The brutal battlefields of World War One sometimes saw dogs in service. These dogs held many alerting responsibilities, as their senses were far more attuned than any soldier was. Some of these dogs became war heroes for their brave acts. One such dog was known as Sergeant Stubby.
Simply named Stubby, this dog served alongside the U.S. 102nd Infantry Regiment as they fought back the Central Powers in France. As many of the soldiers did, Sergeant Stubby faced the reality of brutal trench warfare.
Birth and Rescue
Born in 1916, Stubby was only one and two years old while he trained for and fought on the violent fronts of the war. He was part of a dog breed that was similar to one evolving called Boston Terriers, which was a very new dog breed at the time (and not quite what it is today).
Stubby was born as a stray on the streets of Connecticut, United States. In July 1917, he was found by the 102nd Regiment wandering around the Yale University campus in New Haven. Members of the regiment picked up Stubby and took him back to their camp. There, Stubby was allowed to accompany the regiment and even train with them.
Corporal James Robert Conroy of the 102nd developed a certain fondness for Stubby during this time.
Shipment to Europe
When it came time for the 102nd to ship out to Europe, Conroy refused to leave Stubby behind. He had grown to love the dog and did not want to abandon Stubby and force him to become a stray, again.
Instead of leaving Stubby, Conroy smuggled the dog onto the departing ship and hid him for the entire journey across the Atlantic Ocean. When they arrived in France, Conroy hid Stubby in his overcoat as he departed from the ship.
But Conroy could not hide Stubby forever. Soon after their arrival, Conroy’s commanding officer discovered Stubby. When Stubby saw the officer, he raised his paw and saluted him, just as he had been trained to do back at the camp in Connecticut. This helped convince the commanding officer to allow Stubby to stay.
Yet, this would be no vacation for the dog. Stubby and the 102nd soon headed for the front lines.
Service in the War
Stubby participated in four offensives and seventeen battles altogether. He became the mascot for the 102nd, improving the morale of the troops in the fight. In addition, his acute senses allowed him to locate injured soldiers and alert rescuers to their positions.
Stubby’s first day of combat, 5 February 1918, was met with constant heavy fire. The constant fire continued for over one month. During the battle, Stubby was hit in the foreleg by shrapnel from a German hand grenade. He was sent to the rear to recover, and also to improve the morale of the injured. Upon his recovery, Stubby was immediately sent back to the front lines.
Not long after that battle, Stubby was hit and injured by a mustard gas attack. Once again, he recovered. Stubby was given a specially-designed gas mask to wear following his gas injury. The mustard gas attack also allowed Stubby to detect any incoming gas, as he developed an acute sense for it. He could also hear the whine from incoming artillery shells before humans could, proving himself to be an effective alert system. Stubby became so efficient at this that he could alert soldiers when to duck from an incoming artillery attack.
Stubby’s most heroic moment came when he single-handedly captured a German spy. He was able to grab and hold the spy by the “seat of his pants” until reinforcements could arrive. This act of bravery led to Stubby’s promotion to sergeant, and he was now known as Sergeant Stubby.
Sergeant Stubby continued to serve until the end of the war in November 1918. Once again, he would get hit by shrapnel from a grenade, though he recovered. When the 102nd retook Château-Thierry, women there made a special coat for Stubby. This coat would become synonymous with Stubby, and he wore it often.
Retirement and Death
At the end of the war, Conroy smuggled Stubby back to the United States with him. Stubby was greeted with a hero’s welcome when he returned. He met three U.S. presidents and normally led parades across the country. Stubby was also awarded a lifetime membership to both the American Legion and the YMCA.
In 1921, General John Pershing awarded Stubby with a gold medal from the Humane Education Society. That same year, Conroy left to attend Georgetown University in Washington D.C., and Stubby accompanied him. The dog became the mascot for the university’s football team. At halftime during football games, Stubby would nudge a football around the field to amuse fans.
Sergeant Stubby lived as a celebrity until his death in March 1926. He died peacefully in his sleep. Stubby’s obituary in the New York Times ran half a page, much longer than many notable people of the same time period. Conroy had Stubby’s remains preserved.
Conclusion
In 1956, thirty years later, Conroy presented Stubby’s preserved body to the Smithsonian Museum, which accepted Stubby. To this day, Stubby’s remains can be viewed on display in Washington D.C.
Sergeant Stubby is remembered as a “brave stray” who remained loyal to his regiment. There have been books, documentaries, and movies made about Stubby since his lifetime. One of the most notable movies is “Sgt. Stubby, An American Hero” which showcases the heroic acts of the dog.
