Lucky the War Dog: Military Service and Beyond

Lucky was a German Shepherd who served as a sentry dog in World War II. He was trained to detect and locate enemy soldiers.

Lucky's military service took place in the Pacific Theater, specifically on the island of Iwo Jima. His duties included patrolling the island's perimeter and alerting his unit to potential threats.

Lucky's keen senses and training allowed him to detect and locate enemy soldiers, even in the midst of intense combat. He was an invaluable asset to his unit.

Lucky's military service was marked by several notable incidents, including the discovery of a hidden enemy bunker on Iwo Jima. His discovery helped to save the lives of his fellow soldiers.

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Lucky was a German Shepherd Dog, trained by the Royal Air Force to track terrorists.

During the Malayan Emergency, Lucky was one of four dogs posted to the conflict between 1949 and 1952. The other three dogs were called Bobbie, Jasper and Lassie.

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Lucky was used to track Communist forces in the jungles of Malaysia, and he even assisted in the capture of Lan-Jang-San in February 1951.

Lucky's handler was Corporal Beval Austin Stapleton, and he was attached to a number of different regiments during this period, including the Gurkha Rifles and the Coldstream Guards.

Lucky was the only one of the four dogs to survive their time in Malaysia.

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Lucky was posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal by the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals on 6 February 2007.

The Dickin Medal is considered to be the animal's equivalent to the Victoria Cross.

Lucky's medal was received by Corporal Beval Austin Stapleton, who was proud to accept it on behalf of the four RAF tracker dogs posted to the Malaysian campaign between 1949 and 1952.

Princess Alexandra awarded the medals at a ceremony at the Imperial War Museum in London, alongside another dog named Sadie.

Lucky was more than just a family pet - he was a Marine war dog. Dr. William Putney, a veterinarian, oversaw the dog training at Camp Lejeune, ensuring that the dogs were trained using reward-based methods and avoiding negative punishments.

The family's dog, Lucky, passed his basic training and was promoted to Private First Class. He was then sent to the Pacific Theater as a replacement for a casualty, where he would search for Japanese soldiers hiding in caves on Guam.

Lucky's handler, Donald Walton, kept the family updated on his progress through regular reports from the Marine Corps. The family was also given the opportunity to write to Lucky via his handler, with a provided serial number and Army Post Office number in San Francisco.

However, the family never wrote to Lucky, as they were still moving around and unsure of their situation. They thought it might not be a good idea to keep up correspondence, especially since they had given away the dog.

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Dr. Putney not only trained the dogs for war but also created a program to de-train them so they could return to family life after the war. This was a crucial step in helping the dogs transition back to civilian life.

Here are the key roles Dr. Putney played in war dog training and re-training:

Lucky's training and deployment were a testament to the important role that war dogs played in the war effort. Despite the challenges he faced, Lucky remained loyal and dedicated to his handler and the Marine Corps.