| Dog Handlers and their Stories |
| I would like to thank the Veteran's that assisted me with this website. They were gracious and generous enough to share a little of their history with me regarding their time in Vietnam and with their partners - the War Dogs. I wish the best to these men and those who share their lives with them. Thank You. I asked the men the following questions: 1. What years did you serve in Vietnam? 2. Where did you serve? 3. What were your dog's names? 4. What happened to them when you left Vietnam? 5. How did you get involved with the dogs? 6. How did the war and working with the dogs impact your life? 7. Do you have any special memories of yourself and the dog (s)? |
| David M. David served in Vietnam from June 1966 thru June 1967, this is his story: I served in Phan Rang after a month of climatizing, for the dogs, in Ton So Nut near Saigon. Eighty-eight dogs and handlers were shipped to Viet Nam from Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, after a week of combat training at nearby Lackland Air Force Base. We were divided into two equal groups and put on C-130 Hercules Aircraft. Forty-four dogs in the crates lined up down the middle of the aircraft, while the forty-four handlers were seated against the sides of the aircraft. A very uncomfortable situation as I recall it. We flew from Texas to California. On to Hawaii and the Philippines, arriving in Viet Nam approximately 40 hours later. My dog's name was "Tuck," whom I had trained from scratch at the dog school at Lackland Air Force Base. At the completion of dog school, we returned, by train, to my duty station which was Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington. My dog was taken over by a new handler when I left Vietnam in 1967. When I enlisted in the Air Force I wanted to be a medic, but the needs of the Air Force were more important. It was determined that I would become an Air Policeman. Upon completion of basic Air Police training, I decided to work with the dogs because at the time, the dogs were all German Shepherds. I had grown up with German Shepherds and felt very comfortable around them. It seemed like a good fit for me at the time. The War and more particularly working with the dogs profoundly affected my life in numerous ways, not all good. Example, it is very difficult for me to view dogs as simply pets, given that I had such an intense and personal relationship with a dog who kept me alive in a combat zone for twelve months. We pretty much lived 24/7 with our dogs and as a result, became very close and dependent on them for our lives and survival. Leaving my dog and coming back to the States was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life and cannot/will not ever forget saying good-bye to my dog. Secondly, the Viet Nam War experience radicalized me and as a result I became very political when I returned to the States, becoming very active in fighting against the war. I was honorably discharded from the Air Force in June of 1968. The memory that stands out for me the most is that of leaving my dog when I left Viet Nam. The feelings surrounding that have haunted me for thirty-four years. |