On Memorial Day, the nation bows its head to honor fallen soldiers. But among those who served and sacrificed, not all wore boots. Some padded silently beside their handlers on dangerous patrols, sniffed out bombs before they could detonate, and stood guard through endless, hostile nights. These were the military working dogs — loyal, brave, and often unsung.

Their legacy spans centuries. In World War I, a stray dog named Stubby wandered onto a military training ground in Connecticut and refused to leave. He followed troops to France, where he warned of gas attacks, found wounded soldiers, and even caught a German spy — feats that earned him a medal and a handshake from three U.S. presidents, as recounted by The Dodo.

Military dogs have died protecting U.S. soldiers in every major war.

From Decoration Day to Canine Valor

Memorial Day began in the wake of the Civil War, as grieving Americans decorated soldiers’ graves with flowers. But it wasn't until decades later that dogs would be publicly recognized as fellow warriors. During World War II, the U.S. Marine Corps launched an official war dog training program. Spearheaded by Captain William W. Putney, the program trained pets donated by families to perform critical battlefield tasks, including mine detection and silent signaling, according to America Comes Alive.

Putney saw firsthand how dogs saved lives. During a patrol, a Doberman named Cappy took a fatal bullet meant for his handler. After the war, Putney fought to prevent the euthanasia of these dogs, believing they could be rehabilitated. Thanks to his persistence, hundreds of dogs were eventually returned to civilian homes.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Staff Sgt. Joy Pariante, License: Public Domain

Brig. Gen. Daniel B. Allyn (left), chief of staff, Multi-National Corps-Iraq and Col. Rock Donahue, director, C7, MNC-I, unveil a painting of Cpl. Kory D. Wiens and Sgt. Cooper, who were killed in action near Baghdad July 6, 2008. 

More Than Companions

Military dogs do more than detect threats. They form emotional bonds that carry enormous weight in war. As DogTime reports, Marine Lance Corporal Alfredo Salazar's partner, Kaiser, was the first military dog killed in Vietnam. Salazar held Kaiser as he died from gunfire. The unit renamed their outpost Camp Kaiser in his honor.

Decades later, Corporal Kory Wiens and his Labrador, Cooper, patrolled Iraq together. They were inseparable — even in death. Both died from an IED blast, and their ashes were buried side by side in Oregon. In their memory, a dog park was established at an infantry post in Colorado.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons / SSgt. Danielle McBride, USSF, License: Public Domain

Senior Airman Paolo Renzetti, 460th Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler, completes a ruck march with his MWD, Mixi.

Forgotten and Left Behind

But not every dog got to come home. After the Vietnam War, out of approximately 4,000 service dogs, only 200 were returned to the U.S. The rest were either euthanized or abandoned — classified as equipment, not comrades, DogTime reports.

Change came slowly. By 2000, legislation allowed handlers to adopt retired dogs. The Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act passed in 2013 ensured these dogs receive care after their service ends.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Aphillcsa, License: CC BY-SA 4.0

Monument to Smoky in the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks, Lakewood, Ohio.

Names Worth Remembering

Smoky, a Yorkshire Terrier found in the jungles of New Guinea, became an unlikely war hero. Weighing just four pounds, she served in World War II and helped build an airbase by carrying wires through narrow pipes. The Dodo reports.

Lucca, a German Shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix, completed over 400 missions across Iraq and Afghanistan. She lost a leg to an IED, but not one Marine was injured under her watch. As The Dodo reports, her bravery earned her the prestigious Dickin Medal.

Rolo, another Doberman, was praised as the best “point dog” in his unit. During World War II, he exposed enemy fire and drew machine-gun attention away from fellow soldiers. He died shortly after — just two years old, and born on the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, according to DogTime.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Spc. Derek Mustard, License: Public Domain

U.S. Army military working dog, Nick, of the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

Beyond the Battlefield

Not all war dog stories end in combat. Some, like Sergeant Sandy, began with a rescue. As Amy Shojai reports, Staff Sergeant Ed Lynde found her in an Iraqi bunker during the Gulf War. Against all odds, he brought her back to the U.S., where she barked at trees for the first time in her life.

Others, like Puskos — a 15-pound terrier with the U.S. Navy — show that size doesn’t define service. His small stature made him ideal for sniffing out contraband in tight spaces.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Dave Babbitt, License: Public Domain

IED detection dogs perform life-saving work.

The Memory Lives On

Today, monuments across the globe — from Guam to Pennsylvania to Kyrgyzstan — honor the dogs who served alongside soldiers. Memorials like the one at Edinburgh Castle list names like Gyp, Yum Yum, and Scamp. Statues like Sallie Ann Jarrett’s in Gettysburg remind us of their sacrifice.

Perhaps the most fitting tribute is “Guardians of the Night,” a poem that reads at canine memorials across the country. “I will protect you with my last breath,” it begins — a sentiment every handler understands, and every veteran dog proves.

Legislation now allows retired military dogs to be adopted.

Final Salute

Military dogs are more than tools of war. They are sentinels, companions, and heroes. They don’t understand politics or strategy. They know loyalty. They know courage. On Memorial Day, we remember all who’ve fallen — and among them, the guardians with fur and fangs, who served without question and loved without condition.