The most decorated American dog of WWII was a German Shephard-Collie-Malamute mix named Chips. Well, not officially, but he was still a hell of a dog.   He belonged to the Wren family in Pleasantville, NY.  He would accompany their daughter to school and lie under her desk.  At recess, he would intervene in any scuffles.  When WWII broke out, the Wren family donated him to the war effort.  He was sent to the War Dog Training Center. After graduating, he was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division and accompanied them to North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, and Germany.  His handler was Private John Rowell.  He was a sentry for the Casablanca conference and met FDR and Churchill.  In the invasion of Italy at Salerno.  He and Rowell were pinned down on the beach by an Italian machine gun. Chips ran into the pillbox and pulled one of them out by the throat.  The other three surrendered too.  Later in the day, he helped capture 10 other Italians.  He was awarded the Silver Star for that day and was put up for a Distinguished Service Cross and a Purple Heart because he was wounded that day.  The Army authorities decided animals could not get medals and revoked the Silver Star.  However, later he was awarded the British Dickin Medal that was created to honor valorous animals.  After the war, he was returned to the Wrens.  In 1990, Disney made a movie about him –  “Chips the War Dog”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chips_(dog)

https://www.insideedition.com/chips-a-us-army-hero-dog-that-served-in-world-war-ii-gets-posthumous-medal-39811

https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-chips-dog

 


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