Sergeant Stubby supported its division through 17 battles in 18 months, survived a blast of grenades and … [+]
As history has shown, animals have never been spared the horrors of war. horses carried the knight through the battlefields soaked with blood, pigeon They endangered the sky as the couriers and dogs patrolled the trenches, smelling the dangers before the human senses recorded them.
Of all the animals recorded in the Great War, no one left a legacy as a stubby sergeant – a stroller dog that went from an unknown shit to one of the most decorated heroes of war in American military history.
Over 18 months of exhausting, he survived the Mustarda Gas attacks, the artillery barracks and the enemy fire while serving with 26Th The “Yankee” Division.
He was not just a mascot – he was a soldier.
Stubby Sergeant participated in 17 battles in 18 months
It all started in 1917 when a short striped strip, with tiger strips woven into the 102 training basesAND Infantry Regiment at Yale University in Connecticut.
The soldiers liked him – especially a named J. Robert Conroy, a private at the time, who unofficially adopted him. Stubby, always the rapid student, responded to the wrong calls, marched in training and even learned to greet his paw.
Conroy and his famous war dog, Stubby, during World War I Conroy would later be raised to the rank of … [+]
The real test came when the regiment sent to France.
Since army rules strictly banned pets, Conroy smuggled the head on the board of their shipping ship, SS Minnesota, hiding it in a layer. By the time they reached the first lines, the presence of the dog was no longer a secret – but it didn’t matter.
He had already won over the commanding officers with his greeting of now famous dogs. From then on, Stubby became a permanent match in the trenches, enduring 17 battles beyond the Western front.
He had a nose for trouble – literally.
After surviving a mustard gas attack, Stubby developed a strange ability to detect gas before people could, bark frantically to warn the bodies. His acute hearing allowed him to feel artillery at the entrance before falling, giving soldiers precious seconds to get a cover.
Even in the chaos of war, Stubby refused to stay unemployed. When battles left wounded soldiers trapped in anyone’s land, he withdrew beyond the battlefield, barking to warn doctors and lead them to the injured. Occasionally, his instincts and courage saved life.
But his most legendary act was still to come.
Beyond Stubby’s extraordinary abilities, this was not the usual dog of war
Stubby’s talents made him an invaluable asset, but it was his bravery that turned him into a legend.
One day as he patrolled near the trenches, he smelled a German soldier by designing allied positions. Without hesitation, Stubby retreated to the spy, sinking the teeth on the man’s leg and keeping him captive until US troops arrived.
It was an act of undeniable bravery – he who gained something that no other dog had received: a promotion of the battlefield for sergeant.
Even when he was injured, Stubby refused to sit down. An outbreak of grenades injured him in his chest and leg, forcing him to recover in a field hospital. But instead of resting, he spent his time visiting other wounded soldiers, acting as one of First therapy dogs.
For his service, the women of Château-Thierry sewed him a custom-made blanket, embroidered with the flags of allied nations and his growing medal collection.
The war was just the beginning for the stubby sergeant
When the war ended in November 1918, Stubby returned home a genuine war hero. He led the parades, met the presidents and became the face of American patriotism.
He was honored by three US presidents – Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge – and was given memberships of life in the American Legion, the Red Cross and YMCA.
Even at the time of peace, Stubby found ways to steal the show.
While Conroy attended the law school of Georgetown University, Stubby became the official masquerade of Georgetown Hoyas, entertaining crowds pushing a football throughout the field.
At the time he passed away in 1926 at the age of about 10, the Stubby Sergeant had accumulated an unprecedented collection of medals and honors, including:
- Three lines
- A purple heart
- A medal for the heroism personally given by General John Persing
- The War of the Republic of France Grande
- Battle of Verdun Medal
Today, his heritage endures. His remains were preserved and placed on the screen at the National Museum of American History Smithsonian, where his story continues to inspire.
While every dog may not be able to match stubby’s achievements, they all have their own unique personalities. How well do you know your pet? Find now with free, science -backed Pets personality test.