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The Role Of Stubby In The US Army

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In 1917, as the 102nd Infantry, 26th Yankee Division of the US Army trained and camped around the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut a stray dog wandered into camp. Private J. Robert Conroy found the short-tailed puppy and named him “Stubby.” The dog quickly became the mascot of the 102nd Infantry, despite an official ban on pets in the camp. When the division shipped out for Europe to fight in the First World War, Private Conroy managed to smuggle Stubby aboard the SS Minnesota the transport that brought the Connecticut troops to France. Stubby received special orders (as the division’s mascot) that allowed him to travel to the front lines with the rest of the troops when it came time for battle. Mascot of the 102nd Infantry, 26th Yankee Division …show more content…

After surviving an enemy gas attack, Stubby became extremely sensitive to the presence of even trace amounts of gas, allowing him to warn fellow soldiers of any danger coming in the wind. He proved extremely helpful in locating wounded men in the field and even helped apprehend a German spy he found mapping out the layout of the Allied trenches. For helping capture an enemy spy, Stubby received a promotion to the rank of Sergeant, making him the first dog to receive a rank in the US Armed Forces. In April 1918, as the 102nd Infantry joined an attack on the German-held town of Seicheprey, France, they fell under a hail of grenade fire. Stubby, who took part in the attack, received shrapnel wounds to his leg and chest. After he had his wounds treated, he was transported to a Red Cross Recovery Hospital, where he proceeded to walk around the hospital visiting wounded soldiers and boosting morale wherever he

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