We Will Never Forget The Dogs KIA

We Will Never Forget The Dogs KIA

Memorial Day is traditionally dedicated to the members of the armed services who were declared missing or killed in action. These members of society deserve the utmost respect and thanks.

Unfortunately, military dogs sometimes are left out of memorial day activities despite being in as much danger as their fellow soldiers. These brave souls are as dedicated as soldiers, so let’s remember a few who were KIA:

Kaiser

Kaiser, a German Shepherd, was paired with Marina Lance Corporal Alfredo Salazer during the Vietnam war. The two quickly formed a bond, and he was loved by all the members of the camp.

One day, while scouting a village, the team was ambushed by a barrage of grenades and bullets. Kaiser, who was in the front, was hit. Salazar ran to Kaiser but it was too late. He was buried under a tree near the camp, and the loss was felt by everyone.

The camp was since renamed Camp Kaiser.

Cooper

Cooper, a Labrador Retriever, worked as a bomb-sniffing dog. While on patrol with his handler and best friend, Corporal Kory Weins, they were killed by an IED. Weins had hoped to adopt Cooper once they returned from Iraq, but that day never came.

His family found out just how much Weins loved Cooper when they discovered how many dog toys were amongst his personal items on the base. They were buried together in Weins’s hometown and there is currently an infantry post in Colorado dedicated to the pair.

Sallie Ann Jarrett

Sallie Ann served as a mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry during the American Civil War. The English Bull Terrier left behind a legacy of charging barely into battle and snarling at the enemy. She even met President Lincoln!

Sallie Ann became separated from her regimen during a Union Retreat at Gettysburg. She was discovered four days later left guarding fellow deceased soldiers. Her service ended prematurely at Hatcher’s Run Virginia where she was killed by a bullet. Her fellow soldiers buried her on the spot despite the heavy fire.

The surviving members of the troop erected a bronze statue in her honor.

Rolo

Rolo was among one of the many dogs volunteered by civilian families during World War II. He was given to the Marine Corps and was trained at the Dog Detachment Training Center before he was deployed.

Rolo, a Doberman Pinscher was a high-spirited point dog who was able to point out enemy positions during battle. On his last patrol, he rushed into battle headfirst, disrupting the enemy’s ranks and helped to conceal the position of his fellow troops.

Rolo was hit by a bullet and passed away at only two years old. He was born to be a soldier, on December 7th, 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Dogs Left Behind

Unfortunately, not all dogs who survived combat were treated, returned home, and relocated. After the Vietnam war, of the 4000 dogs who served, 350 were killed in action and only 200 returned to the United States. The rest of the dogs were left behind and did not receive the honor they deserved for serving the country.

Fortunately, things have changed and dogs are given military ranks. In some instances, they even outrank their handlers. In 2013, the National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law which allowed for ex-military dogs to be put up for adoption and given veterinary care.

Let’s remember all those who served, and those who never made it back home.

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