America's military presence in Iraq includes "soldiers" who have received none of the farewell fanfare and support accorded the hundreds of thousands of traditional troops deployed. Neither are they being recognized for the heroic service they provided in past wars. They are war dogs.

Veteran handler Charlie Cargo tells of the day his dog Wolf, a German Shepherd, refused to allow him to proceed up trail in Vietnam. "I looked straight ahead and not more than two feet away was a trip wire. I would have died right there if he hadn't found the wire." Cargo said. Teams were so effective that the Viet Cong offered a bounty for dead war dogs or their handlers.

The dogs prevented soldiers from triggering booby traps or stepping on land mines, and they alerted their handlers to hidden enemy soldiers far away. They detected underwater saboteurs by the smell of their breath from the reeds they used as snorkels. Some protected their handlers from gunfire and shrapnel with their own bodies, losing their lives in return.

In the Vietnam War, an estimated 10,000 American casualties were prevented by the efforts of 4,000 faithful American dogs. Only 265 dog handlers were killed in action. Of the dogs, 325 died in the line of duty, and 600 succumbed to tropical disease. Because the Vietnam War was so unpopular, many of our soldiers returned home abandoned and unrecognized. Also unheralded were their heroic dogs. Some say the government considered them expandable "equipment." The handlers were devastated to leave their best friends behind. Today, handlers who served in Vietnam still break down and cry as they tell of their dogs' heroics and the lives they saved. Fortunatley, war dogs are no longer considered expandable and are sent back to U.S. Air Force bases for continuing service. That's a start.

Commemorative postage stamps are approved by Congress and the Postal service. Even Donald Duck has one. But efforts by veterans to so honor our dogs have been passed over by Congress and the Postal Service-twice. Donald Duck has entertained and delighted us for generations, but how many soldiers' have been saved? Don't these dogs deserve at least a postage stamp?

We want to build the Dogs of War memorial. As well as get the postage stamp made for these heros.

Please Help us!!!

ALAN CUNNINGHAM DVM
American Fork, Utah

Used by permission of The Salt Lake Tribune Sunday, March 23, 2003

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