This is a great Disney movie although most people have never heard of it. It was made for TV in 1990 and is about an American war dog in World War II, Chips. It's loosely based on a true story; there was actually a dog named Chips in WWII, but beyond that, the movie is fiction. In the movie, Chips, a German Shepherd, gets into trouble chasing the neighbor's chickens, so his family donates him to the Army's Dogs for Defense program. There Chips is eventually paired with a handler, Danny, who is initially afraid of dogs but grows to love Chips.
In reality, Chips was a Shepherd/Husky/Collie mix who bit the garbage man and ended up in the Army. In November 1943 he was awarded the Silver Star for bravery and the Purple Heart for being wounded in action, but those medals were later taken away because it was considered improper to bestow an award meant for humans on an animal.
The movie is not currently available on video and I can't remember the last time it was on TV. I really wish Disney would release it on DVD; my old recording off TV isn't gonna last forever! |
