Sergeant Stubby Still on Patrol at the Flagpole War Memorial The Green New Haven, Connecticut A 1928 flagpole in the center of the New Haven Green’s eastern section honors residents lost in the First World War. The dedication on the east face of the monument’s eight-sided base reads, “In grateful memory of her heroic sons who fell in the service of their country, 1917-1918, the city of New Haven erects this staff, 1928.” The other seven sides of the flagpole’s base bear bronze plaques that list the names of residents who were killed in the war. The flagpole is surrounded by a fountain that was added to the site in 2003. Sometimes, visitors in the park at dusk claim they hear taps and see just a ghostly hand or two raised in salute near the flagpole. A few lucky people spot a pit bull terrier at the flagpole. The dog is silent and respectful. In life, he was Sergeant Stubby, the most decorated dog of World War I. In death, he is still on patrol, in search of his buddies from the 102nd Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, the Rainbow Division.. Sergeant Stubby was a homeless stray adopted by the regiment that was training on the Yale University Campus for service in World War I. They named him “Sergeant Stubby” for the stubby tail that he had. Sergeant Stubby learned how to march like the men and follow the orders of the bugle. He even raised his paw to salute his superior officers. Although it was against regulations, Sergeant Stubby was taken by regiment to Europe. When he was discovered, he had such a winning personality that he became the official mascot of the American Expeditionary Force. He was wounded a few times while taking part in seventeen battles in the course of four campaigns. His presence improved morale; his barking during combat saved countless lives. His barks warned against chemical gas attacks. He could sniff out mustard gas before it became lethal. The men would have enough time to put on the masks to save their lives. At the time, there were no special masks for dogs to wear against this type of warfare. With his keen sense of hearing, he could detect in advance incoming artillery shells and even German infantry attacks. His barks would alert the soldiers the direction of the danger coming their way. In 1921, General Black Jack Pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary Force, personally pinned a one-of-a-kind Dog Hero Gold Medal on Stubby’s military jacket. The American Legion made him an official member of their veterans’ organization. Three presidents: Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, and Calvin Coolidge insisted upon meeting him. When his master Robert Conroy ended up attending Georgetown University law school after the war, Sergeant Stubby went with him. The dog immediately became the official mascot of the football team. In 1926, Sergeant Stuffy died of old age. He was even honored with an obituary by The New York Times! A taxidermist preserved him and sometimes you can see him on display at the Smithsonian Institution still on patrol!
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 20:27:35 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015