Smokey the Dog

Smoky was first found in a foxhole in the jungles of New Guinea in March1944. Later, Smokey was sold to Corporal Williams A Wynne for $2 Australian dollars. Wynne, who had some dog training experience, found this 4 pounds, 7 inch high pup to be “uncommonly adventurous, tough and smart” which was important for her getting through the next 18 months of WW2 combat. As a member of the 5th Air Force’s 26th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron, she survived over 150 Japanese air raids and flew 12 rescue and photo reconnaissance missions. Her most important contribution came when her squadron was constructing an airbase under heavy enemy bomb attacks and needed to run a cable through a 70-foot long pipe that was only 8-inches in diameter. Running the cable would take 3 days for a work crew of 70 to dig under an airfield, leaving them vulnerable to attack. It only took Smokey 3 minutes to accomplish the task. 

When the war ended, all US Troops were ordered to leave their animals behind, but Wynn’s was able to smuggled Smokey home in his oxygen mask bag. Back in Cleveland, Wynn brought Smoky to veterans hospitals, entertaining patients for another 9 years. Smoky was the first war dog to receive the Animals in War and Peace Distinguished Service Medal and is considered the world’s first documented therapy dog. She lived till she was 14 years old.