tag on the heads of the war dog teams and hunted them with extreme prejudice. Many more followed, with the U.S. Air Force sentry force in Southeast Asia peaking in early 1967 at nearly 500 dogs. Click here for frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum. Stamps, a military working dog handler with the 35th Security Forces Squadron, describes this as "battling a streak of stubbornness" taken on during the two-week rapport stage destined to nurture their new relationship. When our politicians decided to exit Vietnam in a hurry the military classified our dogs as equipment. As such, they were left behind. Bill was the first SEAL to handle Dogs in SEAL Team. Whenever he visits the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., he looks at the names of the soldiers who died on September 12, 1970, and on February 14, 1971. The I added other services because all dog handlers The man runs away. to Vietnam & Thailand Air Force/Navy bases and some Army dogs used in The dogs were given to the ARVN, and were used in combat. This was Stormys first master was Ron Aiello, President ofwww.uswardogs.org. When U.S. forces exited from Vietnam only 200 of the dogs made it back to the states. Mayaguez K-9 Memoriam By the time the handler comes to clean it, the MWD has painted the kennel with feces. military dogs are employed, disease education of Over 1,600 + dogs are This is when a military working dog runs and hits a decoyso hardthat the decoy ends up dazed and confused on the ground, and handlers watching are more than likely laughing their butts off. King was stationed as a military policeman at Lockbourne Air Force Base (now known as Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base) in Columbus, Ohio, when a commanding officer sent him to be trained as a dog handler. Thailand from 1960-1975, K9 Butkus Explosive detector school Lackland 1980. omen were first added to the military working dog program in 1974. Air Base Defense Unit:377th Security Police 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. . The Ron England Follies. In mid-1968 an epizootic occurred which threatened the working dog program and led to 250 canine deaths. Weapons are not permitted including pocket knives and firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons. Air Force Challenge Coin Cryptologic Office ISR Agency Sigint Warriors USAF. He completed K9 training at Lackland. In the Vietnam War about 350 dogs were killed in action and 263 handlers were killed. On their first day in Vietnam, they barely survived a firefight with the enemy. I dont know what all that means up there but what you might want to do is copy the link that the page is on and share it that way. Reeves found out that Prince had been one of the few dogs that returned to the US. The Vietnam Dog Handler Association formed to help these veterans cope with the guilt of leaving their dogs behind. The scent of the Vietnamese was very different and much easier for them to pick up and alert on. Approximately 350 dogs were killed in action, many more were wounded, and 263 handlers were killed. It consists of three black granite panels which are made of granite from the same area of India that provided the granite for the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. On the panels are inscribed the names of 4,244 dogs that served during the war and 297 names of the dog handlers plus one veterinarian and two vet technicians who died in Vietnam. - Coolers Kyle Pethtel, a dog handler with the 27th Special Operations Security Forces, was fun and filled with challenges for both canine and. In addition all bags are subject to search and may be placed through an X-Ray machine. Fritz trained with King as a sentry dog dogs that generally were not used in combat, but to guard perimeters of bases. Within minutes, the base was all lit up. 1975-76 to the DOD Dog Center, Lackland AFB, Texas. I know you have a son and I know that he had to be very proud of you. * A2C George Bevich, Jr. was the Together, we can make sure our heroes will get the reverence they deserve and the stories and sacrifices of our heroes will never be forgotten. K-9 Issues To Sandbox, Vietnam Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Reeves has volunteered at Motts Military Museum since 2012. (LogOut/ The dogs handler could determine the distance to the danger, usually by the degree of his dogs state of alert. Then, instead of walking into the Vietcong trap, he could call in fire or air support to obliterate the enemy position. and its implications for the future use of RECONNECTING = PRICELESS. information on joining. Please email me with information. $75. In late March 1967, Langley arrived at Tan Son Nhut Air Base and became a member of the 377th Security Police (K9). In March, the Air Force sent two instructors, along with ten sentry dogs to assist the Vietnamese air force to establish better base security. Required fields are marked *. Though he lost an eye, Nemo survived. Dogs were trained to alert their handlers to all kinds of hidden dangers, from snipers to trip wires and weapons caches. Officer '66-'67, Steve Janeke & Sentry Dog Kobuc X448 While stationed in Thailand with the 56th Security Police Squadron Bob formed a steadfast relationship with his military working dog Rex. that crashed during the Mayaguez rescue attempt. 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. 71-72', Complete History of Air Defenders and military working dogs from the 75 th Security Forces Squadron at Hill Air Force Base gathered with the community on K-9 Veterans Day, March 13, to dedicate a Vietnam Veterans War Dog Memorial at Layton Commons Park. . All of the other dog handlers were doing the same thing. I was a sentry dog handler in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, a member of the 212th Military Police Sentry Dog Company stationed in Tay Ninh. The list also specifies the dogs that were returned in Reeves grew up loving dogs so he volunteered for the opportunity to be a dog handler. 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 (U.S. Air Force photo). VSPA.com, its design and content are 1995-2023, of the Vietnam Security Police Association, Inc. (USAF). The typical responsefrom a handler whose dog was jammed is to ask the decoy if they want peanut butter. A patrol from 1RAR makes its way through the wire on Coral's. It was well known that the enemy put a bounty on both the handlers and their dogs. The tracker dog teams were very effective and relied on heavily. During the initial phases of the Vietnam War, German Shepherds were used mainly on Air Force installations as sentry dogs. Sentry dog teams were deployed as the first line of defense guarding American base camps day and night. Download time will be effected by your The Labradors, with their amazing noses, went straight to tracker training. The dog understood the difference immediately and went to work. - Firearms* I had alot of buddies from K9 school that were stationed in Thailand. The Labrador retriever dog was the only breed trained for tracking. "Feed the Dawgs," is a group of Vietnam era dog handlers who visit K-9 handlers and provide meals for the handlers and their families. For Organized January 8, 1966 at Charleston AFB, South Carolina; Redesignated 437th Security Police Squadron March 8, 1967. - Hero of Tan Son Nhut AB. 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. There were 4,000 dogs and 9,000 handlers and no recognition for them at all.. . (Image courtesy of the Security Forces Museum). Bill Cummings, a retired Air Force K-9 handler, in his home on April 14, 2018. in Marana, Ariz. Cummings helps former dog handlers find out the fates of military working dogs from the Vietnam era. Security Police dog handlers serving in Viet Nam and Thailand during Viiet Nam war. 1973 is significant because that was when the United States ceased ground combat operations and withdrew the last of its ground combat forces from South Vietnam. What happened to them after that? Langley was asked. Ehrlichia canis, was identified as the cause of The program that deals with the Department of Defense Military working dog program is the United States Air Force. Photo 1 of 17. King, a two-year combat veteran sentry dog in Vietnam, gets a rewarding word from his handler, Sgt Paul F. Esser, New Orleans, a security police dog handler at Binh Thuy AB after the K-9 signed his Air Force Home Times News Release form with an inked paw. When Reeves investigated the spot where he nearly stepped, he found an unexploded shell that had been rigged as a mine. Many more followed, with the U.S. Air Force sentry force in Southeast Asia peaking in early 1967 at nearly 500 dogs. Includes sound bites from Staff Sgt Tim Castillo and Staff Sgt Witney Young, U.S. Air Force 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. Hereare the most common terms and what they mean. Interest VSPA PRINCE 847F Air Force Vietnam/14th SPS UNK. The German shepherd dog and handler were generally deployed with the infantry and combat engineer units. King learned that Fritz was euthanized after the war. Benning Military Working Dog Memorial, Dogs and Handlers Lost: Vietnam It was an experience that, for Air Force Staff Sgt. the identification and control of the disease, FREEAdmission & Parking. The decision to classify the war dogs as equipment and leave them all behind (several thousand) after the war remains the saddest chapter in Americas military working dog history. 71-72', list all USAF, USN, USA, 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. "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. Dogs to be used as scouts were trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, learning to detect tripwires, weapons caches, and other items. Second line sentry dog teams detected the enemy force, and Security Police killed or captured several of them. Equipped with their sensory superpowers, the . Handler tours (multiple tours are shown also) and dog assignments by base, The real story of the Vietnam War - WAR DOGS- AMERICA'S FORGOTTEN HEROES, MWD Criteria for Inclusion USAF Police Virtual Memorial. This remembrance was left on his Wall of Faces by a comrade, Fred Cobb. On November 1, 1964, between 12:25 and 12:33 AM, Vietnamese Communist (VC) troops attacked Bien Hoa Air Base with six 81-mm mortars positioned about 400 meters north, outside the air base. 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. 113 likes. So, the MOS codes which you see here are now history. Or copy and paste this, which is the link: https://donmooreswartales.com/2015/08/10/john-langley/. New Zealands elite Special Air Service in Malaysia, Throughout the course of the war, 4,000 dogs served in Vietnam and Thailand, A human nose has about five million scent receptors, Dogs and their handlers went through three phases of instruction: drill/obedience, New Zealand's elite Special Air Service in Malaysia. He met Bevich in 1966 before both of them shipped out. If the decoy is too stiff, they can jam the dog which can potentially hurt them. Take the military aptitude test. And it took less time for a Lab than a German shepherd to get used to a new handler. Army and Marine Corps snipers were another group targeted with the threat of bounties because they were force multipliers on the battlefield. I was a sentry dog handler in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, a member of the 212th Military Police Sentry Dog Company stationed in Tay Ninh. My Marine friend got medication, food, vitamin supplemens from a veterinarian and shipped them to the ARVN. evaluation of the disease threat in areas where the epizootic. However, as the war escalated, The United States Marine Corps entered into a service agreement with the US Army to have them train German Shepherds as scout dogs. 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. For example, you can join the Army K9 unit. The program was a huge failure. The dogs started out at Lackland Air Force Base in . U.S. Air Force dogs received extensive training, including learning to attack upon command. Instructors willtell them to drop the purse so they lower the leash and assume a more relaxed hold of it. Eryn Bailey, 27th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron Military Working Dog handler, performs a routine checkup on a dog during a two-day family pet clinic at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, Feb 15, 2022. The toy used as a universal reward for all military working dogs is the kong. The dog was deployed to alert on the breath scent of enemy underwater divers breathing through reeds, snorkels and other underwater apparatus. At the moment of impact its important the decoy is not so stiffto allow the dogs momentum carry through. Dogs have been mans partners in war for a long time at least as far back as 4000 BC. Memorial Why Parade Float 2013. He received the Silver Star for alerting the airbase a VC attack was coming. References President As we navigate rapidly evolving military culture and Like any deployed troops, Russian soldiers make calls Sign up for our newsletter and receive the mighty updates! Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Hear him talk about the training and duties of sentry dogs, and about working with Duke to secure one of the largest ammunition dumps in the world at Long Binh. John Worsham has his Bronze Star replaced. The U.S. Army had the highest number of infantry scout dog teams deployed throughout South Vietnam and consequently suffered the highest number of casualties, dogs and handlers, of the war. Their final fate was either to be transferred to the South Vietnam Army or to be euthanized after each war dog unit was methodically and strategically deactivated throughout South Vietnam. 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. Becoming a dog handler in the Army requires a few crucial steps. first Air Force Dog Handler to die in Vietnam. Tracker dogs were trained to track based on blood trails, odors, and other evidence of someone having . 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. Dogs of SEA. The picture will go up on The Wall under his name and, in addition, Langley will attach an old newspaper article under the headline: Airman Awarded Silver Star Posthumously., This is Airman 2nd George Bevichs grave in Summit Hill, Pa., 50 miles north of Allentown. As Nemo charged, Throneburg killed two enemy troops. He extended for a month-in-country to help Taddy get accustomed to her new situation. An estimated 4,000 dogs and 9,000 military-dog handlers served in Vietnam. Air Force dog handlers provided a unique and critical capability in defending air bases against attack. Photo provided. The cost to feed a dog was more than the cost to feed the handler. Many of the Vietnamese handlers were Buddhist and did not develop a relationship with their assigned dogs. Top Dog was a program in Vietnam to test Sentry Dog's for base security. That elite weapon were our military working dogs in Vietnam War, and we had thousands of them. At 6:06 a.m. Thursday, former Airman 1st. (U.S. Air Force photo). After completing an 8-week training course, he was assigned to Fairchild AFB, Washing, for duty with the Strategic Air Command. You had to be careful not to get in an area that was being hit by one of these dragon ships or a helicopter gun ship. Approximately 4,000 dogs served in the Vietnam War leading patrols with their handlers. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. U.S. Air Force A2C George M Bevich Jr. and his dog, Rex, were killed defending their base on December 4, 1966. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. She would get excited, but she was trained not to bark. 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. The memorial also includes life-sized statues of Ed Reeves and his dog, Prince. In the jungles of Vietnam, nearly 4,000 specially trained dogs served in a variety of combat roles, reportedly saving tens of thousands of U.S. troops from injury and death. It was awful, it was a terrible thing to have happen to them, he said as he shook his head. Change). They loved to work purely for the approval and praise of their handler and partner. Your I would wager that 90 percent of American combat troops killed in action during the Vietnam War never saw their killers. Dog Handler Bob Curnick was a dog handler who served in the Air Force from 1972-1976. The water dogs proved to be quite successful in saving lives and equipment, reducing the enemys capacity to conduct underwater sabotage operations. Former dog sentry handler Richard Cunningham shared a history about well-trained dogs as a new kind of warfare. The volunteer force, nicknamed Merrill's Marauders, executed skilled fighting tactics in the Burmese jungles to defeat the veteran soldiers of the Japanese 18th Division. The next night, sentry dog Nemo, an 85-pound German Shepherd, detected a small enemy group that remained hidden on the base. This study, using primary There were hundreds of VC running out of the woods toward the airbase, he said. Required fields are marked *. free to copy photos or stories. The former airman will visit Bevichs grave in Summit Hill, Pa., 40 miles north of Allentown. He will also be one of the official readers at The Wall in Washington, D.C., afterward. On a night in early December 1966, about 75 enemy raiders slipped past the first perimeter line at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam. All visitors may be screened with a metal detector upon entry. CHARLES HENRY WAS A DOG HANDLER WITH THE U.S. AIR FORCE DURING THE VIETNAM WAR. 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. There were also mine and booby trap dogs. A three-man squad in a Jeep with a mounted M-60 machine gun would arrive within five minutes and check out the area looking for Viet Cong infiltrators. BalanceRose He was killed in a Viet Cong mortar attack in December 1966. dogs? Unfortunately, some MWDs like to play with it and spread it every where they can. The German shepherd dog was the only breed used for this job. These teams didnt wait to be ambushed. A scout dog team was deployed as pointman which is the most vulnerable and dangerous position of a tactical formation moving through enemy territory. deaths. dog's fate! Dogs of SEA Worksheet list all known dogs assigned attack dates for RVN & Thailand, needed for VA Most MWDs that defecate in their kennels will simply wait for their handler to clean it up. Their primary role was to track the enemys scent or blood trails throughout South Vietnam, so that larger American forces could reengage. Many dog handlers had a difficult time returning from the war. History, Natural Has anyone, military personnel, found out what happened to these poor dogs. Most dog handlers start their careers as E-3s (Private First Class) to E-5s (Sergeant) depending on the service," emails Air Force Maj. Matthew Kowalski, Commander in the 341st Training Squadron, which provides training to military working dogs in San Antonio. Scout / Tracker Dogs. All Rights Reserrved. Face-to-face with Elvis, an energetic German shepherd, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Alyssa Stamps, a military working dog handler with the 35th Security Forces Squadron, makes a grab for the ball. 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. Augmentee. From here, you can become an active duty dog handler. Vision: MWDs that do this are known as typewriters. Labrador retrievers were also widely used, primarily as trackers. To Sandbox . The concluded that the future control of canine And there was no war dog adoption law until the year 2000 when WWII Marine War Dog Platoon Leader/Veterinarian, Dr. William Putney made it happen with the help of U.S. VDHA Officers; Unit Directors; Events . They were certainly not all purebreds. I laugh at some of the things we all did. 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. At Okinawa, where I met and trained with Smokey, most of the dogs were veterans being reassigned to new handlers. Prince lived to be 15 which makes Reeves happy. Hear him talk about his service, from parachuting with Prince, to lying on ambush in Vietnam with Prince. ** Two handlers and one ex handler (total of eighteen Security Police personnel KIA) were on the CH-53 helicopter that crashed during the Mayaguez rescue attempt. Nemo returned to Lackland in July 1967 as a part of an Air Force dog recruitment team. experience proved that canine ehrlichiosis can Nemo was whelped in October 1962. Dogs and their handlers went through three phases of instruction: drill/obedience, aggression, and scouting. determine its cause. Whats more, all our dogs had lived with our American smells for years. Younger Vistors.