. I had alot of buddies from K9 school that were stationed in Thailand. It was during the Tet Offensive that Vogie and Langley played their biggest role. Your email address will not be published. In 1965, the Air Force prepped 40 handler-and-dog teams at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, for missions in Vietnam. Although frustrating, the visits with her new dog, Elvis, are just the beginning of her dream becoming a reality. Ray Roberts & King, Da Nang AB Vietnam April 1973 Photo Courtesy of Don Poss, Fred Hewitt & Sentry Dog Bullet Da Nang AB Perimeter Dec 1967 Photo courtesy of Monty Moore, A1C Shark and K-9 Heino at Cam Ranh Bay AFB Vietnam. I was 20 years old and weighed 135 pounds; Smokey weighed 90 pounds. - Alcohol But a trained dog could detect the trap, and it would be neutralized. The toy used as a universal reward for all military working dogs is the kong. References It was an experience that, for Air Force Staff Sgt. K-9 sentry dogs at Phu Cat Air Base in Vietnam are trained by members of the 37th Security Police Squadron. including attacks on bases, Nemo Though there was. Most were given to the military by families back home. that crashed during the Mayaguez rescue attempt. Chemical Exposure A well-trained dog became an extension of his handlers senses seeing, hearing, and smelling danger that was otherwise undetectable. On 1 August, Capt Robert M. Sullivan and 53 air policemen, including six sentry dog/handler teams, were transferred from the 366th Air Police Squadron at Phan Rang Air Base to be the cadre for the newly activated 37th Air Police Squadron at Qui Nhon.Their first assignment was to escort 63 engineers of the 554th and 555th Civil Engineer Squadrons to Ph Ct, and then to assume . 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. Search Page Content . 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. Exercising of K-9 sentry dogs and patrolling tactics used by the handlers of the 37th Security Police Squadron in Phu Cat Air Base, Vietnam. 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. Rank: Airman 2/Class Kyle Pethtel, a dog handler with the 27th Special Operations Security Forces, was fun and filled with challenges for both canine and. The granite panels were designed and constructed by Columbus Art Memorial. Navy K-9 Sentry Dogs UNK. The Vietnam Dog Handler Association formed to help these veterans cope with the guilt of leaving their dogs behind. It wont be like it was when he first attended the ceremony a quarter century ago with no recognition for the dog handlers. The success of the war dogs and handlers walking point, tracking, guarding, patrolling, and protecting American lives and military assets, ultimately reduced the enemys capacity for surprise attacks. I belong to an organization today that honors the Viet Nam dog handlers. Army Military Working Dog Handlers (MOS 31K) are responsible for training and caring for their service dog. Like their. Whether it was a sniper at 200 yards, a rocket fired into a base camp or an attack from a well-concealed bunker complex, the element of surprise was usually on the side of our enemies. 437th Air Base Group: 1 August 1950 - 10 June 1952. Each team included a visual tracker and a dog handler upfront, followed by their cover man, then the radioman and the team leader. determine its cause. A1C David Shark with his sentry dog Heino at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam. Canine ehrlichiosis, a We were all so young. ** Two handlers and one ex handler (total of Sentry dogs would protect military bases and scout dogs would enable the troops to attack the VC. Of the 294 dog handlers who were killed in Vietnam, one handlers, Staff . The VC fired 60 to 80 rounds into parked aircraft and troop billets then withdrew undetected and unabated. 71-72', list all USAF, USN, USA, In a decision that remains controversial to this day, the Department of Defense classified the dogs as equipment, and most were left behind transferred to the army of South Vietnam, systematically euthanized, or simply abandoned. Military veterinarians launched an BalanceRose My companion was a German shepherd named Smokey. Click here for frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum. Total: 37 12th SPS (Cam Ranh Bay & Phu Cat) Read More: 14th SPS (Nha Trang) Read More As a result, the enemy placed a price tag on the heads of the war dog teams and hunted them with extreme prejudice. They were trained to sniff out mines and booby traps buried in roads, hidden on bridges or in buildings, and sniff out the location of tunnels. Vietnam, 1961. The water dogs proved to be quite successful in saving lives and equipment, reducing the enemys capacity to conduct underwater sabotage operations. Twelve members of the RAF Police and their Military Working Dogs competed to be crowned champion and 'Best in Trade,' at the RAF Police 2021 UK Military Working Dog Trials. 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. As a result, all handlers in the military use key terms and phrases that every handler will understand. (U.S. Air Force photo). Home | Join VDHA | Membership Renewal | Contact Us | Member Login 2023 VDHA All Rights reserved. His handler, Airman 1st Class Robert Throneburg, released him to attack. The Army and Air Force used about 90% of the dogs sent to Vietnam, with the Army having the most by a wide margin. military dogs are employed, disease education of USAF Less aggressive but still highly intelligent shepherd dogs went to the scout school. Its important to always remember to trust your dog because if theres anyone who is wrong, its the handler because the dog is always right. At times we had to lay on our dogs to keep them quiet when he VC ran by. Sentry dog alerts to movement outside the perimeter of Phan Rang Air Base. FREEAdmission & Parking. experience proved that canine ehrlichiosis can Weapons are not permitted including pocket knives and firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons. The handler trusted the dog with his life, and the dog was absolutely loyal, even to the death. serologic screening of prospective and active listed by name, brand number, and bases assigned. additional veterinary research. This Page is for our Air Force's Dog Handler,K9 Unit; experiences before and during our time at Cam Ranh AB, Vietnam. 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. Most of hte handlers even offered to pay thier dog's way. These are MWDs who are so well trained overall, especially in obedience, that they will rarelyneed acorrection, if any. Within minutes, the base was all lit up. concluded that the future control of canine Their primary role was to track the enemys scent or blood trails throughout South Vietnam, so that larger American forces could reengage. Click here to view the War Tales fan page on FaceBook. served in Vietnam or To Sandbox, Vietnam The cost to feed a dog was more than the cost to feed the handler. The retirement was followed by his adoption by former handler Staff Sgt. Nemo is one of the most famous dogs in history. Before this Veterans Day, today, the 25th anniversary of the unveiling of the Vietnam Wall, Langley will make a pilgrimage. Photo provided, https://donmooreswartales.com/2015/08/10/john-langley/. To dothis, handlers must learn to walk backward and beginners move their feet so slow its known as the Lackland shuffle in reference to the basic handlers course at Lackland Air Force Base. The typical responsefrom a handler whose dog was jammed is to ask the decoy if they want peanut butter. The Navy successfully used dogs on slow trolling patrol boats operating throughout the American patrolled waterways of South Vietnam. author/photographer, & VSPA a 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. It was well known that the enemy put a bounty on both the handlers and their dogs. (South East-Asia). Over 1,600 + dogs are Pablo Gonzalez. Includes sound bites from Staff Sgt Tim Castillo and Staff Sgt Witney Young, U.S. Air Force 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. The success of these teams, combined with those working in U.S. law. But our forces did have one elite weapon that sometimes took the advantage away. Mabins also has the distinction of being the first African American female dog handler in the Air Force. The dogs were given to the ARVN, and were used in combat. Dogs of SEA. 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. Of the 4,000 dogs that served in-country, fewer than 200 made it back to the States. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Prince worked in San Diego sniffing for drugs at the border. This was Since then both King and Reeves have been able to see the records of their dogs. I went to see the dedication at The Wall when it first opened in 82 and realized they had nothing to recognize the dog handlers who died in the war, he said. The Vietnam Dog Handler Association formed to help these veterans cope with the guilt of leaving their dogs behind. I know I felt it with Smokey. We knew that, unlike other soldiers, we at least had our dog with us so we would never be alone. Air Force dog handlers provided a unique and critical capability in defending air bases against attack. These dogs were rarely sent into combat. Many of the Vietnamese handlers were Buddhist and did not develop a relationship with their assigned dogs. Hear him talk about his service, from parachuting with Prince, to lying on ambush in Vietnam with Prince. control, although ehrlichiosis still remains a Currently: Venice, Fla. Congressman, Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland. Within a few years, several hundred dogs had been turned over to the Vietnamese military. The dog understood the difference immediately and went to work. Air Force K9 Dog Handler Careers. and secondary sources, describes the epizootic, Military working dogs are the worlds most-highly trained dogs and must be controlled or in a controlled environment at all times for everyones safety. He gave them one set of greens and a pair of boots and told them we'll see how it works out. withina month we had two more sets of fatigues and another pair of boots. military working dogs as sentries, scouts, MWDs build up a lot ofmomentum when they run after the decoy. The next night, sentry dog Nemo, an 85-pound German Shepherd, detected a small enemy group that remained hidden on the base. Patrolling thick, triple-canopy jungles was dangerous by day, and even more perilous by night. On a bad day, she was in another world.. The United States employed large numbers of BalanceRose Many more followed, with the U.S. Air Force sentry force in Southeast Asia peaking in early 1967 at nearly 500 dogs. I read they given to the S. Vietnamese Army or euthanized. View military histories of over 2 million, If you are a veteran, reconnect with people. "When I Joined VetFriends, I read about the email locator service, and sent an email to my old friend. The next several days we spent out in the bush hiding out and staying out of the clutches of the VC. Website Last Updated: WATCH THURSDAY BEGINNING AT 8 PM EASTERN AND ENJOY AMERICAN HISTORY TV EVERY WEEKEND ON C-SPAN 3. the working dog program and led to 250 canine This is a horrible disaster for these dogs. An estimated 4,000 dogs and 9,000 military-dog handlers served in Vietnam. We talk about you all the time. During the day, they would truck C-rations and water out to us and we stayed put.. Airman Robert A. Thorneburg was assigned as Nemo's handler in July 1966. Required fields are marked *. Esteban Rivera, 2 July 2014 Handlers & They loved to work purely for the approval and praise of their handler and partner. or photos. Complete Lists of Interest King learned that Fritz was euthanized after the war. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airmen Elizabeth Figueroa) A Marine dog handler I knew finished his 13-month tour of duty in 1969 and was told his dog, Taddy, was being transferred to the ARVN. Their duties were widespread - scout, sentry, patrol, mine and booby-trap detection, water and combat. No handler wants to hear reverse. Whendoing detection with their MWD, if a handler hears reverse from the instructor, they know they missed the training aid and now must do the embarrassing action of backtracking. Click on the title to read a short history. National Archives. Organized January 8, 1966 at Charleston AFB, South Carolina; Redesignated 437th Security Police Squadron March 8, 1967. This would be the largest battle involving sentry dogs, their . Parade Float, History WWI & 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! However, dogs that are not fully confident will not clench and hold and instead will bite, then release, and then bite a different area. Natural trackers, and mine detectors in Vietnam. A human nose has about five million scent receptors; a shepherd has at least 225 million. The dogs started out at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas with a thorough physical exam. If you are interested in adopting one of the dogs, please email the adoptions coordinator at MWD.Adoptions@us.af.mil ; we will email you an application packet.. Meeting the dogs: Approved applicants will be given an opportunity to schedule an appointment to travel to the . Augmentee. "Nemo", born in October 1962, entered the United States Air Force as a sentry dog in 1964, at the age of 1 years. Chet Moore gets another car. Copyright 2003-2021. This study The 22-year-old received the Silver Star, for sounding the initial alarm that an enemy attack was under way, and the Purple Heart, both posthumously. This film looks at the relationship between two handlers and their canines. Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE, The Follow-Up to Band of Brothers is Coming. The handler and dog led combat patrols and provided an early silent warning of danger. It is believed that over 9,000 handlers and 4,000 dogs served in Vietnam. Dogs, from Elks magazine Courtesy of Don (Jack) Kelly Korat RTAFB 'Nov ** 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. For example, you can join the Army K9 unit. Thailand Dog Handlers 71-72 -- DP.Kelly & Lucky, 11:14:42 10/22/02 TuePDT (209.4.252.40) I was stationed at Korat Air Base from 11/71 to 11/72 and I was in K9 school at Lackland during the summer of 71. Nemo's When our politicians decided to exit Vietnam in a hurry the military classified our dogs as equipment. As such, they were left behind. Security Police or as an Many dog handlers had a difficult time returning from the war. VDHA Officers; Unit Directors; Events . Dogs and their handlers went through three phases of instruction: drill/obedience, aggression, and scouting. Everything for our dogs. Former dog sentry handler Richard Cunningham shared a history about well-trained dogs as a new kind of warfare. Through the hours of darkness, sentry dogs and their handlers patrolled along the perimeters of U.S. Air Force air bases. My Marine friend got medication, food, vitamin supplemens from a veterinarian and shipped them to the ARVN. the epizootic. The assistant director of the museum, Lori Motts-Byrd, began raising funds in order to build a memorial to the dogs and the men who worked with them. RECONNECTING = PRICELESS. * Firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons, are specifically prohibited in Federal facilities in accordance with 18 USC 930 (c) Dogs could even detect enemy fighters submerged in rivers, breathing through hollow reeds and waiting to attack American watercraft. When a handler asks another handler to decoy for their MWD. 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. first Air Force Dog Handler to die in Vietnam. and its implications for the future use of 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's fate! Note: Working on this list. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test determines where a prospective service member might excel in the military. History. It was launched two days after a successful Viet Cong attack (July 1, 1965) on Da Nang AB Air Base. In Vietnam, American forces used dogs for everything from base security to detecting ambushes to hunting down fleeing enemy units. Change). 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. Combat tracker teams consisted of five soldiers and two Labrador retrievers. He began contacting his former dog-handler buddies and eventually formed the nucleus of a dog-handler group known today as the Vietnam Dog Handlers Association. EIN: 52-1149668, Copyright 2023 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display. personnel who deal with military dogs, and Throneburg, who was still in the hospital, seeing Nemo for the first time after the attack. evaluation of the disease threat in areas where The man runs away. Air Force dog handlers provided a unique and critical capability in defending air bases against attack. He completed K9 training at Lackland. Dog Handler Bob Curnick was a dog handler who served in the Air Force from 1972-1976. He and his shepherd were stationed 3 miles from the fence surrounding the airbase along a path surrounded by jungle. 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 scent of the Vietnamese was very different and much easier for them to pick up and alert on. All of the other dog handlers were doing the same thing. Reeves found out that Prince had been one of the few dogs that returned to the US. dogs? Security Police team with a dog on an early morning reconnaissance patrol near Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam, in 1967. * A2C George Bevich, Jr. was the He talks about serving with his K-9, Jake, and the roles of military working dogs in-country. 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. 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. This unfitting end motivated Vietnam dog handlers to act. Obtain a paver around either the Airman's Museum or Military Working Dog Memorial at Lackland. Click here to return to Protecting the Force: Air Base Defense. eighteen Security Police personnel KIA) were on the CH-53helicopter Dog attacks a man. 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. share a common bond. They werent interested in us, they wanted to knock out our planes and helicopters with satchel charges, mortars or 122 millimeter rockets, he said. Among those names is Airman 2nd Class George Michael Bevich Jr., the first Air Force dog handler killed on Dec. 4, 1966, in a Viet Cong mortar attack while protecting Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon with his dog, Rex. These dogs are credited with saving more than 10,000 lives. Free Computer Backgrounds, Submit Approximately 4,000 dogs served in the Vietnam War leading patrols with their handlers. credit line. Take the thin, monofilament lines that were practically invisible to the human eye, which the Vietcong attached to a grenade or other explosive device that detonated when tripped. A large proportion of American infantry casualties were caused by these devastating devices. The dogs sense of smell and hearing saved a lot of American lives. (LogOut/ It is unnatural, theres no reason for it, and typically its a sign of the handler not being relaxed. Private donations poured in and a major $50,000 grant from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission was key in getting the project off the ground. $75. Dogs of the Vietnam War Dog Handlers Approximately 4,000 dogs served in the Vietnam War leading patrols with their handlers. The first class that included women was held in early 1975. They were certainly not all purebreds. Search-and-destroy missions used a handler and his scout dog to walk point, out in the jungle, able to raise an alarm about an ambush long before most of the unit was in danger. + $1.00 shipping. Benning Military Working Dog Memorial, Dogs and Handlers Lost: Vietnam Handler controls and pets the dog. Most novice handlers unknowingly hold the leash up high while their dog is detecting making it lookas though they are holding a purse. This refers to MWDs whosespeed, strength, and bite are a cut above the rest. Security forces members interested in becoming military working dog handlers are cross trained when they have achieved the rank of Airman 1st class, have two years in service and have obtained their five level within their career field. highly fatal tickborne rickettsiosis caused by Both lists are in PDF Also Read: 5 Fake Enemies US Troops Have Been Battling For Decades. the identification and control of the disease, - Coolers Most of the dogs that survived the war were either euthanized or sent to work for the South Vietnamese Army. 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. (War Dog Previsional), and his dog wait at a helipad for an early evening flight to a combat area. Security Police dog handlers serving in Viet Nam and Thailand during Viiet Nam war. Their keen senses, learning ability, endurance & devotion have made them invaluable companions. If they heard or saw something, they notified the base by walkie-talkie. - Diaper bags USMC & Handlers from our allies killed in Vietnam, Thailand, Discharged: 26 Aug. 1968 Bases in SEA & Topics of Credited with saving Throneburg's life, Nemo was hailed as a hero. - Hero of Tan Son Nhut AB. Due in large part to their collective efforts, Robbys Law was passed by the U.S. Congress in 2000. To make it simple, instructors tell beginning handlers to yell HOT SAUCE! very quickly over and over to provoke the dog. . The United States Military Working Dog DemonstrationTeam was formed in 1975 at Lackland AFB. At Okinawa, where I met and trained with Smokey, most of the dogs were veterans being reassigned to new handlers. Then on February 14, 1971, Prince stopped Reeves as he was about to step over a fallen tree. Parade Float 2013. August is National Dog Month in the United States, so in this episode we salute the four-legged warriors who helped us fight the war in Vietnam, saving an estimated 10,000 American lives. (Image courtesy of the Security Forces Museum). 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. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. - Firearms* The 341st Military Working Dog Center will only consider applicants who meet the minimum requirements previously listed. 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. The dogs are trained at a training center on Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. 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. U.S. Air Force A2C George M Bevich Jr. and his dog, Rex, were killed defending their base on December 4, 1966. my dad name was gunny elzie pence he work dogs in nam he was there 3 times looking to see if anyone knew him.thank his son scot ps iam also a honorable marine of 4 years. 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. 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. https://www.vvmf.org/topics/Dogs-of-the-Vietnam-War/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoqvA8xafKg, https://www.vvmf.org/The-Wall-That-Heals/, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK63b6Cn53unMMj-yZYEch0RuYy1YN1zl, Vietnam Dog Handlers Association http://www.vdha.us/. Fritz was trained to be a sentry dog. George, I remember you today as well as I did when I met you at Lackland AFB, Tx when we were on our way to Viet Nam. When U.S. forces exited from Vietnam only 200 of the dogs made it back to the states. Base Defense of Vietnam - Thailand, The only thing that would make him happier is if he could have brought Prince home himself. There were also mine and booby trap dogs. 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. He researched what became of his dog, Prince, and published the results in a book he self-published in 2016. Handlers reward their dogs so much that they call themselves nothing but a kong dispenser. While stationed in Thailand with the 56th Security Police Squadron Bob formed a steadfast relationship with his military working dog Rex. Rosa and Joyce went to the base commander, explained the situation and requested that they be given combat boots and fatigues. Vietnam VSPA.com, its design and content are 1995-2023, of the Vietnam Security Police Association, Inc. (USAF). The dogs can detect movement much faster and more accurately than we can, and their ears can hear, even at a very early age, sound from four times farther away than we can.