what breed was sergeant stubby

Humble beginnings. Stubby was found wandering the grounds of the Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticutin July 1917, while mem… It is actually customary that all military working canines receive the unofficial title of NCO. Sergeant Stubby and J. Robert Conroy, March 1919. Getting Stubby to Europe would be a more daunting challenge. It’s also been said that he is responsible for saving the lives of an entire company! Stubby, the foundling mutt, was thus an apt mascot for the U.S. forces: unpedigreed, untrained, an underdog. He was not an impressive sight: short, barrel-shaped, a bit homely, with brown and white brindled stripes. Stubby — who was believed to be a Pit Bull mix — was the most decorated war dog in U.S. history. Other breeds, other times When Conroy went to study law at Georgetown, Stubby became the university’s official mascot, a predecessor to the Hoya bulldog of the present day. Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Persians, Greeks, Assyrians, and Babylonians, Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington. After living through a total of 17 battles, Sgt. When you think of a military dog, what breed comes to mind? It is a leather-bound scrapbook, kept by Conroy. While it may seem surprising, a small terrier mix known as Stubby, is described to be one of the most decorated war dogs in the history of the US military! The accounts collected in Conroy’s scrapbook broadly sketch the narrative of Stubby’s service that became familiar in the immediate postwar years. Here the lore of Stubby, as reported by various newspapers, takes on a suspiciously cutesy cast: The story goes that the dog charmed his way into the good graces of the officers who discovered him by lifting his right paw in a salute. Although mostly forgotten today, one pit bull, Sergeant Stubby, became the only dog promoted in rank in American military history in recognition of his efforts in warning his unit of poison gas attacks and incoming artillery shells, locating wounded soldiers and capturing a German spy. The highest military rank ever achieved by a dog is in fact Sergeant, which is what Stubby was promoted to in combat for his great courage on the battlefield. “It was enough to make one forget all about the war,” Allan recalled later. Stubby the dog, known to many as “Sgt. His presence during recovery is said to have thoroughly boosted the morale of his fellow wounded soldiers. Robert Conroy decided to bring Stubby … He was recognized for his acts of heroism in several ways. Harding officially received Stubby at the White House in 1921; in 1924, the dog passed review for Harding’s successor, Calvin Coolidge, three times. The hall was packed with dozens of members of the 102nd—field clerks, infantrymen, generals—but one soldier in particular commanded the spotlight. Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. The Times describes how one morning, while most of the troops were sleeping, the division was assaulted by an early morning gas launch. To this day he holds his own display at the National Museum of American History, and can be visited by anyone. Sergeant Stubby was a dog who helped soldiers fighting in World War One. Stubby went on to become a very brave soldier who won lots of medals before reaching the age of two. Baldy of Nome, famed Alaskan sled dog, and his owner Allan “Scotty” Allan. The most revealing page in the Stubby scrapbook may be the one in which we find a note, inscribed in Conroy’s handwriting: “Criticism of Stubby which proves he is famous.” It is a single page, but its contents show that Stubby-mania wasn’t embraced by all Army veterans. The Royal lion hunt reliefs from the Assyrian palace at Nineveh, about 645-635 B.C., housed at the British Museum. He was also a mascot at Georgetown University. As documented in history books but largely forgotten today, Stubby was no ordinary stray; he was a tenacious canine, a courageous scout and a fiercely loyal friend. Canines have been utilized in times of war for centuries. In December 1922, the New York Times reported that for the first time, the exclusive Hotel Majestic on Central Park had broken its own rules and allowed the dog to stay overnight. The dog hung around as the men drilled and one soldier, Corporal Robert Conroy, developed a fondness for the Boston Terrier. According to several news reports, he first enters the historical record in July 1917 as an ownerless stray. It was said he could sniff out poison gas, barking warnings to doughboys in the trenches. The ceremony was presided over by Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of the American forces in Europe during the war. He met Presidents Wilson, Harding, and Coolidge. War dogs weren’t the only area in which the U.S. military was wanting. But the very fact of Stubby’s celebrity itself enlightens our understanding of the war and its aftermath. The regiment’s leader, Col. John Henry Parker, was a gruff, intimidating man, a veteran of the Spanish-American War and an expert machine gun tactician who eventually received a Silver Star for extraordinary heroism. The scale and nature of World War I was unprecedented, shocking even to Americans who had lived through the Civil War a half-century earlier. After the war, he worked as a bureaucrat, first for the Bureau of Investigation (predecessor to the FBI) at the Justice Department, then with military intelligence and finally on Capitol Hill as secretary for a Connecticut congressman. While waiting out the trip home from France, Stubby met his first of three presidents, Woodrow Wilson, on Christmas Day 1918 in Mandres en Bassigny. When Conroy studied law at Georgetown University, Sergeant Stubby became the official mascot of the Georgetown Hoyas- shortly before his death in 1926. When it came time for the outfit to ship out, Conroy hid Stubby on boar… Sergeant Stubby, most likely a Boston terrier, was America’s first war dog. Pvt. Somehow, the dog and his master survived. Sergeant Stubby died in 1926. Dogs were part of Attila the Hun’s forces in his fifth-century European conquests. The puppy’s short tail gave him a name, and the Army gave him a mission. Dogs were also a key part of the Red Cross’ aid efforts, and every country had its own unit. After the war, Stubby was ubiquitous. Rags was another notable World War I dog. He endured an injury from a surprise grenade attack, and proceeded to bravely undergo surgery. Before the military started actual programs for these military dogs, they were ideal for breaking up enemy formations- running fearlessly into the sea of men- and taking them down one by one. Today, he may be the last decorated World War I veteran that you can still see in the flesh. You can cancel anytime. Almost 3,000 German Stoßtruppen (shock troops) fired on, and overwhelmed, a small contingent of 600 American soldiers from the 26th. Sergeant Stubby was the most decorated dog of World War I. We would like you all to meet Stubby, Sergeant Stubby to be more accurate. French Infantryman Gaston Baptiste befriends the duo and accompanies them along their epic journey through harsh conditions and incredible acts of courage. Like Rags, Stubby was a stray, and fell in with some soldiers drilling in New Haven, Conn. Cpl. Conroy faced a problem: What to do about the dog he had adopted and named Stubby? J. Robert Conroy and Sergeant Stubby at the capitol in Washington. The story of dogs in warfare is an old one, stretching back to antiquity. Stubby”, is one of my favorite artifacts in the Armed Forces History collections.He was the mascot of the 102 Infantry 26th Yankee Division in World War I. Courtesy of Harris & Ewing Collection/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington. While his trip overseas as a stowaway was not necessarily ideal,  Sgt. Stubby proved himself extremely useful on the battlefield. The stories are mostly written in a breathless tabloid tone that suggests the truth was less important to their authors than a good yarn: We can feel confident about certain details that emerge from the journalistic record: Stubby served in France, he was the beloved mascot for the 102nd, he was wounded at Seicheprey. On St. Patrick’s Day, bells and klaxons, the signal of a poison gas attack, rang out along the hillside in the Marne where Stubby and Conroy were stationed. Stubby’s rage at the sight of a German was reportedly so “savage,” in the words of an Associated Press account, that “it was found necessary to tie him up when batches of prisoners were being brought back, for fear that trouserless Germans would be reaching the prison pens.”, In the Argonne, Stubby sniffed out a lost German soldier hiding in nearby bushes. On July 6, 1921, a curious gathering took place at the State, War, and Navy Building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. Once there, the dogs hauled ammunition, aided soldiers in the work of laying communication lines, and helped transport wounded soldiers to field hospitals. Involved in 17 battles, Stubby did more … He proved quick to learn. A machinist onboard fashioned Stubby his own set of metal “dog tags.” By the time the troops disembarked in the port of Saint-Nazaire on France’s western coast, Stubby was the 102nd Infantry’s unofficial mascot. Robert Conroy decided to bring Stubby to France when they shipped out, and smuggled him under his coat. French soldiers in trench in Northeastern France, circa 1916-1918. Many dogs, including Red Cross dogs, performed heroically. Stubby was an American pit bull terrier, pit bulls used to be smaller until they made a larger and buffer version by combining bigger and more muscular dogs into the mix. Sergeant Stubby's true breed The statement that Sergeant Stubby was a pit bull terrier is referenced from a Staffordshire bull terrier club, which provides no sources, quotes or testimonies to back that claim up, instead simply basically saying "it's true because we said it is." Often, the dogs simply provided comfort and a warm body to dying men on battlefields. Stubby and company were placed in support positions to wait for a German breakthrough. Describing him as a dog of "uncertain breed," Ann Bausum wrote that: "The brindle-patterned pup probably owed at least some of his parentage to the evolving family of Boston Terriers, a breed so new that even its name was in flux: Boston Round Heads, American...and Boston Bull Terriers." Yale University’s football stadium was the site of Camp Yale, where the soldiers of the 102nd Infantry, part of the New England–based 26th “Yankee” Division, were doing basic training prior to their deployment. Stubby was a dog of “ uncertain breed “, most likely a Bull Terrier or Boston Terrier. In the 1870s, the German military began coordinating with local dog clubs, training and breeding dogs for combat. In this environment, Sergeant Stubby was an ideal World War I hero, because he was ideally stoic. He was officially given the promotion to Sergeant by the infantry commander himself after the incredible capture of a German spy. Miss Louise Johnson and Sergeant Stubby in a parade, May 1921. Surely some measure of his popularity in the postwar period was due to the novelty of a canine hero. Despite his postwar stardom, Stubby has faded from memory in the century since the war commenced. His glory was even hailed in France, which also presented him with a medal. Photo courtesy Carole Raddato/Flickr Creative Commons. The journey to the theater of war has the quality of legend—a scruffy, peculiarly American brand of myth. Siberian huskies, naturally, were relied on for transport. For capturing an enemy spy, Stubby was put in for a promotion to the rank of sergeant by the commander of the 102nd Infantry. Let us never forget the protection provided to us by the courageous souls that come inside of a much furrier package, bearing four paws, and a tail. In one battle, Prusco, a French dog, located and dragged more than 100 wounded men to safety. The 102nd Infantry headquarters were set up near a dangerous spot 1½ miles north of Mandres-aux-Quatre-Tours. Here are some interesting things to know about this four-legged hero. At some point during the turbulent Atlantic crossing, Stubby was found out. The Germans claimed victory, leaving 81 Allied troops killed, 424 wounded, and 130 captured. Stubby later took part in the brutal offensives of Saint-Mihiel, Aisne-Marne, and the Champagne-Marne. Another photo, dated February 1919, captures Stubby in the town of Mandres-aux-Quatre-Tours, in Lorraine in northeastern France. Sergeant Stubby was a pit bull type dog that was found and “enlisted” by Private Conroy during World War I. He was excellent in locating the wounded soldiers and getting them help. Many veterans were haunted by their experiences in the trenches, but American and military culture did not encourage the airing of battlefield traumas. While the rank is obviously not recognized by the military on paper, it’s not unheard of for these well deserving dogs to be awarded with medals, recognition, and sometimes even funeral ceremonies (as we now know, thanks to Stubby the war dog). The dog sits in dappled sunlight, in a reflective pose on a wooden chair against a brick wall backdrop. The setting for Stubby’s debut was the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut. All contents © 2021 The Slate Group LLC. The highest military rank ever achieved by a dog is in fact Sergeant, which is what Stubby was promoted to in combat for his great courage on the battlefield. The year Like Rags, Stubby was a stray, and fell in with some soldiers drilling in New Haven, Conn. Cpl. He attended the 1920 Republican National Convention, which culminated in the nomination of Warren G. Harding. The process of demobilization was protracted, and troops stayed on for several months after Armistice. Sergeant Stubby served as the infantry’s mascot during World War I. The Army lagged behind its allies in both recruiting and preparedness. When did Sgt Stubby die? He showed up at training camp one day on the grounds of Yale University, and was such a hit with the soldiers that he was allowed to stay (he would drill with them, and even learned to salute). (Perhaps gas masks were to thank—man and dog alike were issued masks, though the New York Times reported that “Stubby’s physiognomy was of such peculiar contour that no mask could afford real satisfaction.”). It is a truism that World War I was the first modern war, but it’s easy to forget what that meant 100 years ago. On April 5 Stubby became a private first class, his first military rank. Sgt Stubby – The War Dog The raw troops of the 26th Division were brought to Neufchâteau, in the Lorraine region of northeastern France, to train with more experienced French forces. At Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, a soldier who is missing a foot lights a cigarette for a soldier who is missing both arms, circa 1918. Heavy winter snows in the Vosges Mountains were holding back French supply lines; mules and horses couldn’t breach the impasse to move artillery and ammunition. He’s a decorated WWI Hero, friend to presidents, and a total looker. A wondering mongrel, Stubby latched onto the 102 nd Infantry regiment of Connecticut and accompanied it across the major battlefields of the Western Front in World War 1. When he was a puppy in 1917, Stubby was wandering around the fields of Yale University. Dogs were forbidden in the U.S. military, but Conroy had managed to keep the stray as a pet throughout his three-month training in Connecticut. And much of the criticism illustrates that commemorating Stubby did often mean neglecting the story of human veterans. For capturing an enemy spy, Stubby was put in for a promotion to the rank of Sergeant by the commander of the 102nd Infantry. They took part in four major offensives—Aisne-Marne, Champagne-Marne, Saint-Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne—and 17 engagements. There are sepia-toned photographs showing the dog in the French countryside, surrounded by soldiers on a wooden Ford Model T ambulance. Persians, Greeks, Assyrians, and Babylonians all used dogs in battle. Stubby’s ears are pointed up, and he wears a gruff expression. Ann Bausum, author of Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I’s Bravest Dog, writes that J. Robert Conroy, a 25-old private from New Britain, Connecticut, forged the closest bond with the mutt. These exploits made the dog nothing less than a celebrity. Stubby’s provenance is unknown. In fact, he earned the rank of sergeant in combat. The page includes an infuriated letter to the editor by Richard L. Richardson, a Great War veteran from San Angelo, Texas. In the Middle Ages, knights outfitted dogs with canine armor; Napoleon used trained dogs as sentinels in the French campaign in Egypt. Stubby would train with the Army every morning, running and exercising with the unit. Airedale terriers were considered good messenger dogs. In 1917, Stubby, a Pit Bull puppy with a “stubbed” tail, was living on the streets of New Haven, Connecticut near an Army training camp at Yale University. According to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, he was the first dog ever given rank in the U.S. Army. They established the first military dog school in 1884, and by the start of the Great War, they had almost 7,000 trained dogs. He was a dog of uncertain breed, described in early news stories as either a Bull Terrier or Boston Terrier, with a short stature, barrel shape and friendly temperament. Sergeant Stubby, a short brindle bull terrier mutt, was officially a decorated hero of World War I. The two were soon inseparable.*. A labrador, perhaps? He met three sitting presidents, traveled the nation to veterans’ commemorations, and performed in vaudeville shows, earning $62.50 for three days of theatrical appearances, more than twice the weekly salary of the average American. To the victor go the spoils: The Iron Cross medal that had been pinned to the German’s uniform thereafter adorned Stubby’s Army “coat.”. Millions of Americans heard tales of Stubby’s courage. Stubby was made a member of the Red Cross and the American Legion. In response, the Times reported, the solider “licked his chops and wagged his diminutive tail.” Sergeant Stubby, a short brindle bull terrier mutt, was officially a decorated hero of World War I. Sgt Stubby was a mixed breed stray dog. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. For nearly a decade after the war until his death in 1926, Stubby was the most famous animal in the United States. Because they wore the Red Cross symbol, these dogs were, in theory, protected from being shot by the enemy. But given the documentation that has survived, it is difficult at times to separate the actions of the real dog from the mythology that sprung up around him upon his triumphant return with the victorious American Army. They saw more fighting than any other American infantry division: 210 days in total. The attention seemed to bother him; the New York Times reported that the soldier was “a trifle gun shy, and showed some symptoms of nervous excitement.” When photographers snapped his picture, he flinched. The dog gave chase, eventually dragging the soldier back to the 102nd. At the peak of the war, Germany’s dog forces numbered more than 30,000: messengers, Sanitätshunde, draught animals, guards. Stubby, a pit bull type dog, was a hero of World War I. Germany had a long tradition of military dogs and had the war’s best-trained canine force. Among the allies, France had the largest and most diverse dog units. Later, Stubby was injured during a grenade attack, receiving a large amount of … Allan managed to transport, in secret, more than 400 sled dogs from Alaska to Quebec, where he and the dogs boarded a cargo ship bound for France. But his story is worth revisiting, and not just as a cute, curious footnote. If you value our work, please disable your ad blocker. Out of hiding and free to roam the freighter, Stubby proved popular with the crew. Shellshock was regarded as a mental illness, the result of cowardice, a shameful disease. He became the first dog to be given rank in the United States Armed Forces. Stubby was later injured by a grenade, but he survived the large amounts of shrapnel in his chest and leg. German Shepherd? Conroy named the puppy Stubby, and the pup was soon the unofficial mascot of Conroy’s unit, the 102nd Infantry, 26th Yankee Division. The highest military rank ever achieved by a dog is in fact Sergeant, which is what Stubby was promoted to in combat for his great courage on the battlefield. In 1915, the French government asked Allan Alexander Allan, a Scotsman living in Alaska, to provide its army with sled dogs. Before he became the most decorated war dog in American history, Sergeant Stubby was homeless: unwanted, unwashed, unloved, and scrounging for scraps on the streets of Connecticut. “Even when the shells were singing, to see a line half a mile long of dog teams tearing down the mountain to the base depot, every blue devil whooping and yelling and trying to pass the one ahead.”. By June, however, Stubby had recovered and was back in action. Stubby lingered around Camp Yale after that first appearance. Stubby was a brindle puppy with a short tail. Army via Wikimedia Commons. And you'll never see this message again. He even captured a German soldier. Stubby, a bulldog terrier with a short, stubby tail. For his keen instincts and fierce loyalty, Stubby is still recognized today as the most decorated canine in American history and the first promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Sergeant Stubby, a Bull Terrier or Boston Terrier, has been called the most decorated war dog of World War I, and the only dog to be nominated for rank and then promoted to sergeant through combat. He was so popular that his actions were well-documented in contemporary American newspapers. Stubby got his first war wound at Seicheprey, when a German shell fragment lodged in his left foreleg. Stubby’s temperament and personality enchanted all of the men, but one soldier in particular by the name of Robert Conroy declared Stubby as his own. Made the dog nothing less than a celebrity a nothing dog who soldiers! Author Ann Bausum ’ s short tail when he was excellent in locating the wounded soldiers and them... 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